- 3 SONGS OF THE GANGA
- BY A.K.MEHROTRA
(DEGREE I YEAR OU SYLLABUS)
INTRODUCTION:
Arvind Krishna Mehrotra (1947- ) is a well-known Indian English poet literary critic and translator. His subject for poetry comes from memories of childhood or from reading history. A very little feeling of exhaustion and hopelessness is seen in his poetry.
EXPLANATION:
Songs of the Ganga is a poem where in the poet describes the river Ganga. Arvind says that Ganga is sacred as it originates from the snow of the Himalayas and merge into the ocean. Many areas are covered between these two ends. They include mountains, hills, streams, towns, villages, cities, valleys, deserts and forests. The journey of the river has varied experience. The water provides immense joy to children, livelihood to fisherman and cheer to every on-looker with its rhythmic movement. Many streams join the river and route. So the wishes of the streams are curried to the oceans.
Birds, animals and human-beings arise their feeling of solitude and hopelessness. It shows the soothing power and sacredness that the water of the Ganga possess. The Ganga is symbolic of transparency and purity. The water is so crystal clear that it signifies purity. The Ganga doesnot maintain any discrimination. All are equal before it and it becomes successful in fulfilling the desires of all irrespective of the regions.
It is both the creator and the destroyer. Water serves as a source of life to many. When sins and exploitation goes beyond human control it destroys everything through floods and cyclones. In this sense it is both giver and taker of life and reminds that life is mortal. It also provides salvation for those who commit sins. Hence people take holy dip in it at all pilgrims centre.
The Ganga is perennial river. It keeps flowing throughout the year whether it is summer or rainy. During summer, it helps to yield watermelon which are used in quenching the thirst. The animals like leopards and Billy goats quench their thrist while it flows through the forest.
The Ganga knows well how to disappear and how to turn into watervapour and form clouds. Those clouds hide the sun making it look as though it has spots. It takes rest like a bird on the tree by merging into ocean. It compares itself with poor beggar and a clown who keeps moving from place to place begging for alms. The river is akin to shelterless and shadowless beggar.
CONCLUSION:
The Ganga is personified as human being in the poem. The river is source of water and life to all living beings. It is considered to be sacred. It is assumed that the Ganga has power to take us towards salvation from all the sins.
English Study Material 