Ganga Dhyan Part 3- A Himalayan Sunrise

23/01/06

The beauty of the Ganga is something I have already discussed in previous posts. But what I didnt mention is that the Ganga is at its most beautiful in the early morning- just before and after sunset.

On the second morning of my stay, I woke up at 6.30am. Now that may be considered early by some, but at the Ashram, the day begins at 5.15am with morning prayers and pooja at the Shiva temple. So of course, I missed that. But I thought, instead of sleeping the extra half-hour till breakfast, why not go down to the Ganga. It was ridiculously cold, I was numb within a few seconds of exiting my room; a few breaths and my nose was anaesthetized. And it was really stupid to wear sandals.

But as I walked towards the bank, all thought of the cold was forgotten and replaced by the surreal beauty of the Ganga. In the harsh light of dawn, the river was a steely gray colour, just like the sky, courtesy of the wintry Himalayan haze. The flow was rapid, the noise unrelenting, but the greatest spectacle was the swirling fog directly above the river. As the river gushed downstream, fog descended from the slopes of the foothills and formed a thick cloud with its own intriguing flow dynamics and eddy currents. The interaction of the fog with the river was mesmerizing to watch. At points, it would appear that the fog was flowing upstream, occasionally downstream, and at other times it would seem to be stationary....

Suddenly, I realized, being a good tourist, that I was missing a great photo opportunity. So I ran back to my room, picked up my camera and ran back, this time with shoes, to take some photos (I will upload them eventually). By then, it was breakfast time, so off I went to eat. I had a chat with Ashok, who suggested I join with the group from Thailand (there were a bunch of Thai people also staying at the Ashram) for their trip to Haridwar. Good idea, I thought. They were leaving after lunch, so I had some spare time. I went back to watch the sunrise over the Ganga.

Because, the Ganga is still flanked by foothills in Rishikesh, sunrise is a little delayed. But if you look around at the western slopes, you can follow the shortening of the shadows and anticipate sunrise. The sky becomes blue, the air clear (clearer, the haze never dissipates in the winter), the fog thins until it disappears, the temperature rises (a little), and the Ganga, of course, stays the same as ever. As the sun rises from behind the hills, the fog starts swirling faster and faster until it vanishes completely. The sun's rays, as they pass through ice crystals and various other things in atmosphere, give rise to many beautiful optical illusions- splashes of colour and flashes like falling stars. The river sparkles golden as it reflects the splendour of the morning sun in all directions.

As the sun ascends, the temperature follows, albeit reluctantly. Nonetheless, this is enough to draw people out of their cosy rooms and to the banks of the Ganga. Within the Ashram, there are outdoor seats which provide an excellent east-facing view of the Ganga, and it is to these that people head to. Soon, there is a handful of people soaking up the sunlight and watching the Ganga flow by.......