For Love of Holy Water.

Byline: VM

A leisurely and humbling cruise down the mighty Ganga is the best way to observe life in the towns that edge its course

Down the centuries, not many have been able to resist the call of the Ganga. For the Ganga is no mere river but the Mother Goddess transforms everything she touches with life. It continues to wash away the sins of all those who approach it with faith and humility. I was drawn to the river for reasons of my own. I wished to observe how life is lived in the towns that edge this mighty river and the rituals that are part of the day-to-day living. More than anything else I desired to get to know the river more intimately.

My acquaintance with the Ganga had begun as a child but now I decided to sail down the 125-km stretch from Allahabad to Varanasi in five days. I had been warned that we would travel in a wooden country boat topped with a canvas roof and equipped with just two rowing oars and a mast. And boy, there really was little else. There was absolutely no pretense that this was a luxury cruise. All set to rough it out, my friends and I had thought it prudent to carry our own sleeping bags. However, we didn't need them till bedtime as comfortable mattresses piled with soft cushions had been spread on the deck. Our crew consisted of two men who worked the oars and a kitchen crew that sailed alongside in another boat. We really weren't too badly off.

The starting point of our little voyage was the sacred Sangam, about 7 km from Allahabad's Civil Lines. It marks the celebrated confluence of three of the Hindu pantheon's holiest rivers: Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati. You can actually see the muddy, pale yellow water of the Ganga merging with the emerald water of the Yamuna. Equally amazing is the sight of offerings made to these three holy rivers--baskets of vermilion, ochre and white flowers swaying gently on the waters as far as the eye can see.

We climbed into our boat after the mandatory dip and soon lay on our backs as the boat glided smoothly along. The sun was smiling and so were we. This stretch is widely recognised as the most colourful and interesting along the Ganga. We admired the rural landscape, watched swathes of laundry and brightly coloured saris spread out to dry, and observed several migratory birds that flew overhead. Uttar Pradesh is justly famous for its deep-fried snacks and savouries and our kitchen crew plied us with the most delicious pakoras, bhajjias and aloo puris; all washed down with cups of sweet, milky tea.

By the time we woke up, the sun was dipping and we were approaching the ancient site of Lakshagrih. Legend has it that Lakshagrih was built by Duryodhana to trap his Pandava cousins by setting it on fire once they were inside. However, alerted by their friend Vidur, the Pandavas managed to escape the house of lac from a secret door inside.

We soon dropped anchor at an uninhabited island nearby and the crew efficiently put up the small mountain dome-tents and carried mattresses and our sleeping bags inside. It was good to stretch our legs at last and we explored the island a bit before settling down by the campfire where the cooks were already preparing dinner. We persuaded them to sing us some old river songs.

The next day's sailing took us past lush fields of wheat and mustard. Mornings on the river were rather typical--people washing themselves in the water, sprinkling it over their heads as a benediction, offering it to the sun god, and even washing their clothes in it. Indeed, the Ganga has simultaneously been granted both spiritual and functional roles. We stopped twice along the way--once to watch a wedding in progress by the ghats and later to listen to an old sadhu holding discourse by the river. It is fascinating how even a stranger, a mere observer, is quickly accepted and allowed to take a part in the proceedings. Even the old sadhu smilingly encouraged us to participate in the debate and questions that followed his address. We pitched camp at Kheira, a secluded beach along the Ganga, just a little before the small village of Sitamarhi, that evening.

Our third day on the river began with a visit to Sitamarhi, the place where Sita is said to have lived in exile. Don't miss the Valmiki and Sita temples, the latter with its wonderful depiction of Sita going willingly into the embrace of Mother Earth. By evening we had disembarked at Vindhyachal, a shaktipeeth and a centre of India's ancient tantric cult. We were just in time for the evening aarti, a stirring affair conducted to the sound of pealing bells and clashing cymbals.

The next morning was earmarked for the town of Mirzapur, just 8 km after Vindhyachal. Renowned for its carpet and brassware industry Mirzapur made an interesting stop with its potpourri mix of rural and urban lifestyles. Did you know that the Indian Standard Time is calculated from the clock tower at Mirzapur? The ancient Shiva temple near Kachhawa Bazaar is architecturally reminiscent of the famous temples at Khajuraho. Having spent most of the day strolling through the streets of Mirzapur, the boatmen had to really push themselves to reach a nameless island we were to camp at on our last night on the river.

We woke up a little earlier than usual to visit the Chunar Fort that loomed up on the horizon soon after we set sail. From ramparts of this old fort, we enjoyed spectacular views of the Ganga bending and looping on its way to Varanasi. The fort is said to have felt the footfalls of India's biggest rulers, right from Babar through Sher Shah Suri, Humayun, Akbar and finally the British. Back on the boat, we sailed past several old, decrepit structures, till we eventually neared the ghats of Varanasi or Kashi.

It is often said that Varanasi's singular appeal lies in the beauty of its ghats. Nothing could be truer. The first glimpse of the world's oldest living city was like a montage--spires of endless rows of temples on the banks, roughly-hewn wooden boats bobbing on the water, smouldering pyres on Manikarnika Ghat, and ganja-smoking sadhus sitting cross-legged on the steps.

This strange, almost surreal scene marked the end of our journey; a journey that somehow made me feel closer to the spirit of the Ganga. Fittingly enough, our sojourn came to close at Varanasi, the city that is said to be the springboard into your next life.

Good to know

The river cruise from Allahabad to Varanasi can be easily done over five days. Both Allahabad and Varanasi are connected by air to New Delhi and by rail to most major cities. The cruise is best done between September and December.

--VM

TOP 5 MUST-DOs

In Uttar Pradesh

Attend the Urs of Salim Chishti. At Fatehpur-Sikri, which comes alive during the holy month of Ramzan (September/October).

Explore the food trail in Lucknow. Think Kulcha Nahari (meat curry), Korma, Warqi Parantha and Sheermal. The city's street food such as kebabs and chaats are delicious too.

Go shopping in Agra. Ignore the touts and do the rounds of all the shops before settling on one to buy marble inlay boxes, silk paintings, and plush carpets.

Track wildlife at Dudhwa National Park. What you can be sure of spotting are the elephant and the one-horned rhino.

Enjoy the Sankat Mochan Music Festival in Varanasi celebrated on Hanuman Jayanti.

TOP 5 MUST-SEEs

In Uttar Pradesh

Nothing, absolutely nothing, compares with the pristine beauty of the Taj Mahal.

One of India's most spectacular cities, the red sandstone Fatehpur-Sikri, built by Akbar in the 15th century. It is one of the best preserved medieval cities in India.

A world unto itself, the ancient city of Varanasi can instil faith in the heart of the most stubborn atheist. Visit during the Ganga Mahotsav in November.

Sarnath, where the Buddha delivered his first sermon after attaining Enlightenment. The Dhamekh Stupa and the Asokan Pillar are sure to inspire awe.

Visit Mathura and Vrindavan to pay obeisance at the temples and sites associated with Krishna's childhood and adolescent years.

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