CIVILIZATION ON THE BANKS OF GANGA

Regarded as the National River of the country, Ganga is a highly venerated river in India. Meghna, Padma, Mandakini, Alaknanda, Bhagirathi—Ganga has many names. It is considered the most sacred watercourse by the Hindus.

River Ganga is core to our Civilization. Every year millions of Hindus turn to the ghats of Ganga to wash off their sins and instill  in them a pious life. From a saffron-clad sage to a small child—Ganga has been phenomenal to all. Its might and grandeur has inspired us to sit back and notice its beauty.

The significance of River Ganga is growing manifold. Religiously and culturally, its position remains undisputed. It is also increasingly becoming an economical destination as it attracts scores of tourists from all over the world to witness its charm.

Ganga has become a “way of life” for many. Numerous people have adopted the Ganga basin as their home---they breathe Ganga, they talk Ganga, they live Ganga. For them it is not just a river. It is their identity, their reason for living.

Ganga symbolizes our culture and embarks upon our tradition. Its opulence represents the sanctity of our cultural principles. For us, it is synonymous with GOD. We worship Ganga. We have personified Her as our Mother; our saviour from all the sins. Just like a mother, it gives us Motherly warmth and affection.

Ganga and civilization are two sides of the same coin. Both teach us endurance of life. Civilization teaches us stability while Ganga inspires us to respect and sustain that stability. Both bring us close to organization and discipline in life. But unfortunately, Ganga is ailing due to the recent commercial developments. In the race of modernization, we are forgetting our civilization. Thus, Ganga’s appalling condition should be of our paramount concern and we should slow down the pace of commercialization of Ganga.

Ganga is our life line. Let us not leave it adulterated.