Rivers are called the Lifelines of India. Unlike the lines on a human palm, they can actually decide the fate of the populace thriving around them. No wonder we have so many "Cradle of such-n-such" or "Sorrow of such-n-such". In fact they are given the respect of a Mother by all humans who know their worth. I am of course not talking about the [expletive applies here] that pollute them for their own greed.
Ok changing track... We all have heard of the fact that our bodies are more than 65% water! So, that is what I was thinking about during one of my train journeys, as my supply of water had finished! How was I to replenish that percentage loss which my throat was already indicating? Come what may, I never drink water from the train tap. At that moment our train crossed a huge river... and soon after stopped at a small station. Desperately I got down and gulped the refreshing cold water from the taps on the platform. Looking at my filled bottle while getting back to my seat, it occured to me that I was carrying with me a bit of the water that has flown down this river we had just crossed. And I have in me some molecules of the same water which are going to be a part of my cells. Who knows where this river, with all this H2O came from, but it was in me and might just remain till the end.
I remember the magic shows of one of the most charismatic Indian magicians - P.C.Sorcar Jr. - that I'd been to as a kid. He had a trick called "Water of India". There was a magic tumbler which would periodically produce water inspite of him emptying it fully everytime! These samples of water were then named after the place he said they magically came from. He would then ask us which place we wanted to get water from at the next go! Years later, I can do that trick myself... I of course won't tell, as it would sadden the kids to know that they had not really seen the Waters of India.
Now, I have a chance at doing just that! I travel a lot and drink water at so many places. Of course I have had the water from various seas, lakes, ponds, canals, streams, wells, handpumps etc. But for me to remember them would be a mess. Rivers have this way of connecting You with others. They connect the lives of so many Indians. So I wish to make a constantly updated list of all the Rivers of India whose water I have accepted into my system. In fact, to make this list bigger I am also going to taste water at as many places as possible. This may not be a good idea, but so is drinking fizzy water from random plastic bottles. Die of Hepatitis or die of Cancer... But die knowing that You have at least tried to unite India in Yourself!
Should I make this alphabetical... or chronological? Lets see... I can list out the river waters that I had as I grew up in my country.
To begin with, I was born in Nagpur. I hope they gave me some water then! :) & it might have been from the river that my family-place Nagpur gets its name from...
Nag
Kanhan
Wagh
Wardha
Wainganga
Penganga
Vidarbha
I have grown up on the banks of the Sorrow of Bengal...
Damodar
The Ganga is of course the Identity of India. I have been fortunate enough to have its waters all along its route through the land from Gaumukh to Diamond harbour. My tryst with it began very early in my life. I had it in Kolkata where it is called...
Hoogly. It is Bhagirati near its origin.
Here are some other rivers from around Bengal that I have as a part of me now.
Bramhaputra
Ajay
Barakar
Kangsabati
Rupnarayan
Subarnarekha
Tista
Mahanadi
These are rivers that touched me during my childhood trips North with my parents.
Yamuna
Alaknanda
Mandakini
Beas
Ravi
Sutlej
Betwa
Narmada
Mahananda
Son
We also have the Maharashtra rivers that have been nourishing me since I left home.
Mula
Mutha
Pawana
Pravara
Bhima
Ghod
Godavari
Indrayani
Kham
Koyna
Shivna
Ulhas
These I encountered when I was in Goa
Candeper
Zuari
Mandovi
Mapuca
The Great Southern rivers that I have tasted are the following.
Gomati
Krishna
Kavery
Tungabhadra
Periyar
The smaller ones include
Adyar
Bharathappuzha
Kuvam
Gayatri
Kalinadi
Karamana
Malprabha
Netrawati
Noyil
The number of southern rivers shows how less I have traveled the South of India. There will be more as I try my memory harder & look through Atlases and Wikimapia. But I'm also awaiting for more Water of India to flow via me into this list.
Count: 57
Updated: 30.August.2013
Ok changing track... We all have heard of the fact that our bodies are more than 65% water! So, that is what I was thinking about during one of my train journeys, as my supply of water had finished! How was I to replenish that percentage loss which my throat was already indicating? Come what may, I never drink water from the train tap. At that moment our train crossed a huge river... and soon after stopped at a small station. Desperately I got down and gulped the refreshing cold water from the taps on the platform. Looking at my filled bottle while getting back to my seat, it occured to me that I was carrying with me a bit of the water that has flown down this river we had just crossed. And I have in me some molecules of the same water which are going to be a part of my cells. Who knows where this river, with all this H2O came from, but it was in me and might just remain till the end.
I remember the magic shows of one of the most charismatic Indian magicians - P.C.Sorcar Jr. - that I'd been to as a kid. He had a trick called "Water of India". There was a magic tumbler which would periodically produce water inspite of him emptying it fully everytime! These samples of water were then named after the place he said they magically came from. He would then ask us which place we wanted to get water from at the next go! Years later, I can do that trick myself... I of course won't tell, as it would sadden the kids to know that they had not really seen the Waters of India.
Now, I have a chance at doing just that! I travel a lot and drink water at so many places. Of course I have had the water from various seas, lakes, ponds, canals, streams, wells, handpumps etc. But for me to remember them would be a mess. Rivers have this way of connecting You with others. They connect the lives of so many Indians. So I wish to make a constantly updated list of all the Rivers of India whose water I have accepted into my system. In fact, to make this list bigger I am also going to taste water at as many places as possible. This may not be a good idea, but so is drinking fizzy water from random plastic bottles. Die of Hepatitis or die of Cancer... But die knowing that You have at least tried to unite India in Yourself!
Should I make this alphabetical... or chronological? Lets see... I can list out the river waters that I had as I grew up in my country.
To begin with, I was born in Nagpur. I hope they gave me some water then! :) & it might have been from the river that my family-place Nagpur gets its name from...
Nag
Kanhan
Wagh
Wardha
Wainganga
Penganga
Vidarbha
I have grown up on the banks of the Sorrow of Bengal...
Damodar
The Ganga is of course the Identity of India. I have been fortunate enough to have its waters all along its route through the land from Gaumukh to Diamond harbour. My tryst with it began very early in my life. I had it in Kolkata where it is called...
Hoogly. It is Bhagirati near its origin.
Here are some other rivers from around Bengal that I have as a part of me now.
Bramhaputra
Ajay
Barakar
Kangsabati
Rupnarayan
Subarnarekha
Tista
Mahanadi
These are rivers that touched me during my childhood trips North with my parents.
Yamuna
Alaknanda
Mandakini
Beas
Ravi
Sutlej
Betwa
Narmada
Mahananda
Son
We also have the Maharashtra rivers that have been nourishing me since I left home.
Mula
Mutha
Pawana
Pravara
Bhima
Ghod
Godavari
Indrayani
Kham
Koyna
Shivna
Ulhas
These I encountered when I was in Goa
Candeper
Zuari
Mandovi
Mapuca
The Great Southern rivers that I have tasted are the following.
Gomati
Krishna
Kavery
Tungabhadra
Periyar
The smaller ones include
Adyar
Bharathappuzha
Kuvam
Gayatri
Kalinadi
Karamana
Malprabha
Netrawati
Noyil
The number of southern rivers shows how less I have traveled the South of India. There will be more as I try my memory harder & look through Atlases and Wikimapia. But I'm also awaiting for more Water of India to flow via me into this list.
Count: 57
Updated: 30.August.2013
