85. Yamuna River back in the news, as usual

Every year, in the days leading up to the Chhath festival, the Yamuna River in Delhi makes front-page news. So why should this year be any different? However, this time, the news has a different meaning.

Yesterday, Delhi BJP leader Anil Gupta, who holds a doctorate in environmental sciences, appeared on TV taking a ritual sip (aachman) of water and claimed “the river is recovering from its heavily polluted state, attributing this improvement to the party's government's efforts over the past eight months.”

Last year, BJP leader Virendra Sachdeva took a dip at the ITO ghat to protest the then AAP government’s neglect of pollution issues, which led to his hospitalization afterward. Hope Gupta won't have to go to the hospital.

As I looked at the image, my thoughts transported me to the good old days when water from the Ganga and Yamuna was considered amrit (life-giving), not just by devout Hindus but also by the rulers of that era, the Mughals.

Renowned art historian Ram Nath (R. Nath), an expert in Mughal architecture, extensively discusses the Ganga and Yamuna waters in his book, The Private Life of the Mughals of India.

After finishing the book, I wrote a letter to a friend who habitually drank fridge water and was often unwell. I reread the letter and will reference some historical facts from the book here.

The Mughals paid close attention to their drinking water, which they regarded as the true source of life.

Akbar, whether at home or traveling, always drank only Ganga water, and proper arrangements were made to ensure a steady supply. For this, a separate department, Abdar Khanah, was established. Akbar regarded this department as very important and entrusted it to reliable and skilled personnel. 

His trusted personnel stationed along the Ganga River daily delivered water in sealed jars. During the court's residence at Agra and Fatehpur Sikri (1560-85), water was collected from Soron, near Kasganj (Etah, Uttar Pradesh), and carried by carts. 

During Akbar's residence in Lahore (1585-96), water was supplied from the Ganga River near Hardwar. He regarded the Ganga water as more valuable than the water of the Yamuna or Ravi, not due to superstition but because it was regarded as healthier. A small amount of Ganga water was also added to the cooking water.

Jehangir also admired the Ganga water. But Shah Jehan drank only Yamuna water, although sweet well water was available at both the Agra Fort and the Red Fort in Delhi.

R, Nath writes that in 1658, when Aurangzeb besieged him in Agra Fort and cut off its water supply from the river, he could not drink any other water available in the fort. 

He was accustomed to the 'molten snow’ of the Yamuna, and driven by his thirst in the scorching June heat, he penned the following heartfelt letter to his harsh son.

My son, my hero!

Why should I complain about Fortune's unkindness, when not a leaf falls from a tree without God's Will?

Only yesterday I was master of nine hundred thousand troopers, and today I am in need of a pitcher of water!

Praised be to the Hindus in all cases, as they even offer water to their dead, and thou, my son, art a marvellous Musalman, as thou cause me in life to lament for water!

To this appeal of his old and sick father, the hero, Aurangzeb, the 'marvellous Musalman', sent the brutal reply: It is your own doing. 

Shah Jehan resisted for three days. Ultimately, overwhelmed by extreme thirst, despair, and treachery, he chose to surrender, opening the gates of Agra Fort to Aurangzeb on June 8, 1658. He was then confined to the harem, where he lived for another eight years before passing away in 1666.

Later, snow and ice were used from 1586 onward. When Akbar went to the Punjab, Ice was brought by land and water, by post carriages or bearers, from the district of Panhan, in the northern mountains, about 144 km from Lahore. 

The dealers made a significant profit, selling two or three sers (1.25 kg) of ice for one rupee in an era when ten rupees could buy an ounce of gold. Therefore, ice was the most expensive luxury. 

Personally, I hold Shri Ram Nath (R. Nath) in high esteem because he consistently speaks the truth. He does not approach his work with preconceived notions, unlike a historian who starts research or writing with a biased perspective. 

As we all are aware, India has two kinds of historians. In the first category are people like Romila Thapar and Bipan Chandra, who were self-styled and government-appointed historians keen on gaining favor with the Congress regime. They wrote books that aligned with the regime's preferences and needs, thereby distorting the perspectives of three generations of young minds.

In the second group were many researchers who had a passion for the subject and wrote excellent books, many of which are still unknown to the general public. R. Nath belongs to that group, whose voice was deliberately suppressed at the History Congress’s events.

R. Nath was never a favorite of either the Congress or the current ruling party, the Bhartiya Janata Party, because of his frankness. I will provide two examples—the first concerns the Babri mosque in Ayodhya. 

The All India Babri Masjid Action Committee (AIBMAC) referenced Nath's History of Mughal Architecture to argue that the Mughal rulers did not demolish a Hindu temple to build the mosque. Nath clarified that he never claimed that. 

He was upset about being wrongly quoted and clarified his position by circulating his article in a booklet titled 'Architecture & Site of the Baburi Masjid of Ayodhya.' 

He reasons that a Jami Masjid is always located in a city's main market, where believers can gather easily and shop afterward. The Babri Masjid, however, is situated on a high mound among a cluster of Hindu temples in a purely Hindu neighborhood. There would be no reason to place a mosque there unless it was built on the remains of a demolished temple. Thus, he clearly stated that he believes the mosque had been built over a temple.

The second - in 2015, a group of 53 scholars criticized the BJP government for promoting intolerance in the country, representing Hindu nationalist interests. Nath was among the 46 scholars who disagreed with this critique. 

The group of 46 argued that the letter was more political and ideological than based on scholarly analysis. They claimed to oppose the nationalist efforts to portray India's history as a glorious golden age, while also criticizing the "leftist" historians for fostering contempt for Indian civilization.

This is enough for the Yamuna, which is heavily polluted mainly by sewage and industrial waste. 

Let’s hope the current government’s focus on the river continues even after the Chhath Puja.

(Top Photo: BJP leader Dr Anil Gupta sipping the water from the river at Kalindi Kunj and ITO ghats)