I am river. I was born a long time ago in an
ambiguous region in a mountain. I am combination
of several streams. From the day I was born I
was restless to move on and travel to unknown
regions. Thus, I was bubbling with life and
vigour, ready to overcome any obstacle that came
my way. I ferociously scurry through the narrow
creeks and bends in the mountains to begin my
journey into unknown lands. I really feel very
strong, invincible and pure at this point as I
move along a rough terrain with strong
undercurrents. Sometimes I plunge several
hundreds of feet from a great height with great
force. This is known as a waterfall. As I
progress on a downward trend carrying along
broken rocks and debris, I finally reach the
plains.
At this juncture of my course, I find myself in
the upper plains and observe my course widening.
The water that I bring down here from the
mountains is made good use of by people settled
in the area. It is quite interesting to see a
good number of settlements on my banks. People
make feel very important since they feel I am
sacred, holy and a source of life. Along with
small townships, houses there are temples as
well. The scenic beauty around me is very
beautiful and amazing. From the rough mountain
terrain, I tend to become a bit slow and slurry
in the upper plains. I am the only source of
pure and clean water and I feel great that I am
useful to so many people. As I move along, I
collect a lot of soil, rocks and debris and
become heavy. Thus I lose on speed and slowly
trudge along the plains.
Leaving the upper plains behind I reach the
lower plains. The soil that I carry along with
me is very fertile and extremely good for
agriculture. I flood the plains with fertile
alluvial soil that increases the fertility and
yield of fields located on my banks. Several
farmers are dependent on me for their livelihood
and occupation. I water the fields, which in
turn helps crops to grow in abundance here. This
makes the region prosper and fosters economic
growth. There is always some hustle and bustle
to be seen here and the scenery is very
beautiful and enriching.
As I move across the plains, I considerably slow
down and begin to take wide turns and bends.
Several townships have developed along my banks,
which have commercial and economic importance.
These townships have a varied culture as well. I
have become a platform for trade and commerce.
People carry goods to and fro across the river
for trade. My water is also used for bathing,
household chores and for drinking as well.
Sometimes during my course in the mountains and
plains, especially in the monsoon seasons I
carry overwhelming volumes of water that causes
floods. To control the volume of water I carry,
people have built dams. I move with great fury
and force during this time, and sometimes even
cause a good amount of damage to civilization.
Dams have been built to store excess water,
which is to be used for agricultural purposes
during the dry season. In the upper course of my
journey, i.e. in the mountains, the government
has developed several hydel power projects to
generate electricity. The electricity that is
generated here helps industry to grow and also
helps the people living in the area in the
occupation and trade.
In this manner I continue moving along with no
end until I meet the sea. In the lower course of
the river, I play the role of the creator and
destroyer. Several homes and houses have been
washed away by me during the floods; but at the
same time I am also a source of new life,
especially agriculture. I deposit fertile soil
in the plains that helps crops to grow, which
would enhance economic growth of the country.
My goal is to continue flowing till I meet the
sea. This is the last phase of my journey. Here
people have built ports and factories. This
brings about a certain amount of pollution and
impurities. In the upper course my water is pure
without any impurities; but in the last phase of
my journey I am unable to retain my purity on
account human activity. Thus my journey is
actually never comes to an end. I continue to
flow eternally with an aim to be at the service
of mankind for generations to come.