Mathura : A District Memoir

The Indian Civil Service community of the nineteenth century produced giants in various fields of research and publication. Among the well-known personalities who come to mind are Sir George Grierson, F.S. Growse, and Vincent Smith, to?name?a?few.

The significance of their research lies in the fact that they worked with great sympathy and love and that, despite this, their work never lost its basic objectivity. Great progress in research was made later on, but these inspiring writings form a firm basis of all subsequent researches in their respective fields.

In this book on Mathura, F.S. Growse, discusses the religious movements, caste system, social institutions, languages (including the dialectal details), the history and legends, the monuments, and even the local luminaries of the place. His work shows precision and depth and is ample evidence of his deep and continuous research of the Indian people and their culture. Mathura being the heart of India because of its geographical position and its chequered history, reflected the cross currents of Indian cultures, its art, architecture, and its rich literature. Growse found here an ample field to satisfy his quest for knowledge.

The erudition which Growse wielded is evident by the depth to which he went in deciphering the inscriptions, in checking the dates of the events of the ancient and medieval periods and in substantiating his statements by copiously quoting from Sanskrit and Vrajabhasha texts. His findings in the development of the Mathura School of Sculpture are the first serious attempt to classify the available?material?in?that?field.

The Memoir also clearly establishes the existence of a distinct Mathura School of Architecture. In short it covers the history of the area from the ancient Buddhist?period?to?the?medieval?Hindu?period?in?minute?detail.