The Good Ganges Morning - Travelogue

The Ganges ‘Ghats’

When turning over the pages of a novel, as the new chapter starts, what catches the attention most is the way the chapter is introduced. Sometimes with a beautiful quote, and other times with a gist or an anecdote.

With every rising Sun, a new page is added to one’s book of life. The page is plain but bright – like a canvas being painted with the unceasingly spreading orange shiny rays. Nature blesses humanity a new page – a new opportunity, a new morning – every day.

One such canvas is painted every morning along the ‘Ghats’ of the Ganges. A morning stroll along these Ghats brims the soul with freshness, energy and motivation. Though there are many such Ghats along the banks of the Ganges, which offer a spiritual and fulfilling treat to the eyes and mind, I will be covering them one by one. The Good Ganges Morning is the story of the multiple emotions that spill over as I cross the different Ghats of the Ganges in the city of Patna.

The Morning Ritual

The alarm rings and I wake up at once. The warmth of the bed is just the push of a snooze button away, where in the lap of the pleasant wonderland of another nap, I can forget the drudgery of the day ahead. Alluring it may sound, but the dreamy eyes are pulled strongly towards the beautiful reality that is in the offing – to bear witness to the miraculous morning bliss!

And so I pull myself out of the bed. Done with my morning routines, I take the ride through the zig-zag and ‘soon-to-be’ lively lanes of Patna, making my way while absorbing the silent yet chirpy morning vibes. After a few minutes of driving I arrive at my destination – the Gandhi Ghat – from where begins my glide towards witnessing nature’s charm.

The Morning Hues

At the entrance of the Ghat, with Shambhu on the left and Annapurna on the right, the ‘morning pink’ assimilates with the divine hues! Blessing all with happiness and the feeling that ‘everything will be alright!’

As I make my way through the entrance, the psyche feels nourished by the enchanting sight of…..

Diffusion of the red with the blues of the vast

Assimilation of the colourless with the reflection of the coloured

The resting and mature phase of the same Ganga that was once frisky, agile and bouncy !

The charm of the ‘rest’ also relaxes the core! For that moment, the mind finds hopes and liveliness surpassing all mundane worries.

The Walk Begins

And you begin the walk along the ‘silent waves and subtle ripples’.

The People

As I begin my walk along the 2 kilometres long riverfront, I realise that the beauty is not just in nature but also dwells within every life form inhabiting this nature. The connection of ‘being the same human’ is felt with every other person passing the lane. Strangers though we all are, this ‘cord of similarity’ binds us all together!

One feels lively to see the little ones practising their skates and the grown-ups meditating to hone their spiritual prowess! Then there are students reading for their college/ competitive exams as the ambience offers both serenity and silence. College couples sit in the mandaps and on the benches, celebrating the beauty of their relationship amidst the beauty of nature (as many colleges including the NIT Patna are in proximity of the mighty river).

As dawn gives way to sunrise and the brightness of daylight spreads, there begins the hustle-bustle of daily lives. More ferries and motorboats bring the sudden onset of vibration in the otherwise subtle ripples. The vegetable vendors bring fresh vegetables every morning from the other side of the river to be sold in the main ‘mandi’. There are pundits sitting alongside the stairs doing rituals.

The Darbhanga House

The entire stretch of pavement is dotted with multiple temples – small and large, devotees emerge in numbers for the ‘Darshana’ and blessings.

One of the most famous and spectacular one is in the Darbhanga House at the ‘Kali Ghat’. The stairs to the temple stand like a tower and are always teeming with the devotees making their way to the Sanctum sanctorum.

Along the stairs of the Darbhanga House temple, there sits a lady who sings ‘hope’. She is an octogenarian with an “ever-youth” spirit to make a dignified living. She plays her harmonium and sings in praise of the Ganga. The wrinkles speak of the weariness of the body, but her music reflects the ‘keep moving’ charm. The eyes are fixated on the temple stairs but the fingers play rhythmically the keys of the harmonium – the ‘keys’ to sail through her everyday struggles!

Walking down a few more Ghats, you come across the many ‘safai karmacharis’. The devotion for Ganga seems to drive their service dedication as well. Their days begin with the dawn and by the time sunshine breaks, they are already full swing into their duty. Their service to keep Ganga and her Ghats clean is the highest form of worship/ ritual offered to the holy river.

The Art

The walk also allows me to witness the fusion of nature’s art with the art of humans – in multiple forms. The treasure of local and colourful art of Madhubani painting and scenes from the mythology and religious scriptures beautify the walls. The colours also add rich appeal to the galleries and mandaps built across the different Ghats.

The Walk Ends and the Journey Begins

The end is always inevitable, Impermanence is the only permanent ‘Satya’. Good things end but the accompanying beauty, impressions and lasting emotions make an indelible place in your mind space. The walk ends but the experience stays with you, fuelling you in all your daily chores. The stroll ends but leaves you with enough energy to go through the bumpy ride of life. As the foot-cruise reaches its destination and you bid adieu to the glow of Ganga, something stops you. You turn back, there is no one else but only those silent ripples. And you hear something…

I flow here as flowing flawlessly is my core purpose of life.

I was born in Gangotri in the laps of the majestic Uttarkashi; pious and pure as I am.

I glide down the slopes of Himadri with an enviable pace; lively and sprightly as I am.

The peppy and dynamic youthful spirit knows no bounds.

My banks have witnessed civilizations growing and decaying, time and around!

My flow of benevolence has fed the life and livelihood of countless lifeforms.

I let humans even restrain and pause my flow to extract the ‘’power” of my potential.

I let humans pollute me with the filth of ignorance, in the name of ‘purifying’ themselves.

When the extent of restrictions overflowed, I too overflowed

The forbearance, at times, gave way to furiousness – reminding the world of the might behind the meek!

Now, in my maturity, I also had to put up with the immature ‘drain’ of humans’ carelessness!

But my innate self hung onto the freedom of flow.

I cherish people when they come to me

I bless the newborn life and embrace the lifeless bodies with the same warmth.

I too enjoy the colourful and bright festivities that bind humans and communities.

I feel honoured when you call me ‘holy’

I feel the emotions as you do

I feel the pain too

I feel defenceless when the black streams dump in

I feel helpless when the lives dwelling within me are deprived of life

I get perplexed when you light a lamp but then litter along the bank.

I stood by you through the sun and the spring, through the cold and the clouds

Can you take a stand to stand by me?

Can you make a difference to reinvigorate my AVIRAL DHARA…NIRMAL DHARA….

*****

The stroll ended but the questions remained…

…the walk ends but the journey begins…