Celebrating’ Ganga when its offsprings are losing life

GANGA DUSSEHRA (JUNE 11) SPECIAL
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Varanasi: Local administration has geared up to celebrate the Ganga Utsav on the occasion of Ganga Dussehra on Saturday, but the condition of its two tributaries in Varanasi — Varuna and Asi— is highly deplorable. While Asi, a river of mythological importance, died silently and people just kept on watching the metamorphosis of a stream of fresh water into a nullah of sewage and wastewater, Varuna— another important river— is on the verge of dying. On the eve of Ganga Dussehra on Friday, TOI tried to take stock of the condition of the Ganga and its two tributaries in Varanasi. While as per the direction of the district administration, the riverbank was cleaned to celebrate the occasion, sewage continued to flow into the Ganga through Asi and Varuna at their confluence. “It is good to hold programmes for public awareness, but just formalities like Ganga Utsav will deliver nothing if its tributaries remain polluted. Asi has already lost its existence while Varuna is just a channel of sewage, gradually moving towards its end,” lamented Surya Bhan, a native of Shivpur area and an active member of ‘Hamari Varuna Abhiyan’, a campaign to save the Varuna. Asi Ghat constitutes the southern end of the city. According to district records, many references about this ghat are found in early literature like Matsypurana, Again Purana, Kurma Purana, Padma Purana and Kashi Khanda. Mythology says Goddess Durga after killing demon Shumbha- Nishumbha had thrown her sword on the ground. A stream of water (Asi) appeared at the place, where the sword had fallen. In Kashi Khand, it is referred to as Asi “Saimbeda Tirtha”, where one gets ‘punaya’ (blessing) of all the Tirthas (religious places) by taking a dip. Celebrated poet Tulsidas authored the epic ‘Ramcharitmanas’ at this very ghat. “What are you talking about? Don’t you see that it is just a drain carrying sewage,” wondered Raghunath, a local native. The Varuna originates from Phulpur in Allahabad district and is an important tributary of the Ganga. It meets the Ganga at Sarai Mohana. Varanasi is situated between the Varuna and Asi. “But, today, Varuna has become one of the most polluted rivers,” said Surya Bhan, adding about 51-52 drains fall into the rivers in the city area. He said “the Save Varuna Movement (Hamari Varuna Abhiyan) is an effort by local people to create awareness for the conservation of the river.”