“For men may come and men may go,
But I go on for ever”

- Lord Tennyson

Mother Nature – almost all of us are quite familiar with the phrase. But for me, rivers are the real mother in Mother Nature. They are equally mystic and multitasking like our biological mothers. They suffer but remain silent. Like our mothers, they are powerful to withstand the excruciating pain of giving birth to a new child i.e. a new civilization and cuddle it, nourish it and bring it up with its flesh and blood in form of flowing water.

We Forget What We Get

Unfortunately, when the mother becomes lean and lame devoid of its lustre and litheness, with its prettiness, power and pride all gone into the abyss of time, we suddenly become oblivious to its calmness, cadence and cuddling that, so many times, offered a balmy touch on our tired body, torn heart and troubled soul.

Ungrateful as we are, we easily allow ourselves to forget our pride of past and get busy building statue of success without the bounty that we are blessed with and should bow to. Result? Civilizations wilt away, castles collapse and we keep complaining without looking into what went wrong.

River is, however, becomes a mute spectator of the chronicles from the dawn to dusk to dead of night.

Through My Lens

A truth seeker, a silent observer and storyteller that I am, I love wondering and wandering with my camera through the deserted alleys, along the banks, on the beaches, in the forest and through the mosaic of nature’s panoramic and rustic landscapes. This time, I went out to explore river story and dig out our deep connection with it.

Rivers are my pace and peace. Since my childhood days, I felt an unexpressed proximity to it, whether it is the Ganges in West Bengal, Jamuna in Agra or Sarju in Ayodhya. I felt it deep within my heart that I am a part of it just like it is a part of me. I could sense its grace and grief just like it could feel the day and night deeply buried into me.

After I grew up, I felt that it, just like our mothers, hides its unhappiness and sorrow just to keep us happy and smiling. So much selfishness and who else other than mothers can we expect it from? An intense and inspiring aura of divinity and forgiveness draws me towards it like a magnet, with air making a way through my dishevelled hair and it soothing me with whispers, “Don’t give up my son, the bad phase will soon be over, dawn will smile once again from the womb of nightmare”.

I summon all my strength and courage, stand firm on the slipping ground of sand and found my way back to the desk with a rekindled soul, renewed energy and refreshed thoughts, thanks to my mother – Mother River.

You are Many in One

Mother you are home to homeless – a variety of flora and fauna, lifeline of many living beings, a glimmer of hope for the hopeless and hapless. In you, I find bliss in banalities, marvel in mundane and happiness in humdrum routine. You are confluence of contrasts, carrying everything with silence, sombreness and sublime confidence.

History Flowing on

You are the witness of rise and fall of many dynasties, mayhem and misery all around, mysteries unfolded, merriness celebrated. You are the timeless translator of events rolling out on your banks, footsteps of soldiers, wars fought and tragic defeats and destructions of the great warriors of history. For me, you are the invisible pages of history flowing since time immemorial, sometimes murmuring and other times being mute.

My Guru, My Guide

With a breathing distance away and still within the inconsumable space between us, I always look up to you as my guru and guide. You have always made your ways through odds and obstacles and that inspires me to go on in sun and shower. These days when I live in an urban landscape and the sun peeps through the jungle of concrete, I badly missing your balmy touch that used to comfort me every time I was engulfed with troubles and tragedies.

We Don’t Deserve Forgiveness

Oh Mother, don’t forgive us for what we have done and are still doing to you. For years after years, we have dumped our ambition, aggression, frustration and thoughtless action only to destroy your dignity with our skyrocketing pride of building urban civilization while being unaware of the fact that it is you who begot, brought up and breastfed many a civilization that suffered rust and ruins for wrath of nature. 

My Tribute to Mother

I just wish to capture your journey through frames by frames. I want to make my way to the damp and dark minds that even the most powerful light may fail to fire up. I want to explain to them how Mother and Children live on a symbiotic relationship even when mother grows old. I want to reclaim my space of abstract spirituality that I always felt when sitting by your side and talking to you in a language that no one could decipher.

It’s my small tribute to you and I want to do it to awaken the dying and sleeping souls and most importantly, reconnect to you the way I used to do always.

“And you're here in my heart
And my heart will go on and on”.