Ganga Dasshara – 3

The first day we witnessed the engineering marvel of Bhaghirath…

The second day we went through a few quotes about how the philosophers and historians thought about Maa Ganga…

Today let us see what the poets say about Her. Have purposely chosen a few unknown poets, so that we can keep in touch with the common man of India. Will be a multilingual blog as would like to highlight the importance of Mother Ganga in India. Also the love and affection every Indian has for Mother Ganga.

अविरल , कोमल ,चंचल ,निर्मल !

गंगा का यह पावन जल ,

थोड़ा चंचल ,थोड़ा शीतल ,

गंगा का यह पावन जल ,

जो दरिया मिल जाए इसमें ,

वह भी गंगा का पावन जल ,

कभी न शांत हो ,

हवा जब शांत हो ,

चले यह हर पल! ,

गंगा का यह पावन जल ,

जब कोई स्नान करे ,

जाए यह तब उछल- उछल ,

गंगा का यह पावन जल ,

काशी की ‘गरिमा ‘,

शिव की ‘महिमा ‘,

है गंगा का पावन जल ,

देश- देश से आये वासी,

देखने गंगा का पावन जल ,

धन्य हुए है काशीवासी ,

पाकर यह गंगा का पावन जल ,

अविरल, कोमल, चंचल, निर्मल ,

गंगा का यह पावन जल !

—- अरुण जैसल{ काशी हिन्दू विश्वविद्यालय }

A poem written by one of the students of Banares Hindu University, ARUN JAISAL.

He describes the waters of the Holy river as tinkling yet soft. The cold waters one feels at Rishikesh and Haridwaar or Kashi removes all the heat with the body and makes one feel light and fresh. Rejuvenated to continue ones journey of Karma. And lastly he talks about the luck of citizens of Kashi as they do not have travel, as the travellers from different parts of India, to see and feel the Ganga.

Here’s another one…
“Where flows the ..Ganga,
I am from there too,
By its banks I gaze at stars and the moon too
You see I am no different from any of you
If you know what I say, gaze at the stars too
The moon will shine the same on me and you too.’
(BA Khan)

From HelloPoetry.com

It seems that the poet wants to convey to his friend that he is not far away but very near to him. And Mother Ganga is the common thread between them. Here the poet emphasizes the relations shared by the people leaving on the banks of Mother Ganga are siblings and no different.

Another one with a little message to us all…

थककर बैठी हुई

उम्र की इस ढलान पर |

कभी बहा करती थी

यह गंगा उफान पर |

वर्षों का इतिहास समेटे

कथा कह रही ,

आँसू पीते ,मलबा ढोते

मगर बह रही ,

टुकड़ों में बंट जाती है

यह हर कटान पर |

ब्रह्मा ,विष्णु ,महेश

सगर भी भूल गये ,

कहाँ भागीरथ की

पूजा के फूल गये ,

गंगा को अब बेच रहे

पंडे दुकान पर |

इससे ही महिमा है

काशी औ प्रयाग की ,

मगर यही गंगा लपटों में

घिरी आग की ,

इसका जल लहराता था

पूजा अजान पर |

यह गंगा कोई नदी नहीं

जग माता है ,

वेदों की साक्षी

उनकी उद्गाता है ,

यही मुक्ति देती हम –

सबको श्मशान पर |

वन में बहती गंगा

बहती चट्टानों में

देवों में भी पूजित –

पूजित इंसानों में ,

मगर आज संकट है

इसके आन -बान पर |

– जयकृष्ण राय तुषार

A beautiful poem with its environmental message if understood. The way the people have tried to destroy its splendour and still go on continuing doing it, is what the poet has emphatically repeated in the poem. He also points out that even if Humans consider Her Divine, they do not treat Her the way She should be. And to the extent that we have polluted Her to the fullest. He has also criticised the use of Ganga to promote oneself and business. In the same breath he also reminds us the grandeur of Maa Ganga.

Today will end this blog with a few lines from my inner self.

Ganges, O Mother, thy floweth in vain,

Humans polluted you and left you disdain,

But, My Mother, O Selfless Mother,

Will not let your love for us go down in drain…

Your children will come back to you,

And fall on your feet and love you,

Just give me the strength and ability,

Cause your blessings can stop the Trinity…

Just bow down to Maa Ganga on the third day of Ganga Dusshara festival…

Namami Gange

(PS : Thanks to Google and the various websites who host these poems)