Eco-Feminism: A study of poem 'हर हर गंगे !’

Hello friends,

For years, Nature is at the center in literature. Of course, now-a-days the way writer/poet is using nature is may quite different from our former literature but still nature is considered as sustaining power of human life. Among every natural elements water has played very significant role. In India, rivers are worshiped as mother, not only rivers but nature itself is worshiped as mother. Does it really true? Nature is constructed with the cycle of human life where as human being is itself the part of the nature. 

Have you ever imagine,

“Whether nature is also looking at humans in same manner or  not?”

“What if, nature could speak?”

We may say that it is better that nature can’t speak otherwise rivers, mountains, wind will start quarreling with humans that why you want to trap us into your world? If you want to use us, use but why you portray us labeled under ‘messenger of piece’, ‘god’, ‘idol of sacrifice’! Why? These questions lead us towards Green studies, Eco criticism or Ecology.

What is Eco-Criticism?

It is very necessary to ponder upon, 
“Eco criticism is not study of nature writing.”

Cheryll Glotfelty has Simply defined,

‘Eco criticism is the study of the relationship between literature and the physical environment.For Eco criticism, we need to turn away from the ‘social constructivism’ and ‘linguistic determinism’ of dominant literary theories. We need to emphasis upon eco-centric careful observation, collective ethical responsibility and the claim of the world beyond ourselves.’

As we know, social inequality is being so naturalized that is literally disgust as nature and viewed as a situation which is ‘god-given’ and inescapable, when actually it is the product of a specific politics and power structure. The word ‘Gender’ is itself problematic as gendering nature is also highly questionable.

What is Eco-Feminism?

Eco feminist analysis explores the connections between women and nature in culture, religion, literature and iconography, and addresses the parallels between the oppression of nature and the oppression of women. These parallels include but are not limited to seeing women and nature as property, seeing men as the curators of culture and women as the curators of nature, and how men dominate women and humans dominate nature. Ecofeminism emphasizes that both women and nature must be respected.

(Adams, Carol (2007). Ecofeminism and the Sacred. Continuum. pp. 1–8.)

Here, I am critically studying India’s famous AARATI OF RIVER GANGA, હર હર ગંગે with the help of ecofeminism.My aim to say through example of હર હર ગંગે, “It is a part of culture rather than nature.” But we are advised to see as nature itself! If one naturalized patriarchy itself in significant elements of nature, it will certainly help in nourishing patriarchy!  

Eco feminists focus on interconnections between the domination or oppression of women and the domination/oppression of nature. Eco feminist analysis is generally much more expansive than environmentalism and feminism. Ecofeminism draws on ecological, socialist, and feminist thought, incorporating a handful of social justice movements, such as feminism, peace activism, labor movements, women’s health care, anti-nuclear, environmental, and animal liberation.

भारत के लिए भगवन का
एक वरदान है गंगा
सच पूछो तो इस देश की
पहचान है गंगा

हर हर गंगे, हर हर गंगे !
हर हर गंगे, हर हर गंगे !

गिरिराज हिमालय की बेटी
ये महान है गंगा
भारत माता के मस्तक का
अभिमान है गंगा

इस धरती के बेटो पर
एक अहसान है गंगा
लाखो करोडो होठो की
मुस्कान है गंगा

गंगा ही हिंदुस्तान
हिंदुस्तान है गंगा
सच पूछो तो इस देश की
पहचान है गंगा

हर हर गंगे, हर हर गंगे !
हर हर गंगे, हर हर गंगे !

है कोटि कोटि देवो के मदिर
इसके किनारे
मंगल ध्वनिया होती है
जहा पर सांझ सतरे

जुग जुग से इस माता ने
हमारे भाग्य सवेरे
ये जहा गयी बन गए
वह पर तीरथ प्यारे

इस अपनी प्यारी जन्म भूमि
की जान है गंगा
सच पूछो तो इस देश की
पहचान है गंगा

हर हर गंगे, हर हर गंगे !
हर हर गंगे, हर हर गंगे !

“Most ecofeminists reject dichotomies and hierarchies as alien to the natural world – nature is interconnections.”
― Lisa Kemmerer

(Sister Species: Women, Animals and Social Justice)

Structural reading of this song may say woman are true representation of India. Female identity is highly praised but only highly praised! We Indian, what we are doing is really true or we have just forgotten that metaphors have their significant meaning?

Female should proud of being praised but deeper reading will certainly make suffer us. By naturalizing female identity into nature culture Indian culture has always tried to rule over women. How can we forget that even male identity is also reflected within this poem? Answer is very obvious. In culture, feminine is always seen as which is not masculine. 

Though the poem is to show admiration, dignity and adoration of GANGA, Ganga has no sense of pride in being Ganga but It should proud as it is गिरिराज हिमालय की बेटी ये महान है गंगा. Male is always seen as for hard work and also for brain work. That’s why this very line is questionable that why something is considered as obligation of women or why only women need to do sacrifices?

है कोटि कोटि देवो के मदिर इसके किनारे, मंगल ध्वनिया होती है जहा पर सांझ सतरे There is no scope of life without water(Ganga) as life is also not possible without women, men are always privilege in patriarchy as they have done something which must be seen as proud or sense of respect. Why Ganga is respected because there are innumerable temples at the bank of It. I am deliberately using the word ‘it’ for Ganga as nature has no gender. Nature is nature. 

Whenever we annex motherhood with female identity it starts screaming of sacrifice, kindness, philanthropic, lenient and gracious. When female treatment is given to nature, these characteristics becomes easy for men to construct Women through these kinds of!

Kate Soper says in her seminal book ‘What is Nature?’

‘It isn’t language which has a hole in its ozone layer?’

For example, If someone say, she is mother and yet not taking her child’s care properly due to her professional work suddenly our perspective will change to looking at her as she doing something terribly wrong, as if her prime object should be taking care of her child, husband and house only! Am I speaking wrong or something significant?

Looking further, जुग जुग से इस माता ने हमारे भाग्य सवेरे means mother should be busy in emphasizing. Nature really exists, out there beyond ourselves, not needing to be ironized as a concept by enclosure within knowing inverted commas, but actually present as an entity which affects us, and which we can affect, perhaps fatally, if we mistreat it.   

Naturalizing female identity into nature can help patriarchy in conditioning, controlling, and ruling and also in marginalizing women. Nature never asks for anything. River is also asked for nothing. Not only river but each element of nature has nature of giving is also constructed. It will help in conditioning women that see, land is only giving and scarifying, River is also helping in sustaining life and you should be like this only!

In short, this indicates the scope of debates within eco feminism concerning the crucial matter of relationship between culture and nature. 

Thank you.