On the Ganges, encounters with saints and sinners on India's mythic river, George Black
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On the Ganges, encounters with saints and sinners on India's mythic river, George Black
Language
eng
resource.biographical
contains biographical information
Illustrations
illustrationsplatesmaps
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no index present
Literary Form
non fiction
Main title
On the Ganges
Oclc number
1001319715
Responsibility statement
George Black
Sub title
encounters with saints and sinners on India's mythic river
Summary
Journey along one of the world's greatest rivers and catch a glimpse into the lives and cultures of the people who live along its banks. The Ganges flows through 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. It has also long been a magnet for foreigners, some seeking to unravel its mysteries, others come in search of plunder. George Black, who chronicled the exploration of the American West 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. He 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."
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