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BAREILLY: To write, they say, is human but to receive a letter is divine. Nowhere else is it truer than in scores of letters sent every year to river Ganga from people across UP and Rajasthan. The letters bear a telling and intimate address: 'To Ganga Maiyya, Kachhla ghat, Badaun'. These are special invitations meant especially for the goddess to either join a grieving family in feasts organised after a person's death or those seeking her blessings for a newly-wed couple. A postman diligently collects all letters and offer them to the mighty river. Though officials said the numbers have come down from a dozen every month, until a decade back, to just eight now.
Ram Naresh Upadhyay, a priest at Kachhla ghat who also claims to be a 'Ganga putra', said, "Nobody knows for sure when and how old this tradition started. The faith associated with Ganga as a goddess makes people invite her to their house for feasts. Family members of deceased persons believe that the departed soul will enjoy happiness and comfort if they follow invite the goddess." Upadhyay said he helps postmen deliver the letters into the river after saying a small prayer.
The postcards often hold earnest renderings from senders. One from Dharmendra Sharma read "our father expired on Sunday and his terahvi sanskar will be held on Friday. Please be present in the feast that will be organised for the occasion". Another one from CB Maheshwari, a resident of Bilsi in Badaun, wrote: "Dear Ganga mata, sorry to inform you that my wife, Charu Maheshwari, has passed away and her terahvi will be held on Sunday. Please provide peace to her soul."
"We receive at least eight such postcards every month. Letters not only arrive from Badaun but also from other districts of the state and Rajasthan. A majority of letters are from the kin of deceased persons. Few also send wedding invites while there are also others who wish to thank the goddess when their wishes are fulfilled," said Rishipal Singh, a postman at Kachhla ghat.
According to Singh, nobody at Kachhla ghat will accept these letters addressed to the river. "Though we try to persuade many priests to accept them, no one agrees. So, we offer them to the river," said Singh. Head postmaster at the head post office in Bareilly, Ashok Kumar Tripathi, said, "Letters for Ganga is a symbol of faith. These are currently offered to the river but I will check rules regarding pollution and issue directions to local post offices accordingly," he said.
Source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/
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