Ganga Behti Ho Kyun - A revolutionary song by Bhupen Hazarika.

By Manuwant Choudhary

The decision by Narendra Modi to demonitize high value indian currency has been painful for the people of india....some 150 died waiting in queues outside banks, clutching onto their hard-earned savings but a heartless, careless government let them die.

This has pained me and I wonder if in this noise called News we even ponder on human tragedies facing this great country of ours.

So let me just say I am not bothered about elections...or who wins and loses anymore.

I am concerned about India and her people who live here.

Listen to this song  "Ganga Behtee Ho Kyon" and each word, every pause or even a breath taken ...is about the pains of the people of  India.

A truly revolutionary song by Bhupen Hazarika for India to win her freedom again.

Let this be our song to defeat Modi and such like him..

Lets take him on and his machinations.

The Ganga will pause and protest...when we sing this song together...as Indians.

The English Translation is amazing...read it slowly. The song has its origins in Paul Robsons Old Man River.

The songs starts with a verse  in Assamese language. The English translation in brackets ().

Bistirna paarore( On your wide/mighty banks)
Axonkhya jonre
(That are home to countless people)
Hahakar xuniu
(In spite of hearing their anguished cries)
Nixobde nirobe
(so silently and unmindfully)
Burha luit tumi
(Oh you Old Luit – Luit is another name of Brahmaputra river.)
Burha luit buwa kiyo?
(why do you or how can you flow?)

[ I am thankful to Mohan Bhuyan for translating the Assamese verse  into English]

MAIN SONG

[Opening line] The people who live in the vast stretches on your both side are screaming in grief, yet meekly, as always, O Ganga, you! O Ganga, why do you flow [without a protest]?

[1] Morality is destroyed and humanity is corrupted, yet shamelessly why do you flow [without a protest]?  With a loud voice of anger, the history  beacons, O stream of Ganga,   yet why do you not turn weak into strong warriors and complete doers?

[2] There are uncountable numbers of uneducated, illiterate, and unfed  people, yet like a blind that cannot see, O Ganga, why do you keep silent  ? With a loud voice of anger,  the history is beaconing, O stream of Ganga,   yet why do you not turn weak into strong warriors and complete doers?

[Female Voice] The people who live in the vast stretches on your both side are screaming in grief, yet meekly, as always, O Ganga, you! O Ganga, why do you flow [without a protest]?

[3] People are self-centered and society is bereft of a character. O Ganga, why do you not dissolve the lifeless society? With a loud voice of anger,  the history beacons, O stream of Ganga,   yet why do you not turn weak into strong warriors and complete doers?

[Female voice] The people who live in the vast stretches on your both side are screaming in grief, yet meekly, as always, O Ganga, you! O Ganga, why do you flow [without a protest]?

[4] Why did you stop being a source of action and energy? Why did you become inanimate? Why you stopped giving inspirations to lives. Where are the battle cries of Avani or Kuruskshetra  ?  O mother Ganga, in the newIndia, why do you not beget a victorious son like Bhishma, the great warrior?

[Female Voice] The people who live in the vast stretches on your both side are screaming in grief, yet meekly, as always, O Ganga, you! O Ganga, why do you flow [without a protest]?