The Narmada waters playfully cut through the rock bed, stretching from one bank to the other only to rush with a loud noise into the depression created by its own force.
This serene spot went under water in 2007, depriving future generations an opportunity to enjoy its beauty. It is unlikely that the people displaced from the villages near it will forget the place in this lifetime.
I recently read a beautiful book, a travelogue named 'Narmada Samagra: Rafting through a civilisation' by Anil Madhav Dave. The excellently written and presented book has a small yet touching paragraph about the author's sentiments about Dharaji. I identify with it entirely and hope against hope that some day, his words indeed come true.
मैंने अनायास पीछे मुड कर धाराजी के अंतिम दर्शन किये, प्रणाम किया. मन ही मन निवेदन किया, "हे धाराजी! मेरी पीढ़ी अपने स्वार्थ के लिए तुम्हे डुबो रही है. हो सकता है, सदियों बाद तुम फिर बाहर आ जाओ, फिर तुममे घूम घूम कर कंकर शंकर बनने लग जाये."
(Roughly translated, it reads: I turned around and took a last darshan of Dharaji, offered my prayers and thought, "Hey Dharaji, My generation is submerging you for their selfish motives. It is possible, centuries later, you will be exposed again ... and every kankar (stone) rolls into your vortex to become a shankar again.")
The profound hope ends with a kshamayachna on behalf of the mankind. He says:
"अपनी पीढ़ी के इस अपराध के लिए हे धाराजी तुम मुझे माफ़ करना."
(Please forgive me for this sin of my generation.)
AMEN
No comments:
Post a Comment