The Curses of the Phalgu River

Going to Gaya to offer pind-daan for the salvation of ancestors is a common tradition in India. Ceremonies are typically performed on the banks of the holy Phalgu river, which ironically, is also a cursed river, according to mythology. But maybe there is a way out of the curses for the river that flows (or at least tries to flow) through the land of the pilgrims.

Phalgu River in Gaya, Source: Wikimedia Commons

Down from the majestic Himalayas, north of the state of Bihar, flow two streams of rivers, Lilajan and Mohana. About 3 kilometres before the streams reach the town of Gaya, they blend and take the name and the form of the Phalgu River. The word Phalgu is derived from two words in Sanskrit, phala, which means merit, and gau, which means a wishing cow. The name itself gives the river a sense of piety. Pilgrims feel peace within when they watch the river, or at least what is left of it, flow through the holy city of Gaya. But even for all its holiness and virtues, the river is cursed, both mythologically and environmentally.

A Scene from the Ramayana, Source: Wikimedia Commons

The unfortunate river received its first legendary curse in the epic Ramayana. The epic tells the readers of an interesting tale when Sita and Ram were sitting at the bank of the river.

In the story, Ram went away from the bank for a while to gather ingredients for the preparation of a ceremony to free the souls of his departed ancestors. In the meantime, Ram’s ancestors appeared and demanded that she perform the ceremonies immediately.

Sita did what she had to do, and freed their souls, asking the river Phalgu and some other beings such as a tree and a cow to bear witness in case Ram returned and asked questions. The river, however, lied to Ram and complained that Sita never performed any ceremonies.

As per the legend, Phalgu did what it did out of sheer greed of receiving fresh offerings from Ram. Sita went aghast at the lies and that is when she cursed the river to flow below the surface for an eternity.

Dried up Phalgu River, Source: Wikimedia Commons

Regardless of the validity of this mythological story, no one who has seen the Phalgu River can deny that the river flows below the surface throughout the year except for monsoons. And owing to this nature of the river, it has attracted more modern-day curses that even Sita may have not predicted.

Random encroachments on the sandy banks of the river have caused instability in the water flowing underneath. This often results in dangerous flooding of Gaya during the monsoon season. To top it off, waste is rampantly discarded on the visible part of the river, causing more blockages and trimming the already thin water body. And so the curse continues.

Tarpan Ceremony, Source: Wikimedia Commons

Curse or no curse, there is no deterring pilgrims from Gaya. Every year, between September and October, visitors flock to the sandy banks and perform Tarpan, a ritual for their departed ancestors. As they stand on the sand, the priests somehow manage to get a few drops of the holy river to bless the ceremony.

Within a few kilometres, Buddhist devotees travel to the Mahabodhi Temple, which is also on the banks of the drying river. Gautam Buddha is known to have attained enlightenment on the bank of this very river, which some Buddhist scriptures also refer to as the Niranjan River.

Vishnupad Temple in Gaya, Source: Wikimedia Commons

As pilgrims, both of Gaya and Bodh Gaya, continue to visit the river to sanctify some part of their and their ancestors’ lives, the cursed river continues to cry for help. As a step forward, apart from its pilgrimage status, Gaya is now also being hyped as a major tourist attraction. The Vishnupad temple on the banks of Phalgu is being promoted as a heritage structure with architectural value.

Additionally, fairs are being held for visitors who just wish to see the town without the need to perform any rituals. It may be a long shot, but possibly with more awareness and profits from tourism, the curse on the battered river can finally lift.