Cleaning the holy Ganges
by Prof. Purnima Velamuri
Among the seven most sacred rivers in India - Ganges, Yamuna, the
mythical Saraswati, Narmada, Godavari, Cauvery and Brahmaputra - the
Ganges is considered the most sacred.
For Hindus, at least one rite of passage ritual has to be performed
on the banks of the Ganges.
Traversing over 2,500km, from the Gangotri glacier in the Himalayas
to the Sunderbans Delta in Bangladesh, the Ganges is used by millions of
people.
Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa used to call the Ganga, Brahmavari -
Brahman in the form of water, capable of arousing vairagya or dispassion
in those who settle on her banks.

The holy river Ganges |
This traditional metaphorical character of the Ganges has drawn sages
and seekers to the river, as millions of pilgrims congregate here to be
revitalised in spirit. The Ganges is not only the river of India, but
also its heartbeat, its soul as it were.
Symbolic
Yogic literature views the story of the descent of Ganga as symbolic
of the descent of divine consciousness through the Kundalini to the last
Chakra.
Ganges is divine consciousness itself, flowing from the Siva-self,
which every seeker intends to merge into through the rise of the
Kundalini.
A momentary feel of this cosmic touch is experienced each time one
bathes in the physical Ganges as well.
Tradition sees the Ganges as the great mother whose waters are an end
in itself, and no other temple or idol is required.
The water, Ganga-Jal, encompasses all rites of passage from birth to
death for the individual. A pilgrimage to the various points of the
Ganges are a source of liberation in itself.
Tradition
It is this living tradition, in which all differences are dissolved
and no separate identities remain in our search for that transcendent
reality.
But to sustain this tradition, one requires a radical re-look at the
challenges the physical river faces today.
Burdened by the sins of those who battle in her, and accepting all
the poisonous effluents that industries belch down her waters, the
mother is sorely in need of a good bath to cleanse herself of the sins
of humanity.
Issues affecting the river are myriad and complex. Untreated sewage
and industrial waste are dumped into the waters without remorse.
Reduced flow and rampant underground water withdrawals affect
millions of people. Regrettably, the quality of Ganges water at most
places downstream is unfit even for irrigation or bathing, let alone
drinking.
Industrial development, mismanagement and corruption severely
stresses water resources, especially in Asia where despite water -
friendly laws in place, they are violated with impunity.
Moreover, the changing dynamics of the Tibetan plateau, known as the
water tower of Asia is depleting water sources due to global warming.
Accelerated by exploitation by humans, the Tibetan glaciers -
accounting for up to 70 percent of glacial coverage in the Himalayas are
receding fast, causing unseasonal rains, floods and landslides.
Ten of the largest rivers in Asia, Amu Darya, Indus, Ganga,
Brahmaputra, Irrawaddy, Salween Mekong, Yangtze, Yellow and Terim -
originate in the Tibetan plateau.
Polluted rivers
Three of these rivers pass through the Indian subcontinent.
According to the UNEP, China's Yellow India's Ganges and Central
Asia's Amu Darya are among the most polluted rivers of the world, due to
unchecked dumping of untreated sewage and industrial waste.
Ganga the 2,525 km - long river is ranked as the fifth most polluted
in the world. Studies reveal that the probable faecal coliform counts in
the Ganges are around 1,000 MPN (Microbial Pollution) per 100 ML, way
above the safe count of around 230.
The bacterial levels are so high that the water is unfit not just for
bathing or drinking but for agriculture as well. Cleaning India's
holiest river was a political poll plank for decades.
Former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi launched the Ganges Action
Plan with a huge budget in 1986 in Varnasi.
He vowed that the 2,500km of waters choking with industrial pollution
would be made pure again, like it was at the birth time of the belief
that the Ganga rises from the matted locks of Lord Siva, the divine
protector of Kasi (Varnasi). For many decades, many leaders during many
elections made promises to clean Ganges.
The latest promise in cleaning Ganges was made by Modi in the recent
parliamentary election.
Prime minister Narendra Modi has promised to clean the Ganges by 2019
while filing his nomination from Varnasi, he had said it was the Summons
of "Mother Ganges" which had brought him to the Holy city.
"Nobody called me or sent me to Varnasi. My coming to Varnasi is like
a child going to his mother. I have come to this divine land on the call
of Ganga Mata," he had said.
Uma Bharti, who had spearheaded the 'Save Ganges' campaign, has been
assigned with a specially created ministry for cleaning the holy river
along with the Water Resources Ministry by the New Prime Minister.
The fiery 'Sanyasin' has been agitating for long for quick and
effective action to save the Ganges River from pollution and illegal
quarrying and had been advocating that the issue be kept above partisan
politics.
Apart from politicians, religious leaders and spiritual organisations
have taken up the issue of cleaning rivers and water bodies.
Alarmed at the state of affairs of supposedly holy rivers, several
faith organisations have launched river and water conservation projects,
from the Himalayas to the plains, where water bodies face maximum abuse,
these new initiatives cover most of the rivers' course.
Many environment experts believe that using religious as a tool to
generate popular interest in saving rivers could yield positive results.
Tributaries
The Ganges action parivar found by Swami Chidanand Saraswati of
Rishikesh; has long been working towards restoring, protecting and
maintaining the Ganges and her tributaries.
He has roped in scientists, environmentalists, saints scholars and
yogis to clean up the country's largest and most sacred river.
Khoryug a network of Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and nunneries
headed by the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa is working closely with WWF to
protect the fragile Himalayan environment from where Ganges rivers
originate.
"We should protect the Tibetan plateau and preserve the Himalayan
ecosystem by applying Buddhist principles of interdependence, compassion
and no-self.
Our motivation to protect the environment should come from our pure
desire to serve all sentient beings on earth."
"Buddhist advocates a gentle non-aggressive attitude towards nature.
Since our monasteries are mostly located in forests and mountains, we
believe in maintaining harmony with mountains, forests and rivers."
"Faith can work wonders, more so when it is founded on an
egalitarian, universal belief in conservation of our natural environment
got common benefit to all beings, now and in the future."
Cleaning of India's rivers are metaphors of national revival Ganges
liberates the soul from sin can Modi liberate Ganges from pollution?
Modi has taken on a challenge that will severely test his
government's management skills. |