Introduction

I am a river. I like to give you an

account of my life. You may laugh
to think what is the value of the
autobiography of a river. You may
laugh if you like.Men write their
autobiographies. They have
importance in their own way.
Ihave importance in my own way.

Birth and early career

I was born long ago in an obscure

place in a mountain. Several very
smallstreams of water joined
together to form one bigger
stream. That is how I was born. I
am that bigger stream. I am
restless from my birth. I cannot
stay at oneplace. So I flow down
the mountain. I leap from one rock
to another. I am fullof life and
vigor. As I flow down I gather
strength. My current is very
stronghere. I carry down with me
broken rocks. At last I come down
to the plains.
My career in the upper plains

!ere I begin to widen in my course.

"eople begin to make use of my
water.!ere it is as pure as
anything. In my upper course
people have built up townsof
pilgrimage. They have built
temples on my banks. !undreds of
people bathein my sacred water.
They worship the deities in those
temples. They regard meas very
sacred. There are also several
health resorts in my upper course.
"eoplefrom many parts of the
country come there for a change.
They walk on my
 

 banks. They enjoy the natural

beauty. They recover their lost
health and returnhome with a
happy heart.
My career in the lower plains

I have said before that I am very

restless. I am constantly on the
movedownwards. #eaving the
upper plains behind I flow down
through the lowerplains. My water
increases the fertility of the fields
on either side of my
banks. Abundant crops grow
there. The country become
prosperous.

Towns on my banks

"eople have built large towns on

my banks. Some of these towns
are centres ofculture. Some have
commercial importance. "eople
carry on trade andcommerce.
They ply boats and steamers
along my surface. These carry
manyimportant goods for trade.
"eople travel from one place to
another in boatsand steamers. !
undreds of people bathe in water.
They use my water fordrinking
and other purposes.
Efforts to control me

$uring the rainy season I carry

large %uantities of rain&water
from themountain. My surface
rises. Sometimes I overflow the
banks and cause flood."eople
suffer much. 'ut am I to blame for
this ( )hat can I do if huge
%uantities of rainwater flow down
me from the mountain( Your
*overnmenthas now tried to
control my furious nature in the
rainy season. In my uppercourse
sometimes I fall down several
hundred feet from a great height. !
ere your *overnment has built
barriers across me to hold back
my water. It has built dams to
store up the surplus water to
irrigate the land to help
agriculture.+lectricity is also
generated here with the power of
my water. This electricity
ischeaper. It helps industry in
towns and even in remote
villages. Thus you maysee how I
help you.
My career in the lowest course

In this way I go on. I have no

rest. ,Men may come and men
may go but I goon for ever.- Your
*overnment has tried to control my
furious nature. 'ut it isa very
difficult task to control me always.
Sometimes I play the part of
adestroyer. I wash away my
banks. I destroy towns and
villages. Again I play the
 
part of a creator. I carry down
sediments. These are deposited in
some places where the current is
not strong. ew land is formed
there. This land is veryfertile. This
is done near about the place
where I join the sea.

Ports at my mouth

I flow on to join the sea. This is my

goal. This portion of my course is
called my mouth. "eople have built
ports here. /actories have been
built on my banks.This makes the
country prosperous. 'ut the
factories do one great harm. In
my upper course my water is very
pure. 'ut here the municipalities of
the townsand the factories throw
away all sorts of impurities into my
water. This pollutesmy water. I am
not to blame for this.

Conclusion
This is my life history. There is
one great difference between men
and me. I amconstantly on the
move to join the sea. Men are
born and they die. I have nodeath.
I will flow eternally. I will do great
service to men. They should
therefore remain grateful to me.