Gangaji- THE UNIFYING MOTHER

 Banaras is famous for that one being that is its recognition, its identity; The river of the heavens-Ganga. An unnoticeable remark by all the people living in Banaras, is that they will never address the river as Ganga itself, respect and devotion has filled in them that relation that they share with it that ‘Maa Ganga’ or ‘Gangaji’ is what they call out with pride.

 The river that has its roots from the extreme north and start at the Himalayas, flow right through the city for about a stretch of 3 miles. To my surprise after looking at the map of Banaras which has most to do with the river, one might notice the shape that it takes also has a relation to the main god of the city-Lord Shiva. It takes a crescent sweep towards the north, which is believed to be the abode of lord Shiva. The shape has been personified to be the mark on Lord Shiva’s head and hence they believe that his presence is there.

One of the reasons that Gangaji is believed to be sacred is the faith in the peoples heart. The belief  in life after death and the foreseen vision of liberation and transcendence which is termed as ‘moksha’. A dip in the river is  the symbol of your sins being washed away. This has been the belief, the ‘aastha’ of the people in Banaras and all over India. Belief is what makes the difference, the faith to have thought of the water as a purifier is what has made Gangaji what it is today. Often to tourists and people of the today, religion has grown, we have started questioning its existence and its need in our lives. The very first look a Ganga for me was mesmerizing, devotees taking their usual dips, Pandits performing aarti, and the holy water. Sometime our mind makes preceding entries and gives us an image that we would wish to see and alas! It wasn't what I saw. That very first time I could not understand; the colour, the dirt, the washing of clothes, the chemicals from the diesel boats, humans bathing using soap, and worse the sewage pipes that had an opening into the holy river of heaven- Gangaji!

Was it me who just saw it, wasn't it visible enough for the everyday children of the mother, or was I being an intruder. I kept shut, shut my eyes as well but the questioned was never answered.

A girl named Priyanka expressed her feelings by saying

"pehle maante the ki char ghanta Ganga maa mai khade ho toh saari bimari chali jaati thi, par ab char ghante khade raho toh maut aati hai"

Five minutes later i see a man drinking this water, i ask him why, he states
"Yeh paani amrut hai, issme aap kuch bhi daalo sama leti hai, meri maa ganga!!"

GETS ME THINKING......