Hail to you, O holy Ganga , -Merely a river you never have been,
Darling daughter of the mighty Himalayas,
A doting mother to countless children.
Descending from heavenly heights,
Like a playful, agile girl child,
Out on an adventure spree,
Ever in search of fun and frolic.
From your snow-capped pristine abode,
You rush out carving your own route,
Skipping gleefully on mountainous rocks,
Jumping daringly into dangerous ravines.
Traversing through alpine forests,,
And rough, unfriendly, tough terrains,,
Emerging cheerfully safe out forever,
Filling the environs with melodious chants.
The childlike mirth and merry movement,
Slowly gives way to mature gestures,
And as a lady of elegance and grace,
You enter regions of plain landscapes.
Taking onward your eventful journey,
You cover more than a thousand miles,
Flowing elegantly with graceful charm,
Prior to plunging into the vast ocean.
All along this long trajectory,
You provide nectar-like waters,
Sustaining living beings on your way
And even those that are out of sight.
Since time immemorial in the history
You have been nurturing this land of ours
Making it beautiful, cultured and rich
With gems of material and spiritual wealth.
I bow to you, O gracious Goddess!
With deep reverence and gratitude,
Pray go on blessing us as kindly,
As you have been doing for countless ages.
Picture Credit-- eUttaranchal.com, EXOTIC UTTARAKHAND
