Mathura 2016.08.29 (VT): The number of visitors visiting Mathura has reduced in the past couple of months for which temples blame the weekend traffic bans and diversions. Temple members say that vehicles were made to stop and park a great distance from the city temples due to which devotees have to walk a lot. This especially affects old people and children.
The irony is that the barricading were meant to avoid traffic congestions during weekend, and the city administration has approved the movement of auto and e-rickshaw inside the city to facilitate the visitors, simultaneously giving a better opportunity to the auto and rickshaw drivers to increase their earnings.
The priests are not happy with the decision of the traffic police and city administration, as they think that the traffic ban affects both the temple and their personal income. The same rule was applied in Vrindavan few months back, but was revoked after the protest from the priests and local shop vendors.
The priest at Mathura says that due to the barricading near Deeg Gate, devotees are getting diverted from Mathura and visit Vrindavan, Gokul or Govardhan rather than Dwarikadheesh temple, Vishram Ghat or Dirgh Vishnu.
Kanta Nath Chaturvedi (Sewayat at Dirgh Vishnu temple and Chief Minister at Akhil Bhartiya Tirth Purohit Mahasangh) suggest building a hanging bridge at Vishram Ghat as a solution to the situation. This bridge will be connected to a road to Lakshmi Nagar which will help devotees to reach the historical temple directly. He also suggested building parking places along the road and near the proposed hanging bridge.
Dirgha Vishnu temple. Picture from Brij Discovery.
- The temple of Dirgha Vishnu lies close to Bharatpur Gate, Mathura.
- When Krishna, Baldev and Their cowherd friends were proceeding to Kansa‘s wrestling arena, Shridham and other sakhas asked Krishna, “Friend, are you going to the wrestling arena? Your body is small and tender. How will you kill the mighty Kansa?”
- Shri Krishna then displayed his huge (dirgha) form, carrying a conch shell, disk, club and lotus flower.
- Thus, the sakhas were convinced that their Kanhaiya could do anything by the mercy of Narayan, and that Narayan sometimes manifested through him.
- Happily, they danced towards the wrestling arena with Shri Krishna.
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