The Ganges’ Next Life

How best to clean up the Ganges River in such a manner that will not create a conflict with the people’s Hindu beliefs is the essence of this chapter. Stille is exploring the conflict that exists between religion and science using a Hindu setting. Presently the river is dangerously high in fecal coli form caused by the dumping of human waste directly into the river by Varansi and other major cities along the river. The Hindu views the Ganges as a goddess “Maa Ganga.” Located on the river is the holy city of Varansi, the “chief center of Hindu learning and culture”. The story centers on a man by the name of Mishra who is both a holy man of one of the principal temples of Varansi and a professor of hydraulic engineering at Baharas Hindu University.

Because the river is viewed in such a holy way people journey to the river to dip themselves and drink from it to cleanses their sins. This is causing major health concerns due the dumping of human waste. Recently the Indian government has made attempts using European technology to clean up the sewage. The problem was that the technology used only makes the water livable for fish not humans. Add to the sewage is the human pollution caused by the dumping of dead bodies and cattle the river creating a potential crisis. A new proposal is being made to use a pond system to clean the waste water from Varansi. The Indian government is considering the idea but of concern is how to explain it the people using “Ganga is our mother. Come and see what is being thrown on the body of our mother – sewage and filth” as compared to “Ganga is polluted”.