The tall waves of the Ganges
Halt my frenzied breath
As I stare at the vast expanse
Of water…steady …cool…and stern.
Rows of ‘pandas’ burn incense
On its bank, light a fire , chant incantations.
Heads shaved off, dressed in orange.
Rows of ‘rudraksh’ beads surrounding
Their necks…a twisted bewitching look
Curled at the corner of their lips
Hosts of distressed people
Lined up with garlanded pots of ashes
To immerse in its holy waters
Some, to float their dead
Some, to float their ashes
This is the holy Ganges
Cleansed and purified
With the cooled waters
Springing from the Himalayas
On the other side are men,
women and children
bathing and washing dirty clothes…
the flowing waters gallop away
with the foamy dirt
to drown in the ocean….
The pure and sparkling water
Is still holy
It washes away the sins of man
a dip cleanses the polluted soul…
Science betrays this fantasy
Cleanse Ganga say the scientists
Its holiness has been betrayed
E-coli rule it now…
Impure for human consumption
The fated Ganga flows on
It is holy …
We mangle its holiness
~Shobha Diwakar
Jabalpur, India