Mathura of my Dreams by Bharat Lal Bhatnagar
•
0 likes•862 views
Presentation given by Bharat Lal Bhatnagar of Amarnath Vidya Ashram in the Stage 3 of Mathura Genius Award 2009 (Senior Level) organized by Paarth Educational Foundation (www.paarth.in)
More Related Content
Viewers also liked
Viewers also liked (17)
More from Paarth Institute
More from Paarth Institute (12)
Recently uploaded
Recently uploaded (20)
Mathura of my Dreams by Bharat Lal Bhatnagar
- 2. Mathura - The City of The Golden Past The Present Scenario Mathura of My Dreams Old World Charm vs. Modernization Yamuna – The Life line of Mathura Green And Dense Forests Hills and Pastures Kunds & Rain water Harvesting Parikrama Margs Traffic Problems Some other Grave Concerns 25/1/09 2
- 3. d m an finds A rt for its y e cit in one Mathura reached Th e ultur under the h me ntion ldest c h ic o f t he s - zenit ynasty wh of d o epic na Ku shan a s one at hura als. aya ad M ir capit Ram h the Fa Hien e th ti o ns men a centre s ci ty, a hism in d of Bud .D. 400 25/1/09 ab o ut A 3
- 4. The Present Scenario 25/1/09 4
- 5. Po n llu ea Green fre tion Cl e f e &e fortable t Sa cur Com as e of V s rs Se fo r visito n pa ests ex or f 25/1/09 5
- 6. We need to act, and act fast!!!!! 25/1/09 6
- 7. Old World Charm Or Moderniza tion 25/1/09 7
- 8. For all round development of Mathura Preservation of traditional culture Industrial advancement 25/1/09 8
- 9. This can be done by dividing the city in to two circles 25/1/09 9
- 10. When you live for a strong purpose, then hard work isn’t an option. It’s a necessity 25/1/09 10
- 11. Stop using Yamuna as a sewer line Very stringent punishment should be meted out to those who pollute Yamuna Clean the river Stop the growth of water hyacinth which is drying the river 25/1/09 11 Ban cutting of forests at Yamnotri
- 12. Lotus blooming Birds chirping Children playing Aah! My Yamuna My pride 25/1/09 12
- 13. In the past, Braj consisted of lush forests, trees laden with fruits and flowers, hovering bees, birds and bountiful nature. 25/1/09 13
- 14. Protecting the Hills of Braj These hills are a part of the ecological and cultural heritage of the region. Mining should be immediately stopped to save what ever is left of these hills 25/1/09 14
- 15. These hills should be developed into pasture land Live stock (cows) will flourish Dairies will grow More revenue will be generated 25/1/09 15
- 16. The green environs Vast pasturelands with cows grazing fearlessly The scenic beauty will be unparallel in the whole world 25/1/09 16
- 17. Protecting the Kunds of Braj 000 d1 oun ar s j had und da s Bra k s ol ar e a rs me 00 yea Kunds are the So 50 traditional water harvesting But, alas! techniques With the passage of time however a majority of the historical kunds have 25/1/09 became garbage dumps. 17
- 18. The entire Mathura district receives an annual rainfall of 67.50 cm Kunds in the entire Braj region can be harnessed to conserve the surface water 25/1/09 18
- 19. Improving the Traffic Situation in Mathura Good transport infrastructure is recognized as a prerequisite and foundation on which government can plan and implement its economic and social development programs. 25/1/09 19
- 20. Deeg Gate Bharatpur Gate Holy Gate Bhuteshwar Tiraha Opposite ISKCON Temple Urgently Required Fly –overs at all major crossings Proper traffic regulation Pedestrian subways Big parking lots Most importantly, dedicated Police Work force to keep things in order. 20 25/1/09
- 21. About 5 Crore Pilgrims visit the Braj region every year Many pilgrims do Parikrama Goverdhan Braj Chaurasi Parikrama kos Parikrama Barsana Vrindavan Parikrama Parikrama 25/1/09 21
- 22. Dedicated pedestrian paths should be developed to help devotees complete their parikrama. Soft sands should be laid on the path since parikrama is done barefoot; some even do dand parikrama 25/1/09 22
- 23. Renovation & maintenance of old temples Many temples, some centuries old, are just crumbling to dust because of lack of maintenance. Rampant theft & smuggling of temple treasures should be 25/1/09 stopped at once. 23
- 24. The Drainage System of this region should urgently be looked into It is indeed a herculean task – but still has to be done if the city has to be improved 25/1/09 24
- 25. "Whatever we vividly imagine, ardently desire, sincerely believe, and enthusiastically act upon must inevitably come true!" 25 25/1/09
- 26. 25/1/09 26
Editor's Notes
- A very good day to all of you! Through this presentation I want to share with you my dreams about Mathura. But these are not just dreams I see in my sleep. These are my dreams towards which I will work to the full of my capacity to make them a reality.
- The points that I am going to discuss in this presentation are -
- Mathura is an ancient city that finds mention even in the Ramayana. Mathura's strategic location at the cross roads of various trade routes ensured its position as a centre of trade and a meeting point for varied cultures. ( that went westwards to West Asia and the Roman Empire; northwards, via Taxila, Pushkalavati and Purushapur to Central Asia and the Silk Route and eastwards to China ) By the fifth century BC, during the time of Buddha, it was a major metropolis and the capital of the Surasena Kingdom. Mathura saw its `golden age' during the rule of the Kushanas and the able governance of rulers like Kanishka, when the arts flourished and economic wealth grew. It remained a centre of power during the Mauryan period, through the enlightened rule of Emperor Ashoka (3rd century BC) to the Gupta era (4th century AD).
- At present, the situation of Mathura is quite pitiable. We have horrible traffic snarls, the Yamuna looks like a sewer drain, garbage heaps are a common site, to name a few problems.
- Where should we go? Should we work on preserving the heritage of Mathura & forego modernization? Or should it be the other way round?
- Both r very imp for all round development – we must preserve our traditions along with going in for industrial advancements.
- And the two are not mutually exclusive! With proper planning, as has been implemented at Tirupati Balaji, we can modernize Mathura without compromising on it heritage, culture & old world charm. This can be done by dividing the city in to two circles
- To achieve this, we need to do quite a few things.
- One of the important things to be done is saving the Yamuna
- I dream of a pure, swirling & gurgling Yamuna. Ever so pure, where devotees can take a dip & offer prayers. On whose waters lotus bloom, birds chirp & on whose silver banks children can play.
- Another important issue that I would like to address, is the forests of Braj. Forests act as a carbon sink through photosynthesis. They have tremendous influence on local climate and rainfall through respiration. They act as a medium for water storage and filtration through root structure, and as a protector of soil quality and quantity, and species biodiversity. They help slow global warming by storing and sequestering carbon. Forests are sources of wood products. And forests are crucial sources of food, medicine, clean drinking water, and immense recreational, aesthetic, and spiritual benefits for us. Forests also prevent desertification.
- Mathura was famous for its riches in terms of cows. Rivers of milk, curd & ghee used to flow here. I dream of bringing back those riches to Mathura. Apart from bringing prosperity to the region, v ast pasturelands with cows grazing fearlessly will be a scenic beauty unparallel in the whole world.
- and at present it is next to impossible to even find out if these kunds existed there at all.
- The impending water crisis can be reduced by the renovation and restoration of these water bodies. Recharging of ground water through the rain water using these kunds is a viable and time tested solution.
- All of us must have often got stuck in the traffic jams that frequently occur in Mathura & Vrindavan. Pedestrian subways should be designed keeping in mind the huge inflow of devotees, most of whom are elderly people.
- Funds should be allotted to renovate & maintain these temples which have great sentimental values for all the devotees.
- Thank you & have a nice day!