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Ganga: the great river of India, rising in the icy heights of the Himalayas, racing
among deep gorges, breaking into silvery rapids and thundering over boulder-strewn
beds. The water pure and cold, like the shock of a spiritual realization.
Floating on a raft down the Ganga was one of the most intense experiences of my
life, as I allowed the chilling waters to purify and invigorate me with fresh life.
The most sacred of Indian rivers, the Ganga is deeply embedded in the legends, mythology
and collective consciousness of this sub-continent. The Ganga has an exalted position
in the Hindu ethos. It is repeatedly invoked in the Vedas, the Puranas, and the
two Indian epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharta. Ganga devi is a goddess, one
of two daughters of Meru (the Himalayas), the other being Uma, consort of Shiva.
In her youth, Indra had asked for Ganga to be given to heaven to soothe the Gods
with its cool waters.
Beyond the legends though, the mountainous terrain through which the Ganga flows
affords some of the most spectacular river running in the country, challenging and
inviting the white-water rafting enthusiast. While the Indus snaking through Ladakh,
the Zanskar and Chenab in Kashmir are exhilarating, and rivers like the Sutlej,
Beas and Yamuna are a sporting challenge, only few rivers in the world have the
mystique of the Ganges.
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Descent down the Ganga |
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Rafting on the Ganga is certainly a unique experience. Seasons change and along
with it, the mood and colour of the river. The most distinctive aspect of rafting
along the bends in the river is the dense forests, temples and ashrams on the shores,
and the surprising, often difficult rapids.
River-rafting is journeying on a torrential river on an inflatable rubber boat.
Provided with white-water life-vest and a helmet (required all the time while on
the river), you can enjoy the adventure packed moments on the waters, as a professional
guides the rafts through the meandering river. So, if you wish to explore new areas
and are ready to encounter the wild youth of the Ganges, you are qualified and well
entitled to join a white-water running trip.
On either side you pass temples that have been standing there for centuries. On
the banks you see hordes of devotees, bathing, swimming or just boating down the
river. Evenings are quite an experience, when devotees light diyas on steps
of the river bank, and even leave some to float in the placid waters.
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My Experience |
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It was in April that I decided to experience the tranquillity and the adventure
on the Ganga. Our rafting campsite stood isolated in a serene spot amidst the thick
forests of the Shivalik Hills on a silvery sand beach. We awoke to the chirping
of birds announcing the arrival of dawn. The first golden rays of the sun caressed
the waters of the Ganges, paying their homage. Looking forward to our trip on the
river, we got ready in no time, gulping down our food in a hurry.
The raft plunged into foaming waters, as we held on to the ropes for dear life.
Coursing down the meandering river, tackling one treacherous rapid after the other,
the raft tossed and turned. At times it appeared as if the river was ready to take
us in its icy cradle, but somehow the raft held us upright.
As we neared Rishikesh, there was a short stretch with seemingly placid water. We
were given the option of getting into the waters for body surfing. With great delight,
the whole group jumped into the river, screaming in horror as the icy waters enveloped
us. It was with a heavy heart that I climbed back into the raft as we could hear
the thundering of the next rapid.
The river descends towards Rishikesh, passes under the Lakshman Jhoola and the run
concludes at the dam beyond Rishikesh. At the end of the day, as we reached Rishikesh,
we were tired but energised with our day descending down the river.
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Ganga's descent to earth |
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One of the more interesting ways of understanding Ganga is by hearing about stories
and legends associated with it form river rafting guides who come from the local
areas.
The most popular among them is the story of Ganga's descent to earth appears in
slightly different forms in the Ramayana (Bala Kanda: Vishwamitra narrates
it to the child Rama), the Mahabharata (Aranya Parba: Agastya narrates it
to Rama), and in the Puranas. These myths are variously dated between 2000 to 400
BC.
According to the story, King Sagara had two wives. By a favour of the lord Shiva,
one wife bore him sixty thousand sons, all of whom were doomed to die simultaneously;
while the other bore him one son, Asamanjas, who would continue the dynasty. The
sixty thousand sons grew to be great warriors, while Asamanjas caused so much misery
to the populace that his father had to expel him from the kingdom, though a grandson,
Ansuman, was left behind.
When King Sagara performed the Ashwamedha Yagna (The horse ceremony, in which
a horse is allowed to roam at will. Stopping the horse is a challenge to war; not
stopping it is a compact of obeisance), his sixty thousand sons were following the
horse, but surprisingly, the horse was lost.
After much recrimination, they dug up the entire earth, the underworld and the oceans,
searching for the horse. Eventually it was found in a deep cavern, loitering close
to where the sage Kapila sat in radiant meditation. The sons gathered the horse
but they disturbed the great Kapila, who was very annoyed, and instantly burnt them
to ash with his fiery gaze.
King Sagara heard of this fate through Narada, the heavenly wanderer, and sent his
grandson Ansuman to undo the harm. Ansuman descended to the underworld and met Kapila,
who was very pleased with the youth's bearing and conversation.
He granted that the souls of the sons of Sagara may be released by the waters of
the goddess Ganga, then resident in heaven.
Despite much austerity and prayer, neither Sagara, nor Ansuman, nor his son Dilipa,
could get Ganga to appear on earth. Finally it was Dilipa's son Bhagiratha, who
after severe austerities propitiated the Goddess, and she agreed to come down to
earth. However, the impact of her fall would be so severe, that it could be borne
by none less than Shiva himself.
Therefore Bhagiratha went into meditation again and after many more austerities,
obtained Shiva's agreement to break the fall. Finally, the goddess descended from
the heavens, falling into Shiva's matted hair, and thence to earth. This is the
site of the present-day temple at Gangotri.
Bhagiratha then led the way on horseback, and the river followed. In this manner
they reached the spot where lay the ashes of the six thousand sons. They were thus
liberated, and an ocean formed from the waters there. This is the Sagar Island of
today, where the Ganges flows into the Bay of Bengal.
Many other tales are associated with the Ganga. Hari (Lord Vishnu) himself is said
to have bathed in its waters at Haridwar, which is so holy that sins as great as
the murder of Brahmins may be washed away by bathing here. Hindus to this day use
the water of the Ganga to cleanse any place or object for ritual purposes. Bathing
in the Ganga is the lifelong ambition of many Hindus, and they will congregate on
its banks for the tremendously overcrowded Sangam, Sagar Mela or Kumbh Mela which
are held on auspicious dates every few years.
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The Holy River
Despite its many impurities, Ganga water does not rot or stink if stored for several
days. In fact, water from the Ganga has the recursive property that any water mixed
with even the minutest quantity of Ganga water becomes pure, and inherits its healing
and other holy properties. It is, after all, the river of life.
- Anju Mohan
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