Case Study of BANARAS

1. Case Study of BANARAS Banaras (also Varanasi) is located in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and extends latitude 25°20' N and longitude 83°00' E. Sandwiched between the rivers Varuna and Ashi as they join the Ganges, Banaras takes its name from its location. It is also called Kashi, the city of light, but the British, in an endeavour to simplify matters, had coined their own name for the place - Banaras. For a relatively short period, while under Mughal rule, Banaras was also known as Muhammadabad. Modern-day Banaras is situated along the west bank of the Ganges (also Ganga). An important fact about Banaras is that here Ganga flows in north direction whereas in all other parts of the country it flows in the south direction. There are about 240 Ganga Ghats in Banaras. These Ganga Ghats at Varanasi are full of pilgrims who flock to the place to take a dip in the holy Ganges, which is believed to absolve one from all sins.

2. Ganga Ghats in Banaras 1. Dasaswamedha Ghat:- Dasaswamedha Ghat is one of the most important Ghats of Varanasi. This is the main bathing ghat in town, so it can be extremely crowded. The area around this ghat is the main center of activity in the city, especially for pilgrims and tourists. This ghat is full of pilgrims bathing in the holy Ganges. It is said that Lord Brahma performed a Ten Horse Sacrifice here for king Divodasa. Das means ‘ten,’ aswa means ‘horse,’ and medha means ‘sacrifice.’ It is said that bathing here gives the same merits as received by doing the ‘ten horse sacrifice’ that were performed here. On certain auspicious days up to 200,000 pilgrims may take bath here. Right next to this ghat there is the Shitala Temple, which is dedicated to the goddess that protects against smallpox. Inspite of such great importance people release polythene bags, soaps, detergents and many other harmful things into the river.

3. 2. Narad Ghat :- Narad Ghat is the most unpopular ghat because of superstitious people. According to them if someone bathe in this ghat then he and his family would have to experience lot of difficulties and failure, and if a couple would bathe then they would get divorced just because once 'Narad Muniji' bathed in it. As a result they intentionally polluted this ghat by dumping all the garbage in it so that no one could bathe in it.

4. 3. Harishchandra Ghat :- Dead bodies are brought here for cremation. Bodies are brought from thousands of kilometres away to be burned here. This ghat is named after King Harishchandra, who is said to have had to work as a Dom (caretaker of the crematorium) in order to keep his word. King Harishchandra was famous for never refusing a guest and never telling a lie. He was a worshiper of Brahma. Indra told Brahma that he believed that Harishchandra’s devotion was not as strong as he made it appear to be. So in order to prove that it was, Brahma disguised himself as a Brahmin priest and asked the king for his entire kingdom. Harishchandra gave it. In order to give the priest payment (daksin) for performing some rituals the king became a worker at the crematorium at this ghat. His wife was sold to a seller of flowers. When his son died of a snakebite his wife brought him to the burning ghat where her husband was working. Because she had no money to pay the cremation fee, she ripped her sari in half to pay the fee. Brahma then restored the son back to life and gave the king back his kingdom. He also told Harishchandra that this ghat would be especially sacred and that it would be named after him.

5. 4. Manikarnika Ghat :- Manikarnika Ghat one of the oldest and most sacred in Varanasi, Manikarnika is the main burning ghat and one of most auspicious places that a Hindu can be cremated. Bodies are handled by outcasts known as doms, and they are carried through alleyways of the old city to the holy Ganges on a bamboo stretcher swathed in cloth. The corpse is doused in the Ganges prior to cremation. We can see huge piles of firewood stacked along the top of the ghat, each log carefully weighed on giant scales so that the price of cremation can be calculated. In the name of cremation water of both these ghats are destroyed. The dead bodies of children are thrown in them.

6. 5. Shivala Ghat :- Shivala Ghat, a ghat built by King Balwant Singh, owed most significant role during the medieval period and is believed to be a sacred place to have a holy dip. The Shivala Ghat, as the name suggests, is a religiously important Ghat with a presiding deity of Lord Shiva. Ignoring its importance people drain sewage waste at this ghat.

7. Some daily activities responsible for polluted ghats and Gangaji are :- • Washing of clothes:- Washermen • wash clothes • near ghats although they had to • experience beating from the policemen • everyday because their demand of some • other place for washing clothes is not • fulfilled by the government. 2. Bathing of animals :- Animals like buffaloes, cows, donkeys etc bathe in these ghats and release excretory waste products in it. Some animals get drowned in the river, which is very harmful for human beings.

8. 3. Household activities :- People of nearby localities use river water for all household activities like washing utensils and clothes, bathing etc.This is a part of daily routine of people,nothing is done by administration to check all these activities 4. Sewage :- The in the sewage plant is release sewage dump of the city after treatment eased in the river which is also very harmful as it may contain some harmful chemicals. Their Are sewage drains near shivala , Harishchandra,Mankarnika ghat.One of big drains is ‘assi nala’.Waste water after treatmaent through a plant is flown into the Ganga.

9. Some undesirable facts about Ganga :- . The level of Ganga is decreasing day by day in Uttar Pradesh. . In a duration of one year the level has decreased by 2.5 ft in Varanasi. Some data regarding level of water of Ganga for some districts near Banaras. City 2009 2010 2011 Mirzapur 76.290m 76.180m 76.330m Rajghat 58.660m 57.880m 63.470m Gazipur 52.425m 51.840m ----------- . All the big and small dams like tehri are obstructing flow of river water. This is making the water of Ganga stagnant which results in more pollution.

10. CONCLUSION We the 'new generation' should take a pledge to protect our holy and national river so that it can continue to shower its pavitrata on us by making people aware of the dangers they are causing.

11. This is Ganga – our mother. Why are you murdering her ? Stop this ! And try to return back her beauty, her shine .