Self talk of a River

My name is Kalshi. I am the largest river in India, the most sacred river. The Gomukh glacier in the Himalayas where I was born is very inaccessible. But after entering India, my watercourse is considered sacred everywhere, I am the embodiment of motherhood to the people of India. In fact, I have flowed through the three states of North India,

Almost all the famous cities and towns of those kingdoms are situated on my banks. Just as my two banks are covered with abundant water and abundant crops in my holy stream, in the same way, countless pilgrimage sites have been built on both banks. There are so many temples and places of worship there, countless pilgrims have been gathering there every day for ages in the hope of accumulating merit.

There is a saying that if you touch my water, all your sins are washed away. That is why not only pilgrims but also common people bathe in my water with enthusiasm. My water also helps in business and commerce. I also facilitate travel to many places. Many boats, steamers, launches and small ships pass over my chest because of this. I am proud to be able to do this to people. Sometimes I get angry, then my That empty river was filled with water, Running water never stagnant to collect litter, Clean and clear to see the treasures stored, Heavy pebbles, the quick fish on the soften rocks, Green kingdom of algae and their blooms peep, Dipped into the river to pick up a handful, Of tiny river sand, suddenly floated along the river, That drifted and took me to a furlong, How to swim opposite when the current was so strong,

Shocked, confused and kept the head above the liquid, I saw myself moving faster with the Mother Nature, The green wild yam with spacious big leaves, Where my grannies told that the reptiles hide, The recently planted teak trees stood still, The palms were high and full of fruits, Even one not dropped into the water, when I passed, Bananas were useless with soft stem, There was a slanting coconut tree at the brim Leaned to the river for water and sun, I held its root as hard as I could,

Reached the bank with joy in a blink, That river full of water is empty now, And our farmers not even go out, To check their handed down plowing tools, The dried up Tamil Nadu with people with tears, A nuclear plant is built on its shore.For making a difference everyday For all your patience day to day For every tear you wipe away For little hands you gently hold and all the stories you have told For your consoling tender heart and all the wisdom you impart For silly songs and quiet times For joyful nursery rhymes

and caring words when they cried

For all the sweet things that you do.

In my short life, I’ve learnt that sometimes we move from the river and find ourselves down a treacherous tributary. Oftentimes, we aren’t even aware of how we ended up there. In cases like this, we have to find our way back to the source, knowing that the source will take us out to the mouth; our eventual destiny.

Nothing worth living for comes easy, but knowing that every sacrifice is absolutely worth it. Giving up something in the short term, for the long term gratification. As the river of life flows for all of us, we all make a choice as to how we want to make our way to the mouth. Some just flow their entire lives, while others resist and struggle to accept their path. Some, like myself, want to carve their own path for their life. We are willing to try new things, take risks, and do things others may not be willing to do, in order to see where that may take us.