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Indlæser... On the Ganges: Encounters with Saints and Sinners Along India's Mythic River (udgave 2018)af George Black (Forfatter)
Work InformationOn the Ganges: Encounters with Saints and Sinners Along India's Mythic River af George Black
   Der er ingen diskussionstråde på Snak om denne bog.  auntmarge64 | Jul 29, 2020 |  ingen anmeldelser | tilføj en anmeldelse
The Ganges flows through northern India and Bangladesh for more than 1,500 miles before emptying into the Bay of Bengal. It is sacred to Hindus who worship Ganga, the river goddess. But it has also long been a magnet for foreigners, some seeking to unravel its mysteries and others who have come in search of plunder. In On the Ganges, George Black, who chronicled the exploration of the American West and the creation of Yellowstone National Park in Empire of Shadows, takes readers on an extraordinary journey from the glaciers of the Himalayas to the sacred city of Varanasi to the "hundred mouths" of the Ganges Delta.On the Ganges, parts of which originated from a New Yorker article published last year, introduces us to a vivid and often eccentric cast of characters who worship the river, pollute it, and flock to it from all over the world in search of enlightenment and adventure. Black encounters those who run the corrupt cremation business, workers who eke out a living in squalid factories, religious fanatics, and Brits who continue to live as if the Raj had never ended.By the end of his journey, Black has given us a memorable picture of the great river, with all its riddles and contradictions, both sacred and profane, giving the last word to a man scavenging for the gifts left by pilgrims: "There are good days and there are bad days. It all depends. Everything is in the hands of our mother, Ma Ganga." No library descriptions found. |
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 Google Books — Indlæser...GenrerMelvil Decimal System (DDC)954.1History and Geography Asia India and South Asia Northeastern IndiaLC-klassificeringVurderingGennemsnit: (3.25)
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Black traveled the length of the Ganges from the Himalayas to the Sundabaren (the country-sized mangrove forest in the Bay of Bengal) in Bangladesh. The river is 1680 miles - more or less, since the course changes from year to year. It is worshiped as sacred by Hindus, and there are many religious practices connected to it. Some of these, such as the burning of bodies, bathing, and the dumping of dead bodies into it, along with directly-added industrial pollution, have resulted in horrifying pollution, seemingly ignored by many as they go about their activities in the water. I don't think I even want to describe some of the ways pollution is added, not to mention the continued bathing in it despite this. Millions live along or near the water or make their business along the water. This includes priests, woodsellers, corpse collectors, middlemen, corrupt police and bureaucrats, and an astonishing array of other people who rely on the income received from their "cut" of fees. The author points out that because of the number of people who profit from the river, it's almost impossible to make changes, such as banning burning of bodies, that might help clean it up.
The author is very person-oriented and made acquaintances wherever he went, thus gleaning numerous stories of life along the river. His visits often pointed him in new directions to explore.
I did find the book interesting, but for sure if I was in India I'd never go near the Ganges. It sounds absolutely disgusting. Of course, those who revere it feel much differently, and I do hope I don't cause insult with my comments, but this is an honest reaction to the descriptions in the book. (