Author: Mark Barian
Publishers: Eshwar(Business Publication Inc)
Pages: 275
It is difficult to find books where ascetics describe their life before plunging into spirituality, and their journey into becoming a sannyasi. Roar of the Ganges is one of them.
Barian was an information technology consultant in the United States, and he left his successful career in search of his Guru. His search eventually ended in an ashram in Rishikesh. The book describes the beginning of search for a teacher, a few failed attempts and then arriving at Rishikesh. And further, he describes his evolution as a monk, the way of life in an Ashrams in Rishikesh and gives and insight to things they do and things he learned. The book also has many things to say about the town that Rishikesh is, the Ganges flowing amidst the town, and people and mendicants living in and around it.
The book goes like a well written story of a person’s journey into sannyasa, often touching upon finer points of the journey, the problems involved and the peace that is eventually gained. It is a worthy book for any traveller exploring India, particularly Rishikesh, and gives some useful lessons to people in spiritual quest.
Travelling in the North-East in the summer of 2006
Guwahati >> Eaglenest >> Tawang >> Nameri >> Kaziranga >> Shillong >> Cherrapunjee
+Previous: Nameri National Park
+Next: At Kaziranga National Park
+Go to the beginning of the series
I spent a day in Tezpur to take a short leisurely break before heading further to Kaziranga. Tezpur is not much of a city, with one main road around which most of the commerce happens. But to my surprise there were quite a few hotels and yet, rooms were short in supply.
The next morning when I was in the bus stop waiting for a bus to Kaziranga, I realized I had chosen a bad time to wander in Assam. Assembly elections were about to happen the next day, and buses were in short supply. Luckily a bus arrived after an hour of waiting, and I found a seat available. Tezpur to Kaziranga is 1.5 to 2 hour journey and goes through smooth, traffic free highway connecting Tezpur with Dibrugarh. It is a wooded region and occasionally you can see rhinos from a distance, grazing in the grasslands next to the forest.
The bus dropped me at Kohora village outside the park where all tourist facilities exist. I walked a little ahead from the bus stop on the main road and found a few budget hotels there, but all of them seemed to have been closed for some reason. After a quick chai in a small shop, I headed to government tourist complex almost half a kilometer off the main road. When I inquired, it turned out that there was no accommodation available in all the three government run hotels. There was no hotels nearby and just when I was wondering what else to do, fortunately found accommodation in nearby Kaziranga Wildlife Club. It turned out, some people who arrived after me had a tough time later in the day. There are no hotels nearby and there is a short supply of places to stay in Kaziranga, especially in the peak season.
Later in the afternoon, after checking out on options to spend time in Kaziranga, I decided to take an elephant ride into the park next morning. Booking an elephant ride is a painful, two step process. First you register your name in the office at any time of the day. At this time, it doesn’t guarantee you a ride and nor will they tell you if they can give you a seat. The same evening at 7pm, you need to head to an assembly point where everyone who has registered will arrive, and they read out the names of the registered people one after other. Only if you are present there and pay the fee when your name is called, you will get to take the elephant ride the next morning. Trust our officers to come up with interesting ways to make things complicated!
I spent most of my evening walking around the place, and in the evening, managed to get my elephant ride booked for tomorrow.
Author: Eric Newby
Publishers: Picador
Pages: 298
Eric Newby’s book, documenting his journey down the Ganges in a boat is much more than just a story of adventure. Newby had to work hard to find boats to take him short distances downstream, haggle with unfriendly boatmen, and even ensure that his relationship with his wife remained in good terms. The part of enjoying the boat ride on a beautiful river seemed to take backseat over more important things most of the time.
When Newby made his grand plans to travel on the Ganges in a boat, he probably assumed it is going to be a pleasurable and enjoyable journey, or even a romantic journey since he had got his wife along. It did not take a long for him to realize the realities, which was completely devoid of any of these anticipations. Their boat ran aground more than 30 times in the first four days, and they did not even manage to cover a good hundred kilometers in this time. Having failed to find some one who could take them all the way from Haridwar to Kolkata, they had to resort to making journey in bits and pieces. While a good time was spent on the river rowing different boats downstream, they also travelled by motor boats, train, buses and even bullock carts. The last leg of the journey was completed in nothing less – a large modern vessel.
While Newby’s book focuses on the journey down the Ganges, he has adequately mixed it with details on the cities they visit en-route, such as Kanpur, Allahabad and Varanasi. He has added stories of the history and described generously about the local buildings and monuments wherever he stopped. And such places include not only larger cities but also many nondescript places like the town of Monghyr and the island of Colganj. The journey is difficult, exciting and strenuous for him in the beginning and makes an excellent read, but things get better as he moves towards West Bengal, and the last few chapters feel like nothing more than just another travellers log.
The journey was performed in the 1960s and much would have changed on the banks of Ganges since Newby has passed by, but the river continues to remain holy, mystical and mysterious. A worthy and readable book for everyone in love with the Ganges.