`The Umbilical Chord Between The Majhis and the Ma-Ganges is not yet broken`, believe the boatmen in Varanasi. Majhis as they are locally known belong to the Mallah community, among the lowest in India`s exploitative caste pyramid. Mallah is a generic term used for a group of people whose occupation revolves around boating and fishing. They are also known as Nishad, Kewat, Malso or Mallahi.

90 per cent of the able bodied Mallah`s who live in Varanasi are boatmen. They row their boats day and night to earn their livelihood. When the Ganges rages, overflowing all boundaries, the Maajhi`s still dare to row their boats. They are not afraid of Ganga, for them she is the mother who nurtures and provides them their livelihood.

“Oh! Nishad Raj please get the boat.... Please get the boat" sings Bhumi, the 25 year old boatman, in his husky voice. The high-pitched song echoes all over the river bank, adding liveliness to the boat ride. "This song is from the Ramayana, in the form of a dialogue between Lord Ram and the boatman he encounters," explains Bhumi.

"Varanasi ghats have existed for more than five thousand five hundred years; Majhi`s have existed right from that period, " says 25 year old Birender Nishad of the Assi Ghat. The Majhi`s consider themselves the descendants of Bali or Baliram, who ferried Rama across the Ganges in Varanasi. For this act of kindness by Bali, Rama rewarded him with a horse. Bali who was ignorant, used to place the bridle on the horse’s tail instead of its head. "And from this arose the custom of having the rudder of a boat at the stern, instead of at the bow," says Birender.

Own/Contract - ‘Boat` the Only Source
Birender started rowing the boat at the age of 11. Though he completed his high school, he couldn`t go for higher studies due to family pressures. "Since we do not come under scheduled caste there is no job reservation for us. Me, a high school passout had no option other than taking up our traditional work," he says .

"I started rowing the boat at the age of nine", says Bholanath Nishad of Manmandir Ghat. Bholanath owns four boats. He rows one and the rest three are given on contract. "The rent of the boat is 50 per cent of my earnings," says Ramprasad Nishad. The boatman on contract has to give half of his daily income to the owner. "What we try to do is to bargain for a higher rate with our customers", says Ramprasad Nishad. Often this doesn`t click. The government fixed the rate for a boat ride as Rs 50 per hour. Though they try to convince tourists to pay more, most of the time it proves ineffective.

Susanne Wilfred a tourist from Manchester says, "The amount the boatman asked was Rs 250 for an hour. But I negotiated and brought it down to Rs 50". For her, the boat ride, on the Ganges was a memorable experience. "The experience was so pleasant that I ended up paying him Rs.100," she says.

A boat ride is a major attraction for tourists in Varanasi. Sitting in a boat following a slow current downstream, watching the activities in the Ghats is an enjoyable experience. The bathers performing their rituals, children, with screams of exultation splashing in the water, pundits sitting under their palm leaf parasols guiding the customers in their prayers and offerings - everything becomes more colourful at sunset, when the golden yellow light illuminates the Ghats.

Boating Rates

The rates for boating are also fixed by the government. In Dasashwamedh ghat there is a notice board displaying the charges. It says: Boating charges per hour Small Boat: Rs 50 Medium size: Rs 74 Big boat: Rs 100 Special Boat: Rs 125

Division of Work
The boatmen in Varanasi have formulated a system of their own in their job assignment. They have divided the ghats among themselves. People who belong to a particular ghat can board passengers only from that ghat. "If passengers insist on getting down at some other ghat, then we can leave them there. In that case, we have to return with an empty boat, since boarding passengers from other ghats is not allowed", explains Shambhu of Dasashwamedh ghat. Boatmen in major ghats like Mandmandir, Dasashwamedh, Assi etc., do not have much of a problem, but the situation of those who row boats in small ghats is pathetic. "We very rarely get passengers, most of the pilgrims and tourists take boats from the major ghats" complains Dharmender of Nishad Ghat.

"Mallah`s in Varanasi, consider that they have customary rights over the ghats," says K P Tripathi, Additional Municipal Commissioner, Agra. What he says is right. In Varanasi, except for three or four of them, you may not find a non-mallah boatman. "We are the children of Ganges. We can feel the pulse of Ganges and she will never ditch us. But other communities doesn`t know about the river. This will unnecessarily invite trouble," says Purushotam Nishad. A majority of the Maajis are of the same opinion. "In Mirghat and Manmandir Ghat, they have started giving boats to other communities," says Lakshman Prasad maaji. He is not happy with the idea of other communities coming into the picture. Mallah`s consider rowing the boat as quite a risky game.

Jal Police

This department comes under the central government. Their major role is to take care of the tourists and pilgrims coming to the Ghats. They specifically look into the safety of tourists and pilgrims, save the drowning people and patrol for the Ganga Action Plan. "Since many VIPs visit the place, we have to be very alert", says SK Shukla who is a head constable with the department.

The duty of the river police is centred around the major ghats, where the tourist inflow is high. No special qualification is required for recruiting a person into this specific department. Though the work demands knowledge of swimming, no swimming test is conducted during recruitment. At present the breakup of the river police department in Varanasi is: - one Inspector, two sub inspectors, four head constables and twenty constables. The department has eight boatmen with them. These boats are used for patrolling. Many a times, official guests are taken for boating in these boats.


Risking Lives to Someone`s Credit
Boatmen in Varanasi do play variegated roles. They are good guides who can explain the history of the ghats, temples and events of historical importance. They are the saviours of people who are drowning in the Ganges. Even the Jal police approach them to save lives in case of an emergency.

In Varanasi, at the Dasashwamedh Ghat, exists the office of ‘Jal Police`, or the river police. This is a special squad in the police department that takes care of the law and order situation and mishaps on the river bank. "Only a few among the Jal Police know how to swim. Most of them are scared of water," says a boatmen, who did not want to disclose his identity. This is the general feeling of the Mallah Community. "If people drown, we are called to save them. But the police or the authorities never acknowledge our work," he says.

Almost all the boatmen met in Varanasi had the same complaint that though they risk their lives to save people, the police take all the credit. They quote hundreds of instances where people and authorities have turned their faces from them for risking their lives. "A young lady was carried away by the water current, while taking a bath in the river. Her husband was a helpless onlooker. I risked my life to save her, but they walked off without even saying thanks," says Amarnath Nishad. Their major complaint is that the police also behaves in the same manner. During floods, on government orders, Mallah`s are asked to engage in rescue work. "No one knows the Ganga better than us," says Bhumi. "Whenever a mishap occurs, it is we, who are called to rescue the people," he adds proudly.

Organisational Attempts
"We rescue others lives, but there isn`t any one to argue for us. The government doesn`t do anything for us," says Ram Prasad Maaji. "All ghats in Varanasi are owned by the government. But nothing is done to maintain the Ghats," he adds. Adding to the woes of the boatmen in Assi Ghat, a sadhu - Bihari Baba alias Bouri Baba, with the help of government, has constructed a temple. The site of the temple was actually used by the boatmen as their resting place. Sitting here, they could watch their boats. Even marriages and small celebrations of the community took place in this area. But the small sheds were demolished and the Baba constructed his temple. "We cannot sleep properly at night because there is no safe place for us to tie the boat," complains Birender Nishad.

Licensing Licenses for the boats are issued by the Zonal authority of the Muncipal Corporation of Varanasi. According to K P Tripathi, Additional Municipal Commissioner, Agra, there are 300 licenced boats in Varanasi of which, 50 are motor boats. A majority of the motor boats are owned by the government. Every year in March, the license is renewed. The charge for a license is Rs 250 - Rs 300 for big boats and Rs 75 for small boats. One person can get as many licenses as he wants. A license is given only to the owner of the boat. There are 86 licenced boats in Dasashwamedh Ghat out of which 22 boats are owned by Lakshman Prasad Maaji. "This is our traditional occupation. Our forefathers had this many boats and we continue with those," says Lakshman Prasad. A license is issued after checking the capacity of the boat, life saving equipments etc., "government officials, will come to inspect the boat and renew the license,” says Lakshman Prasad.

There has been no attempt to organise this traditional workforce into trade unions, from outside or from within the community. In a departure from this general rule, fifteen boatmen in Manmandir Ghat have come together to form a small organisation of their own. It is not affiliated to any trade union. "We collect Rs 2 per trip from boatmen and at the end of every month put it in the bank", says Bholanath. With this money, they do aarti (an offering of lights ) to the Ganges. In case any boatman has an emergency, they lend money from the bank.

MNCs and Tourism Development
Varanasi has caught the attention of many big hotel chains. Hotels like Taj Ganga, Clarke, Surya, Mint House etc send their clients for boating. Though there are motor boats in Varanasi, most of the tourists are more interested in the traditional boats. "They come in groups and prefer big boats. Hotels fix the rate for boating earlier. We cannot argue about the rate. The amount they give us is Rs 120 for three hours for 20 to 25 passengers. Since rowing big boats requires the help of atleast four men, we have to share this amount amongst the four," says Birender Nishad. "Just for arranging boating the hotel owners charge exorbitant amounts from the tourists. Yet, when it comes to us they fix rates which are very meagre", protests Kailash another boatman of Assi Ghat.

Pundits in the Ashrams also bring clients, with prior fixed rates. Since there is no organisation for the boatmen, the process of collective thinking doesn`t take place. The need for money forces them to take any pittance offered. "There is no dearth of boats. If I do not accept it there are others who are waiting to grab the opportunity," says Kailash.

Boatmen are occupied during the months of religious festivals. In January, February and November the pilgrim flow is more, but in the rainy season the situation becomes worse. "The government bans boat rides during the rainy season. But they do not come up with any other alternative for us," says Shyam Sunder Sahani. "Survival during the rainy season is difficult for us. We cannot opt for construction work, as that too will be stopped in Varanasi during the rainy season”, he adds. "We understand the ban on boat rides; but why can`t the government provide us atleast Rs 100 per day for our survival during the period?" questions Birender. In Varanasi there are three to four thousand families who are dependent on the Ganges. No one thinks about their plight", protests Kailash.

Boatmen in Varanasi are traditionally bound to the profession. Since they are not classified under either the Scheduled Tribe or Scheduled Caste, they are not entitled for any job reservations. "We are children of the river, so why can`t the government give us jobs linked to the river?" asks Shyam Sunder. ‘Sand mining and fishing is banned in Varanasi. They don`t even recruit us in the Jal police department, instead they take people who do not know swimming,` complains a majority of the boatmen. One major demand of the boatmen was to have reservation for the Nishad Community in the Jal police department and other work related to the river.

Lack of Opportunity
“I am a matriculate,” says Ram Lakhan Prasad, a 54 year old boatman. Ram Lakhan was working in Eureka press in the composing department. "Computers displaced me out of the office," says Lakhan. He was forced to become a full time boatman. "We do not have schools closeby and the private schools charge exorbitant rates," says Lakhan. "Even if our children learn, there is no opportunity for them. Ganga is the only option left for them," he adds.

Many of them have not gone to schools. They start rowing the boat at an early age. Most of them think of schooling as an unnecessary issue. "What one should be well-versed with is the syllabus of life", says Bholanath of Mandmandir Ghat. Experience has trained these boatmen. Many, who do not know how to read and write have a working command over spoken English. Bholanath who is an illiterate explains the history of ghats pretty well in his broken English. One can even meet young children of ten and eleven who converse with foreigners in colloquial Spanish and German.

"We live in poverty, but send our children to schools", says Kailash. All his five children are studying in the nearby government schools. "Girls show interest in studies, but our boys prefer rowing boats," says Shyam Sunder. "There is no point in blaming them. No one can resist the call of Ganga", he adds.

"Monsoon months are months of starvation; the only income will be what I get from Ramu saheb`s house," says Ramavati a domestic worker and wife of Shambu Prasad. A few women members of the Maji community work as domestic workers. Yet, most of the boatmen believe that women are better as house wives. "My wife Sunita is a good housewife. If she goes out for work, who will look after my household." Many of them believe that it is the duty and moral right of a man to protect his wife, rather than sending her out for work.

With their beliefs and practices, boatmen in Varanasi merge in this eternal city of age old customs and traditions. Varanasi`s Ghats and the Ganges reverberate with life. Ganga`s pollution with the accumulated filth and dirt of development doesn`t stop them from worshiping her. They are traditionally bound to Ganges. They were there, as they believe, thousands of years ago and they still exist and will exist as long as the Ganga flows. They will lead the same old life on the banks of their holy, mystifying river. ‘Ganga`, as they say and believe, ‘can rise only to the call of boatmen’.