Sapta-nadi: The seven rivers of Bharat and their history

[Dr. Jai Maharaj]

Sapta-nadi: The seven rivers of India and their stories

By Sonal Mansingh
The Asian Age
http://www.asianage.com
June 19, 2014

[Caption] Mansingh's disciples performing Asmita

For conducting any religious ceremony, ritual or
celebration, a certain litany of Sanskrit verses are
recited which are common to almost all Hindus in India or
any part of the world. Water is one of the important
elements in rituals, which is kept in a metal pot
preferably of copper, peetal (alloy) or even clay. Names
of seven ancient rivers are chanted, inviting them to
inhabit the water. Their presence is invoked.

In 2002 I was inspired to create ASMITA, a new
choreography in five parts beginning with Bindu, the
point of beginning of cosmic creation. The second part
was called Sapta-nadi, seven rivers which are relevant to
my current articles. I established their historical and
living identity by depicting one significant incident;
legend or myth connected with each in dance and specially
composed music. Dancers had to first get acquainted with
the geography of that particular river, an exercise
necessitated by my startling observation that among my 16
mature dancers none knew details of river's "udgam" i.e.
birth-place and significance-importance of their
existence on Indian sub-continent! I wonder if modern
education system still considers such information
trivial? If Indians are eager to bathe in these rivers
(according to the socio-religious injunction) to wash
away accumulated sins would it be too much to expect them
to make effort to make the river's acquaintance and offer
not only worship but affection? We expect so much from
them: pure water to quench our aeonic thirst, constant
flow to wash away impurities, irrigate land for
vegetation, agriculture and flora-fauna to survive and
generally create pleasant ambience for our enjoyment. We
love our picnics and outings on a riverbank. Even a small
stream of gurgling water gives so much joy and peace. Our
modern-day temperament is about 'wanting' and
'expecting', not about 'giving' and 'thanking'!

So I vigorously set about educating my group to recognise
the need for such details. My own way of working on any
idea or project is to create the big picture with as much
information and details as one can gather. I read, write,
consult scholars, discuss and prepare a framework. Then I
short-list points to suit tight narrative and duration of
choreography. This method has given me much wider scope
to absorb, and understand the concept in all its
complexity and texture. Thus my dancers got their lessons
in geo-historical context of seven rivers much to their
amazement and delight. While Ganga gave images of King
Bhagirath, and her descent and exalted place on Shiva's
head Yamuna brought alive Krishna and Kaaliya, the cobra
king as well as the Raas-lila with Radha and Gopis on the
night of bright autumnal full moon on Yamuna's verdant
riverbank.

Please read on to share my succinct choreography of myths
and episodes connected with the other five rivers not
mentioned in preceding weeks..

SARASWATI: The name pertains to the Goddess of learning,
arts and wisdom as well as to the river mentioned in
Rigveda. History tells us that great civilizations
prospered on its river-bank ruins of which have been
excavated in Lothal and Dholavira in Gujarat among other
sites. About 1,500 years ago the river disappeared in
desert of today's Rajasthan, satellite pictures have
established her identity underground right up to Kutchch
at the tip of western Gujarat. Today one can have her
darshan only in one location above Manaa village near
Badrinath. Manaa is the last Indian village from where
Chinese border is 40 kms as crow flies. Only last year
i.e. 2013 I was there in June, a week before the colossal
tragedy struck to dance in the Badrinath festival for the
second time. In fact the festival had started with my
programme in 1983 a fact reinforced by sadhus in saffron
and yellow shouting "jai ho" at the end of my recital
last year and then pushing forward telling everybody in
the audience as it were "aap toh tees varshon pehle bhi
aayee thi. Ab bhi aisi hee hain!" (You had also come 30
years ago, you are still the same). Rigveda mentions the
many Yajnyas (sacred rituals) performed on banks of
Saraswati by rishis whose ashrams dotted the banks. I
recreated that scene complete with vedic chanting as
Saraswati the Goddess showered blessings.

SINDHU: Like her other sister rivers, Sindhu is born from
higher altitudes of Himalaya. She is truly like the ocean
at points, which are now in Pakistan and where Alexander
(Sikander) is supposed to have given up his idea of going
forward to conquer vast lands on the other side of this
waterbody. Popular belief has interestingly 'secular'
explanation for the much-maligned word Hindu as being the
mispronounced name of the river Sindhu. So all those who
lived on the opposite bank and beyond were Hindu- Sindhu!
Today's Assam too is a derivative of 'Ahom', the royal
dynasty coming from Burma who ruled the land. Today
Sindhu can be seen only in limited area in Ladakh below
Leh from where it flows into mountainous regions of
Pakistan. For my production I recreated the scene of
Porus and Alexander: King Porus surrendered to Sikander
after his defeat but demanded treatment not as prisoner
of war but as a king would treat another. Sikander heeded
this dignified request and not only released but
befriended the self-respecting king. My dancers were once
again surprised to learn the power of self respect i.e.,
'Aatmabal' and courage of conviction also appreciating
noble and generous spirit of Alexander.

History teaches us many good lessons but alas we scantly
preserve such in our collective or individual memory.

KAVERI: In the line-up of sacred rivers of India northern
rivers seem to score over others but Kaveri in south of
the Vindhyas firmly and effortlessly stands her ground in
the realm of sacredness and of being generosity connected
to sacred spots. Emerging from Tala-Kaveri, great centre
of pilgrimage in the state of today's Karnataka she flows
through the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu before
joining the mercurial waters of Bay of Bengal. But it is
at Sri Rangam she acquires the utmost character and
sanctity where she splits in two streams forming one of
the most beautiful river islands of Srirangam where the
magnificent temple of Sri Ranganatha Swamy stands.

The island is sacred to both: Vaishnavites and Shaivites.
Shri Ranga Natha is one of the forms of Vishnu and thus
is centre of worship or all sects of Vaishnavism. Some
distance away is one of the five sacred places for
Shaivites in the realm of Shiva's anthropomorphic form
worshipped as representing the five elements i.e. water,
fire, earth, wind and ether. Water element is represented
here as Jambukeshwar Mahadev where a perennial spring
waters the Shivalinga.

The legend of Andal, young and beautiful daughter of
Periya Alwar, first among the 64 Alwars (Vaishnavite
saints of southern India) still occupies the imagination
of Vaishnavs of south India. She was totally in love with
Shri Ranganatha and imagined herself to be his bride.
Songs sung by her describing her dream of her marriage to
the lord of her heart form an important part of repertory
in Bharatanatyam.

It was her duty to prepare the garland offered to him
every day. Immersed as she was in her ecstasy she wore
the garland as if the Lord had placed it round her neck.
She sang and danced until it was time for her father to
take it to the temple along with other pooja
paraphernalia. As garland was placed on the Lord a long
black hair was seen. There was chaos and shouts of
blasphemy. Andal was summoned. As she was questioned she
accepted the fact and before the eyes of the enraged
crowd of priests and devotees she merged in Lord's idol.
This deeply morning legend formed my narrative in dance
for the river

http://www.asianage.com/dance/sapta-nadi-seven-rivers-india-and-their-stories-853

More at:

The Asian Age
http://www.asianage.com

Jai Maharaj, Jyotishi
Om Shanti

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