Rivers and Romance

[muqawwee123]

Re: Rivers and Romance

@Jolie

What do you mean by “people”? Perhaps you meant writers from the subcontinent.

The only general explanation I can give is that it’s usual for writers to base their stories around a certain geographical location, often the location is either where the writer is from or the place he’s personally fond of.

Why Subcontinent writers extensively talk about rivers, well apart from the obvious fact that Ganga holds a spiritual value for the people belonging to Hinduism and is a very important place. However, it might be interesting to note that most of the subcontinent climate is hot and dry and therefore perhaps amid such unappreciated climate, flowing rivers serves as an interesting, mysterious and cherished location. It’s an exciting place to view for the locals or perhaps writers’ only claim to something totally raw, natural as well visually beautiful and powerful in his surrounding.

I personally feel water is generally very appreciated and valued in South Asian cultures, rain is seen as a blessing, an absolute joy and a good omen. It creates a perfect setting for romance and creating and remembering good memories. There’s often an emotional link between the character and the rain. However, in English literature, rain mostly serves the purpose of creating pathetic fallacy. It’s a perfect environmental setting to induce and enhance darkness, gloom and melancholy into the story - pretty much exactly how the rain is generally viewed here in UK.

Its not limited to sub-continent, neither it is related to writers. Each culture, its folklore romanticise rivers.

Danube, Thames, Nile, Euphrates (Furaat) all attract same kind of attraction.