Ghazipur: A Boat Riding In River Ganges

Ghazipur is a sleepy city of Poorvanchal, situated on the banks of holy river Ganges. Once upon a time, Ghazipur was famous for cultivation of gulab, champa, chameli, jasmine, kevda and many other fragmenting flowers. A few decades ago, perfumes, oils of these flowers and kevda water were traded on a large scale in the district.

Ghazipur has lost its fragrance and flowers but here still live people, who smell more than roses. One among them is Mr Obaidur Rahman Siddiqui.  He is a Historian who has written the History of Ghazipur beginning from the ancient time till Mughal time.

A Boat in River Ganges-Ghazipur

He has traced many historical places in Ghazipur with a story, which were lost in the dust of time. Frankly speaking the city has limited tourist attractions.I hope the research work of Mr Obaidur Rahman Siddiqui will keep Ghazipur a place on tourists map of Uttar Pradesh. 

I love traveling and meeting different people.These travelling has broadened my vision and wisdom.The reason: It opens many unkwon secrets. That makes my journey perfect.

 By the grace of God I got an opportunity to travel Ghazipur.I was invited Ghazipur by Obaidur Rahman Siddiqui to attend a function, “Rasm-e-ijra” of his new book

Next day of his function Obaidur Rahman arranged a boating trip in Ganges.I spend my beautiful time at Ghats and an adventurous memorable boating trip, hearing mesmerizing bubbling musical noise created by stearing helm of boat in water of river Ganges. 

Ghazipur District played an important role during freedom movement of the country. After independence of the country, Ghazipur District could not develop as it was in the past.

Any writing on Ghazipur is incomplete without mention of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, the great Social reformer and founder of Aligarh Muslim University. The Aligarh Movement was not an instant phenomenon. It took its shape in many many years and was started even before Sir Syed moved to his final home Aligarh. 

Ganges Ghat View --Ghazipur

Among the first step towards establishing M.A.O. College and Aligarh Movement was establishment of Scientific Society at Ghazipur in 1864. In 1860, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan was transferred from Moradabad to Ghazipur. The stay of Sir Syed in Ghazipur is a milestone in his life. Sir Syed had also established a school at Ghazipur which was named as Victoria School (established 1864) at Ghazipur. Later its name was changed to Shri Shivnath Singh Girls Government College.

A View of Ganga Ghats --Ghazipur

This Blog is dedicated to that boating trip which I enjoyed from Steamer Ghat to Opium Factory, with my camera in holy river of Ganges. 

The boatman freed anchor, pushed boat into main river stream.I was in company of Tariq, Anees and Rashid: Stepped in boat and fixed myself in a comfortable position in the boat.

A View of Ganges Ghats --Ghazipur

Boatman was stearing boat on up stream and the return was down stream.Our boat passed through ghats constructed along the river: Manadev ghat, Dadri ghat, Collector ghat, Cheetnath ghat, Posta ghat, Streamer ghat, Rameshwar ghat, Pakka ghat, Sikandarpur ghat, Kankadiya ghat, Gola ghat, Masood ghat, Nakta ghat, Khirki ghat. 

The boat was flowing ahead, but I was lost in memories of my child hood. Remembering the days when as a kid, when I used to come on an adventurous birds hunting,with my Big Father.Those were the thrilling and exciting moments to see shooing some migratory birds direct from boats in winter. 

Now as a grown mature man, I realized that, birds hunting were nothing more than a violent form of recreation of the feudal system. Bird’s migration is one of nature’s wonders. 

Tragically, every year millions of birds are slaughtered during their journeys: The delicate balance of ecosystems ensures their survival.Need not to say that Birds were the primary inspiration for development of space technology. 

Boat was leisurely sailing.The ghats were open to me as a theatre of real life dramas. Sitting in boat, I was observing the activities on the ghats, through my camera lens and clicking them.

Pilgrims taking ablution in the waters of the Ganga, dhobis washing clothes, water buffaloes roaming around.young local boys were jumping high from ghat stairs. Women were busy in domestic gossips.

Now it was time to return back before Sun set. The Sun looked as a big plate of crimson red, ready to sink in Ganges water .The rays of the setting sun were no longer hot. The crimson red was prominently visible in western sky.A peacefull silence was around us, only noise of river waves striking bottom of boat. Fisher men, in mid stream, were also pulling fish nets to return back.

As I stepped out of the boat, I found my self tired but the mesmerizing beauty of this Ganga boat ride was refreshing me. My camera was fully loaded with some marvelous moments. Those memories are treasure for the rest of my life.

A Boat in River Ganges--Ghazipur

Written, photographed and posted by Engr Maqbool Akram.