A tryst with
Rivers
&
Spirituality
Text by Jasleen Kaur & Photos by Shikha Bahuguna
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India & You Nov - Dec 2012
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The Indian spirituality has always been something of an enigma to the
foreigners, notably the Europeans. And practically everything in India is
sacred. The mountains, trees, animals, flowers and of course the waters.
Few elements are as crucial for the Indian philosophy as its rivers. Right
from the birth to the death and of course the after-life, the rivers play a
central role in an Indian’s life. In this photofeature, we present you a snapshot of some of the most important and spiritual rivers of India and their
interaction with the devotees.
Though every river and rivulet is sacred and holy, certain rivers have been elevated to the levels of Gods and
Godesses by the Vedas and other religious texts. The seven chosen rivers are the Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati, Sindhu
(Indus), Narmada, Godavari and Cauvery. These rivers find place as the settings in the lives of Lord Krishna, Lord
Rama and of course other deities.
Often called Mothers, these rivers play a central role in the mythology, dance, music, architecture and of course
spirituality.
Gangotri: The origin of the holy river Ganga
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River Ganga is believed to be the most sacred river of India
A dip in Ganga gives eternal salvation
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India & You Nov - Dec 2012
Passing by Haridwar, Ganga makes the city a place of spiritual pursuit
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Ganga finds place as the setting in life of Lord Shiva
Ganga is believed to be the most important and holy of the rivers.
According to the Hindu philosophy, a dip in the Ganga is enough to
wash away a lifetime of sins and open the doors of salvation. Holy
cities like Haridwar, Rishikesh, Prayag and Varanasi, built on her
banks have become places of spiritual pursuits. Over the centuries,
these cities have become famous centres of art, music, textile
weaving, literature and every other artistic endeavour. Haridwar and
Prayag are home to the world’s largest gatherings of humanity, when
over 10 million devotees gather once every 12 years for the Kumbh
Mela.
Allahabad stands at the confluence of three rivers, i.e., Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati
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Indian rivers provide tourists a wonderful insight into the
historical, cultural and traditional aspect of India. A tributary of
the Yamuna River, the confluence of the Betwa and the Yamuna
Rivers takes place in the Hamirpur town in Uttar Pradesh, in the
vicinity of Orchha. Betwa River has been mentioned in the epic
Mahabharata. The most important temple in Orchha, dedicated to
Lord Rama is the Ram Raja temple which is unique in the sense that
it is the only temple in India where Lord Rama is worshipped as a
king (Raja), and that too in a palace.
Each river has its own persona. Aarti on the banks of Ganga instills
a deep sense of reverence. It starts just after sunset, with a bunch of
young priests choreographing to the chantings, holding the lamps
- to offer holy prayer to holy river Ganga.
Devotee at Ram Raja Temple, Orchha
Situated on the banks of sacred river Betwa, Orchha is home to Lord Ram temple
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India witnessing a huge number of foreigners who are absorbing pure spiritual life
Aarti performing on the banks of River Ganga
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Gangasagar, Kolkata: A sacred place where River Ganga meets the sea (Bay of Bengal)
A devotee offering prayer at Gangasagar
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The purity and sacredness of Ganga River flows in the eastern
region. The river originated in the high hills of Himalayas in
the northern part of India, has flown all the way from Uttar
Pradesh to Bihar and West Bengal. Finally, the river met the Bay
of Bengal. There are many beautiful bathing ghats across river
Ganga in Kolkata, including the Ahiritola Ghat, the Shovabazar
Ghat, the Bagbazar ghat, to mention a few.
Gangasagar fair: Famous among pilgrims, after Kumbh Mela
The two temples situated across the banks of Ganga are Swami
Vivekananda’s Belur Math and the Dakhineswar Temple of
Goddess Kali.
Pilgrims alongside the River Ganga in Kolkata
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Rivers in India has a great association with the festivals. On the
occasion of the Hindu festival – Chhath – dedicated to the Hindu
Sun God (Surya), a Chhath puja (prayer) is order in order to thank
Surya for sustaining life on earth and to request the granting of
certain wishes.
The rituals of the festival are rigorous and are observed over a
period of four days, include holy bathing, fasting and abstaining
from drinking water, standing in water for long periods of time, and
offering prashad (prayer offerings) to the setting and rising sun.
Crisscrossing the sub-continents, fertilising the sprawling plains,
watering the misty mountains and lush forest come in their ways,
rivers in India have been reached in every nook and corner of the
country with their spiritual significance. n
Women offering prayers on the river banks on the occassion of festival Chhath
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Rivers in Sikkim are revered by the Buddhists too
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