On the Ganga Ghat

The recipient of two prestigious awards-The

Neustadt prize and The Sahitya Akademi
award,Raja Rao was one of the founding pillars of
the Indian writing in English who tried to
incorporate Indian metaphysics and philosophy
into his fictional work.Rao's writing was distinct
from his contemporaries because he attempted
not only to translate Indian sensibilities into
English but also emphasized on myths that are
especially related to Indian culture and custom.
“On the Ganga Ghat”,published in 1989 deals with
the Indian theme of holy city Benares,holy river the
Ganga and Rao's deep concern for Indian sense and
sensibility.These stories highlight the soul as
enunciated in the Bhagwad Geeta.This is the most
perfect illustration of Indian experience and wisdom.It
reaffirms the Hindu belief in rebirth according to one's
Karmas in the present and the past birth.This line
between real and unreal is found profanely in Raja
Rao's works that one becomes a participant in the
Indian fabric of life on the banks of the Ganga.

In “On the Ganga Ghat”,there are several references

to Hindu mythology of Buddha’s
enlightenment,Parvathi,Lord Shiva,Lord Vishnu and
Indian tradition.”On the Ganga Ghat” underscores all
the eternal symbols of the holy Ganga and Benares
which are the physical abode of Lord Shiva and is the
epicentre of Hindu religion.The belief among Hindus
that the human souls attain ‘Moksha’ if one dies in
Benares and the last rites are performed on the banks
of the Ganga river,has been depicted.In addition to
this,women have been showed as manifestation of
‘Shakti'.The belief in birth and death is depend on
God's will can be seen through the words of Moti Ram
when author asks about his son's death:

“Well sir,we must all die of something.Does it

the matter he was taken away ?

His time was come and he was taken away.”

Moreover, Indian belief in performing ritual

rites,asceticism,belief in previous life and death,belief

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in immortality of the soul,preference for male
child,belief in horoscope and all these references
show that Rao is out and out committed to Indian
sense and sensibility.

“On the Ganga Ghat” is full of myths and reality

associated with the Ganges.This collection has a
broad canvas of the Ganga at the backdrop.Here,we
find that Benares has served not merely as a holy
center of pilgrimage but also a great place of
traditional Hindu learning and culture.He presents
Benares as a city of life or a city of
enlightenment.Once a person becomes free from
death,he begins to celebrate the carnival of life.As
author describes Benares is the city where one can
attain the state of fearless.Thus,death is constant
present in this city.In fact,what dies in Benares is
death itself.Here,Death is considered auspicious or
Moksha.Therefore,life is not a burden but a
celebration.It reflects Rao's point of view about life and
death based on Hinduism.

Like Malgudi of R.K.Narayan,the Ganga is the

place of “On the Ganga Ghat”.The Ganga and the
people swarming on the ghats for various reasons are

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the real theme of these stories.Here,many people from
different parts of India come to Benares as the Ganga
purifies all.Death and cremation on the ghats make
one immortal.Benares is a part of eternity and is above
cause and effect:

“An action must have cause and effect. In

Benares there seems no reason for a cause,thus the
result is no effect.No act breeds an act”.

Raja Rao follows the Indian Hindu literary tradition

of Panchatantra and it is evident that Hinduism is
revealed throughout the stories.Rao's roots lie
profoundly in the Hindu philosophy and this can be
felt.The ghats have invaluable importance to all the
castes of Hindu.They believe that their birth,living and
death become holy if they go to Benares.Here,Benares
is viewed as an inter-entity connecting the above and
below-between heaven and earth that what can be
called as the Hindu view of life.Hindu folklore,spiritual
beliefs and myths are deeply depicted in this work.In
“On the Ganga Ghat” Rao's concern appears with a
particular city,river or place but his true concern is
with the universal human conditions rather than a
specific group or a place.Hinduism strongly gives

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importance to life,death and life after death are
become universal.Such themes have been important
since time immemorial in Hindu culture.

In a nutshell,it can be concluded that the essence of

these stories is based on Hindu belief that anyone who
takes life as a spiritual mode of celebration becomes
fearless of death.It is important on the part of Raja Rao
that he takes such a Hindu aspect and makes it
memorable through his craftsmanship.We may
terminate our talk with the words of Khuswant
Singh,an Indian writer who praised Raja Rao's On the
Ganga Ghat:

“In any reckoning this is Raja Rao's best work…..

his characters are work of a master craftsman.”

And also I would like to add Sh.Harjinder sir's words

when once he appreciated Rajo Rao and said that:

“Raja Rao is a religious identity and a true born

kid of spiritual land of India.”

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Name- Shiv Kumar. Roll
No.3023710005