Namami Gange !

The Ganges is a fascinating river! And as she flows through her various phases, she tells a different tale.  In this three part poem, this is the story she told me.

Dev Prayag

The River pummels her way from

the confluence of turbulence and calm,

this Shakti is more muscular and

masculine than any man, smashing boulders

as she foams and froths at

being dislodged from her celestial aboard

to cleanse terrestrial lands and wash

unspeakable mortal sins, emancipate souls and

suspect orthodoxy that you can clearly see,

in the empty vessels of

beliefs flowing downstream.

Benares

The Sun

gently kisses The River

on her cheek –

promising to be back

to his forbidden love

and she blushes ,

knowing it’s time

for him to leave

and be with his other

The Sky

who remains

piqued

and flushes

as she awaits

his return.

7 horses

have been sent

to pick him up

and neigh

celestial disapproval

on the banks

of the stained one.

And

Shiva too

is miffed.

From his matted

hair she has

flowed into

the arms

of another.

So, promptly

at dawn

boatmen

are sent

to gather

pieces of

whispered secrets

and clean up

affairs

of the heart.

Hooghly

My body feels like a morgue, soulless and dark and full of fear

from what I have become.

My body bears chathonic waters that run thru my veins, saturated with

the sins of the sons of the soil and their fathers and their fathers fathers and all their mothers who bore only sons -so they may light pyres on my banks.

My body is weary of slipping and tripping with the burden of

humanity’s grime that I have to bear with kindness and whatever is left of my dignity.

My body is pain, is pain, is pain, of the dying and

the living and there is no use of this pain except for nothing.

My Body offers no salvation but spits back your pointless, weeping and

desperation and everything that makes you  unbearable.

Don’t You see -I am not your hero or your redeemer,

I am the very darkness that you were , when you hopelessly immersed into me.

*Salutations to the  incredible divinity that is the Ganga!!  We need to keep her pristine.