Brindaban
This article has been extracted from THE IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF INDIA , 1908. OXFORD, AT THE CLARENDON PRESS. |
Note: National, provincial and district boundaries have changed considerably since 1908. Typically, old states, ‘divisions’ and districts have been broken into smaller units, and many tahsils upgraded to districts. Some units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.
Brindaban
(from brinda Ocymum sanctum, and ban, 'a grove'). — Town in the District and tahsil of Muttra, United Provinces, situated in 27° T,'^' N. and 77° 42' E., near the Jumna, and connected by a metalled road and the branch line of the Cawnpore-Achhnera Railway with Muttra city. Population (1901), 22,717, of whom only 1,409 are Muhammadans. The town has no political history, but according to tradition was the place where Krishna passed most of his youth and where his mistress, Radha, loved to dwell. It is visited annually by thousands of Hindu pilgrims from the most distant parts of India. It contains about 1,000 temples, and the peacocks and monkeys with which the neighbourhood abounds enjoy special endowments. I'he town itself dates from the sixteenth century, when several holy men from different parts of India settled here, and four of the existing temples were built about that time. The finest of these is the temple of Govind Deva, built in 1590 by Raja Man Singh of Amber (Jaipur), a magnificent building of red sandstone, cruciform, with a vaulted roof.
It has been restored by the British Government. The development of various Vaishnava cults connected with the worship of Krishna has caused the growth of the place. Some large temples were erected in the nineteenth century, one of which was built on the model of Southern Indian temples, at a cost of 45 lakhs, by the great banking firm or Seths of Muttra. Another large temple is still under construction by the Maharaja of Jaipur. The town lies some distance from the Jumna, surrounded by sacred groves of trees, most of which contain shrines.
The river face has been improved by handsome ghats of stone steps. There are branches of the Church Missionary Society and the American Methodist Mission ; and the latter society maintains a dispensary, apart from tlie District board dispensary.
Brindaban has been a municipality since 1866. During the ten years ending 1901 the income and expenditure averaged Rs. 24,000. In 1903-4 the income was Rs. 26,000, chiefly from octroi (Rs. 19,000); and the expenditure was Rs. 28,000. There is a considerable industry in calico printing, and second-hand flannel is largely imported from Marwar and Bikaner to be renovated. The town, however, depends on the pilgrim traffic for its prosperity. There are two municipal and four aided schools for boys with 296 pupils in 1904, besides a small girls' school maintained by the American Methodist Mission.
