The Sacred Rivers of India

On the occasion of Mahashivratri last Sunday, around 50 lakh devotees took the plunge into the waters of River Ganges to mark the last holy dip of a 55-day long Maha Kumbha Mela at Prayag.

Bathing for Hindus is more than just about cleanliness. It is a ritualistic act especially when undertaken in a holy river. There is not one or two, but sever rivers deemed holy in India. Today we shall rediscover the rich Hindu mythologies and iconographies associated with these rivers:

Mokshdayini Ganga: Those conversant with the grand river-lore of India will know that most of these rivers are personified as female Hindu Goddesses.  The Goddess of the Ganges is portrayed by sage Valmiki as sitting on a lotus, holding a pot containing the nectar of salvation (Moksh) in one hand and riding a mythical crocodile (makara).  The myth of Gangavataran describes the descent of Goddess Ganga from the Heavens, bringing salvation to mankind. Great poetic works, like Tulsidas’Ramcharitmanas, have been written alongside its banks in Varanasi.

Yamuna River at Yamunatri [origin of Yamuna River] ( Photo: Subhas Swadia)

Yamuna, the eternal bride: This river has an iconography deeply entrenched in the birth and childhood of Krishna. On the banks of Yamuna, Krishna is supposed to have romanced with the gopis on moonlit nights. The river is blue like Krishna and like him, is an epitome of romance. The goddess of Yamuna is represented as a veiled bride, clad in blue robes and carrying lotuses in her hands. Pilgrims and devotees who trek to Yamunotri offer bridal ornaments like chunri, bangles to her waters. Taj Mahal, world’s grandest monument dedicated to love, stands on the banks of Yamuna, perhaps a testimony to her romantic personality.

Origin of Saraswati River
(Photo : Sudhanshu Chandra)

The ‘lost’ Saraswati: White and elegant like a swan, this river of Knowledge is associated with Lord Brahma, the creator of the universe. This river has been invisible for millenniums now. Research has produced satellite pictures of her flowing underground. Various experts have wagered several guesses and those who wish to seek knowledge (gyan) are still looking for her origins. Today she only makes an appearance in the form of a torrent named Saraswati, near Badrinath where she meet the Alaknanda

The above three rivers form the holy trinity of divinities in Indian culture: Saraswati is Brahma, Yamuna is Vishnu and Ganga is Shiva. The three rivers are seen as “one” at their confluence, triveni sangam in Prayag.

Godavari river at Someshwar temple (Photo: Adarsh Gupta K)

Godavari or Budi Ganga: Godavari is the second largest river in India, after the Ganges. It rises in Gangadwar, near Nasik which is also the site of the Kumbha Mela. The river Godavari stands for devotion and is traditionally associated with the colour saffron. On her banks are situated various monuments dedicated to Ram, Sita and Laxman. It is believed that during the period of exile, Ram and his wife, Sita used to take bath in Ramkund, now a sacred bathing tank located on the banks of Godavari. The jyotirlinga Temple of Trimbakeshwar is also located on her banks.

Dakshina Ganga (Photo : Jivan Swami)

Dakshina Ganga Kaveri: Flowing from the Sahyadri Hills of Karnataka to the Bay of Bengal through Tamil Nadu, this silvery river, symbolising wisdom, is often referred to as ‘the Ganga of the South’.  Adi Shankaracharya, one of the greatest Indian philosophers, had blessed South India by his presence on the banks of Kaveri. According to a mythical tale, the river was formed after Lord Ganesh had rescued Kaveri from sage Agastya, who had trapped her in his kamandalu after she had declined his marriage proposal.

Narmada River(Photo: NS Chauhan)

The elusive Narmada: Going by the Bill Aitken’s book “Seven Sacred Rivers”, out of the seven sacred rivers, Narmada had his heart. The river flows from Amarkantak to the Arabian Sea. A large number of devotees do the ‘parikrama’ of its flow from the origin to its end- a distance of 917 Kilometres, sometimes taking more than a year to complete the whole journey that is undertaken on foot! Celebrated heritage cities such as Mandu and Maheshwar stand on the banks of this river.

Believed to have originated form the body of Lord Shiva, this river is also called “Jata Shankari” and several temples dedicated to the worship of Shiva are found here.

Krishna River (Photo: Chandra)

‘Kannavena’ or Krishna: Earlier it was the Sindhu River that completed the list of the ‘seven sacred rivers of India’, but after it went to Pakistan, Krishna River was included. The latter symbolises valour, rising in the hills of Mahabaleshwar and flowing through Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. Historically speaking, the river formed the southern boundary of the Mauryan Samrat Ashoka’s empire. In the 13^th century, Vijaynagar Empire flourished on its banks; so did the Marathas in the 17^th century. Even today, the grandeur of the monuments and temples located on its banks attract a procession of Bollywood producers.

Cities built around the banks of these sacred rivers have become famous centres of art, music, textile weaving, Literature and so on. These rivers along with their tributaries have not only been harbingers of rich harvests but have also contributed immensely to India’s cultural heritage to earn for themselves the sobriquet of reverence as “Lifelines of India.”

Polluted Yamuna River in New Delhi

But when I see the fast rate of industrialisation across India causing pollution of the streams and the water-disputes those loom large every now and then in Kaveri basin districts, it seems to me as though the sanctity of the holy waters is completely forgotten. We must constantly remind ourselves what these rivers had stood for, since times immemorial: Love and Harmony.

Holy River in India (Photo: Stephen)

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