After the stroll on the banks of the River Yamuna in the morning, evening saw us at the banks once again, this time to picture the city through a different lens – The Boat Ride.
We are at the Vishram ghat (the main ghat of Mathura), the best and perhaps the only place where one will find several different boats strapped up to the Yamuna riverfront. All the boats are manually oared and you have a choice to either take a personal one that’s exclusively for you and your family or share it with a group of pilgrims.
We choose the personal one for ourselves and after haggling a bit, fix our canoe for Rs. 120 for 4 persons for the complete tour of the Ghats and back. The prices are highly negotiable and different for different boats with the personal ones demanding a bit on the higher side than its counterpart, so bargaining hard is a must or else you run the chance of burning your pockets unnecessarily.
The harsh afternoon sun is gently making its way for a soothing and a pleasant evening. I am excited for we are told that we will conclude our boat tour with the evening Yamuna arti and watch it from the boat itself. Flashes of Varanasi Boat Ride and the Haridwar Ganga arti dance in the picture of my eye. These ghats are not as ornate and beautiful as Varanasi, but the boat ride still seems to afford everything that a traveler seeks the most –- SILENCE... in plenty, I muse. With exhilaration in my spirits and joy in my stride, I step in and take my seat...
Thus, keeping in tune with this serenity, I rest my pen here and request all of you to hop in and come along. Let us all virtually enjoy this ride in serenity - The Boat Ride on the River Yamuna - together.
We are at the Vishram ghat (the main ghat of Mathura), the best and perhaps the only place where one will find several different boats strapped up to the Yamuna riverfront. All the boats are manually oared and you have a choice to either take a personal one that’s exclusively for you and your family or share it with a group of pilgrims.
We choose the personal one for ourselves and after haggling a bit, fix our canoe for Rs. 120 for 4 persons for the complete tour of the Ghats and back. The prices are highly negotiable and different for different boats with the personal ones demanding a bit on the higher side than its counterpart, so bargaining hard is a must or else you run the chance of burning your pockets unnecessarily.
The harsh afternoon sun is gently making its way for a soothing and a pleasant evening. I am excited for we are told that we will conclude our boat tour with the evening Yamuna arti and watch it from the boat itself. Flashes of Varanasi Boat Ride and the Haridwar Ganga arti dance in the picture of my eye. These ghats are not as ornate and beautiful as Varanasi, but the boat ride still seems to afford everything that a traveler seeks the most –- SILENCE... in plenty, I muse. With exhilaration in my spirits and joy in my stride, I step in and take my seat...
Thus, keeping in tune with this serenity, I rest my pen here and request all of you to hop in and come along. Let us all virtually enjoy this ride in serenity - The Boat Ride on the River Yamuna - together.
Vishnu, our oarsman, paddles the oar back and forth.
And... there starts our boat ride!
dating back centuries, still so full of charm... isn't it?
A few children diving in, laughing and enjoying
as if they were having the time of their lives.
The sight of the people bathing on the ghats fades out in the distance and long boats take their place, the accompanying chit chatter absolutely dying out
eventually giving way to absolute tranquility and serenity.
The River literally comes to life as it is touched by the
soft rays of a late evening sun
The Yamuna bridge lets the sunshine in, to dance softly
on the gentle waves of the divine river
on the gentle waves of the divine river
Heading back to the ghats before the dusk hits the sky
Back again at the Vishram ghat, the boat comes to a halt. We sit in anticipation waiting for the Yamuna arti which should commence any moment now. A loud gong of bell strikes and a series of several smaller and larger bells start ringing. Chants of Yamuna Maiyya ki Jai (Victory to the Goddess Yamuna) fill the air. A priest in white and saffron attire appears on the raised platform of the ghat with a huge lamp in his hand and starts the prayer. Hundreds of burning wicks flame the dark of the night.
The priest standing on a raised platform with the lamp in hand
(in the far background)
Yamuna River Arti in full swing at the Vishram Ghat in Mathura
The night pulsates at the ghats as a mass of devouts exuberantly sing glory to the river. Amid all the glow of divine chantings and recitations, closer home... a small flicker of light twinkles in the waters of the Yamuna...
My leaf diya...
quietly makes its way forward,
to a world, unknown...
quietly makes its way forward,
to a world, unknown...
67 Comments
Lovely soul stirring description with brilliant pictures! 'The Arti' could not have been better described by Arti herself:)
ReplyDeleteI do love the water and boats!! Your captures are terrific, Arti, as always! I love taking your tours -- even from a distance! Hope your week is going well!
ReplyDeleteSylvia
Wonderful. Nice captures.
ReplyDeletewww.rajniranjandas.blogspot.com
wonderful world :)
ReplyDeleteI love your words and photos, Arti. This post convinces me that unless you speak the local language, the average tourist will be lost. It is best to see India with a tour group so you can avoid bargaining/haggling -- something we don't do in the USA.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful trip, I love the sunset. All those buildings and temples right on the water, do they not ever flood or begin to sink?
ReplyDeleteNo,and they have been standing there facing the time for centuries.😁
DeleteLove the pictures and the way you comment on them. The sunset over the bridge is amazing.
ReplyDeleteThe pictures are amazing and brings so much life! The boat ride sure must be so memorable..lovely yamuna bridge during sunset...
ReplyDeleteWOW.. How badly i want to go there.. Excellet Arti..
ReplyDeletei love the last two photos. they look so dramatic, almost like a painting. it's a good thing you were able to capture the mood of the place despite the dim light (or maybe because of it).
ReplyDeletei wanted to squeeze in varanasi in our itinerary but time's a bit limited. perhaps we'll just visit the ghats along jamuna river in delhi.
have a great week, arti!
(thanks again for the movies!) :)
@Arti Beautiful post with Awesome photographs.Thanks a lot.
ReplyDeleteI love the beautiful view from the boat, lovely panorama and aptly said the silence of rowing in the boat and watching the history of civilizations that grew along the banks of this ancient river. And to imagine lord krishna in these waters is a divine experience. The goswamis of vrindavan have extolled the spiritual significance of goddess yamuna as she was lucky to touch krishna feet.Lovely pictures, enjoyed the boat ride so much with you.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful sights. We missed all this. Had I read your post and gone there, things would have been different. I never expected the river to have so much of water. This reminds me of Varanasi ghats.
ReplyDeleteWhat amazingly beautiful and serene shots! Just gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteA nice yatra . Beautiful set of photos along with the narration gave a wonderful experience !
ReplyDeletenicely taken pictures with interesting description...
ReplyDeletewonderful photographs... water looks so beautiful when it reflects the sun's rays... the river looks splendid!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures. :) Really spectacular view of the temples and the sunset, especially the one over the bridge. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's a great river and the second shot is perfect reflection.
ReplyDeleteSo descriptive, I can feel the water lapping the sides of the boat, I can hear the ringing of the bells, I see the priest approaching in his white and saffron attire.
ReplyDeletea paint brush of golden color on the bridge.
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful.
what a wonderful scenery and joyful experience to behold, love the reflections and colors in the photos.
ReplyDeleteLovely boat ride with lovely views.
ReplyDeleteBEautiful pictures ..
ReplyDeleteloved them all
Bikram's
Beautiful beautiful beautiful :)
ReplyDeleteOnce again you have transported me to India.... I'm planning a trip to India in August! I will definitely break down your blog to plan my itinerary :)
ReplyDeleteOh my, so lovely these water pictures Arti - such a great atmosphere, it carries something of the world, unknown ... Have a happy and adventurous week!
ReplyDelete"My leaf diya..
ReplyDeletequietly makes it forward
to a world, unknown..."
Succinct portrayal of faith. Lovely.
That would be an awesome way to view the festivities. Lovely photos and explanations, Arti. :)
ReplyDeleteVaranasi is my favorite spot i have visited several times but never visited through boat. After reading your blog I will defiantly visit Varanasi through boat. Thanks for wonderful trip and nice picture
ReplyDeleteSpectacular pictures-great photography !
ReplyDeleteMy goodness... out of this world!
ReplyDeleteHow lovely! We love boats (although don't think we're young enough to row all day any more).. the River is a wonderful one and what a perfect place to witness that ceremony.
ReplyDeletewow...you've penned it excellent Arti..thanks for the awesome visual tour ..:)
ReplyDeleteTasty Appetite
the photos are crisp and clear, your writing descriptive and flowing, like the river. all this is very beautiful - the colors, the sky, the water. I truly enjoyed the ride Arti! Thanks for the serenity. happy day to you.
ReplyDelete@ Ginny
ReplyDeleteYes, during the rainy season the water level does rise and the ghats do flood but then it recedes slowly and everything is back to normal in few days again.
Quiet interesting experience .
ReplyDeleteA loud gong of bell starts and a priest with a huge lamp starts prayer.They sing glory to the river. It must be great view. Exciting explanation and beautiful pictures.
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely weekend!
I enjoyed the river cruise with you Arti listening to the poetry contained in your flowing words. The set of photos is another fantastic one. I feel like that I’m hearing the shouts of the children. River is always beautiful from dawn to dusk, sunny, rainy, and in between, and I especially like it when the setting sun starts painting the sky while darkness falls on the ground.
ReplyDeleteYoko
amazing snaps!
ReplyDeleteNo concept of life jackets?
ReplyDeleteWhat a peaceful boat ride. Thanks for taking us along.
ReplyDeletewonderful beautiful pics
ReplyDeleteWhat an experience. As if I was beside you in this journey. You're a best storyteller, Arti. Thank you very much for sharing this.
ReplyDeleteWonderful photos too esp the sunset images. Breathtaking.
A boat ride was just what I needed this Sunday. Thank you, Arti. :D
ReplyDeleteLovely, lovely piece!
Lovely shots! That's one of the places on my bucket list.
ReplyDeleteYou make me feel I am missing out a lot by not visiting this place. Lovely pics.
ReplyDeletebeautiful pics
ReplyDeleteArti,
ReplyDeleteHow delightful to imagine the scenery where the priest is in prayer, the devout are chanting in the middle of soft lights twinkling. The flowing river is making music together with them. Everything is fused in one! Just divine!! All photos are enchantment!
Have a great week!
keiko
Boat ride in Mathura, that's great! Surprisingly Arti, the river looks clean! :) Loved the pics where river and the sun appears to meet..
ReplyDeleteExcellent selection of photos! They capture the essence of the place well.
ReplyDeletewow...so beautiful...so serene!
ReplyDeleteThe Picture of the River was great Arti, remind me a night moment in Varanasi.
ReplyDeleteLovely description
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful place. I would love to be on that boat.
ReplyDeletevery well written post and equally supported by beautiful pics !
ReplyDeleteLovely pics of the tranquil boat ride followed by the evening aarti.
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking us to the beautiful virtual ride with you.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Sriram & Krithiga
Amazing description and mesmerizing pictures, Arti... :-) It must be one of your most memorable boat rides... :-)
ReplyDeleteSo tranquil, so beautiful. Thanks for the virtual boat ride.
ReplyDeleteA soulful post :)
Nice.. This looks like the thing to do over the river Yamuna :)
ReplyDeleteThat is a great way to see Mathura, I see. Lovely pictures, Arti. I love the gleam that the water adds to the pictures. The reflections also look great. :)
ReplyDeleteI know the feeling! You've captured the divinity so beautifully in your words! :) Mesmerizing!
ReplyDeleteI could feel the sights and sounds and even the air! It's BEAUTIFUL! The last lines are lovely! :)
ReplyDeleteHave always wanted to do this boat ride... looks gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteDelighted you stopped by... Your suggestions, feedback are really appreciated. Thanks a lot :) Hope you visit again!
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