The magic of the mystical Ganga

[Guest guest]

The magic of the mystical Ganga

Manish Chandra Pandey

(Kumbha Nagar, Allahabad, January 12)

 

CAN THE Ganges make the dead rise? If one goes by Basanti, yes, it

can. With hope in her heart and a prayer on her lips, she takes a dip

in the river. As she emerges out of the river near the make shift

bridge number four, a sadhu applies vermilion on her forehead and

chants a few mantras.

 

Basanti is sure that her husband will return to her again. Reason:

"Jo bhi Ganga maiya ki sharan aaya, kabhi khali haath vapas nahi

jaata. (Those who come to the river with a prayer, never leave back

unsatisfied.) Her husband died while serving the country during the

Kargil operations. But Basanti believes, like Savitri, she will be

able to get her Satyavan back from where no one has returned. Not in

recorded history at least.

 

Basanti is among the many who have travelled from far and wide to

Allahabad, not merely drawn by curiosity, but by faith. Faith in the

power of the river, to heal, to resurrect the dead from the grave.

 

The Mahakumbh at Tirthanagari Prayag, is witnessing a mindboggling

rush among people, both Indian and foreign, to take a dip in the

water of the river, whose origin is as deep as the Himalayas

themselves.

 

And it is not as if she is alone in believing that way.

 

There are scores of others, seperated from their near and dear ones

during the rush among the pilgrims to take a dip in the river during

Paush Purnima on January 9.

 

They are putting up at the lost and found camp set up by the HN

Bahuguna Smarak Samiti and Pandit Shiksha Samiti at the Maha Kumbha

venue.

 

And though it has been several days now that they not have seen their

near and dear ones, they have not lost hope. "Ganga Maiyya will take

care of us," says an ageing lady hailing from Madhya Pradesh.

 

Their faith is bolstered by the fact that of the several hundred

people who were lost, several have found their relatives.

 

"Oh, yes, most of them have found their near and dear ones. Only a

few remain now and we are hopeful that their prayers too would be

answered," says Mr Shekhar Bahuguna, who is the secretary of both the

samitis that have organised the camp. Infact his entire family was

taking care of those who were lost.

 

Such help from unexpected quarters leads credence to the belief that

their is something magical, even mysterious about the Ganges water

which helps people find their bearings.

 

For the 33 something Mr Dias, hailing from Sri Lanka, the river holds

a special significance. Ten years ago when he met with an almost

fatal accident, one of his Delhi based friend treated him with Ganges

water.

 

Of course, medicines were there. When he was cured many were

surprised, for the doctors had given up all hope of Dias resuming a

normal life. This started Dias's love affair with the river, which he

says will last till he does.

 

Indeed, from the rather clumsily dressed foreigners with tika on

their foreheads to Hare Rama, Hare Krishna on their lips, to the fair

skinned Kashmiris, the dark textured South Indians, the turbaned

Rajasthanis, the belief among the devotees, startles many first

timers who have been drawn to the Mahakumbh more "because of the

media hype than anything else."

 

But, it is clear that the river is having an effect on them already.

 

"I talk back to the river quite often now. There is a strange music

in the river," says Margreth, a teacher.

 

"Oh, yes, there is definitely something about the river that seems to

be drawing me to it," says John, who just by co-incidence happened to

be at the "right place at the right time." John, is learning the many

facets of India and has already drawn up plans to write a book once

he returns back to New Zealand.

 

A group of foreigners were seen sitting in a "pangat" at the

Niranjani Akhara today having their food among the sadhus and

chanting "Ganga Maiya ki Jai!"

 

"Oh, my God, you call it a river. Don't tell my people they will kill

you. For us, it's life itself," says Teresa, whose 12 member party

has come all the way from USA to witness the Maha Kumbha. She informs

that researches are being conducted in the States as to what it is

that makes the river so special, so unique.

 

What is even more, they seemed to be genuinely making those comments,

with their eyes closed, their lips muttering a prayer. A moment

later, they take a drop of the holy water, raise it to their

foreheads and then sip it.

 

It's clear that there is something in the river. After all, not for

nothing would Basanti return again to take a dip in the river on

January 14, the Makar Sankranti day and again on Mauni Amavasya,

January 24 to get back her Satyavan.

 

For her and scores of others like her, these are acts of faith.