Adventure
Thrill of kayaking on the Ganga
Tarun K. Roy

KAYAKING is the most challenging and thrilling of water sports. Kayaking is, in fact, an event in the Olympics. A kayak is a specialised fibreglass or plastic boat, propelled by a double-bladed paddle. Kayaks are generally of two types — white-water kayak and flat-water kayak. The white-water kayak is used on the rapids of wild rivers, and the flat-water kayak is used on flat-water rivers, lakes, dams or reservoirs. In India, only flat-water kayaking is an event in the National Games whereas white-water kayaking is not much recognised as an event of water sports although a few championships are organised once in a while.

White-water kayaking is held in most of the fast flowing wild rivers in the country such as the Ganga, Indus, Beas, Zanskar, Brahmaputra, Teesta, Sutlej, and other rivers. Several private training institutions as well government bodies regularly hold kayaking activities and provide training. Most of the commercial water sports organisations have sprung up along the banks of the Ganga in Uttaranchal.

The Ganga originates at the confluence of the Bhagirathi river and Alaknanda at Deoprayag and ends at Ganga Sagar (Bay of Bengal). The whole 2,525-km stretch of the Ganga between Deoprayag and Bay of Bengal is ideal for various paces oa kayaking. It provides a lifelong experience of exploring the diversity of the Ganga, by touching several holy cities, pilgrimage centres, and heritage towns along its banks. The entire river stretch is divided into sections for kayaking.

Deoprayag-Rishikesh: 70 km (appx) stretch of white-water (Uttaranchal).

Rishikesh-Narora: 298 km (appx) stretch of white & flat-water (Uttaranchal - UP)

Narora-Kanpur: 316 km (appx) stretch of flat-water (UP)

Kanpur-Allahabad: 275 km (appx) stretch of flat-water (UP)

Allahabad-Varanasi: 236 km (appx) stretch of flat-water (UP)

Varanasi-Patna: 360 km (appx) stretch of flat-water (UP-Bihar)

Patna-Farakka: 410 km (appx) stretch of flat-water (Bihar-Jharkhand-WB)

Farakka-Kolkata: 405 km (appx) stretch of moving flat-water (WB)

Kolkata-Ganga Sagar: 155 km (appx) stretch of flat-water with wave & tides effect (WB)

This is a good time for kayaking on the Ganga as the water level drops although some stretches in the downstream become quite shallow, and it becomes tiring to paddle, especially in the eastern part of Uttar Pradesh and the western part of Bihar. Between Deoprayag and Rishikesh is the most thrilling stretch of the Ganges owing to high rapids. 

There are several halting places en route like Kaudiyala, Byasi and Shivpuri but after Rishikesh, Haridwar is the only city on a river bank in Uttaranchal. Here onwards the river passes through the wild countryside that becomes the winter paradise for nature lovers and birdwatchers, with the arrival of diverse species of migratory birds. Once teh river enters easter Uttar Pradesh, the river slowly becomes wider and the water level becomes shallow till Kanpur as it channelises into several streams.

Beyond Allahabad, the water level rises after the Yamuna and other tributaries join the Ganga.

Varanasi onwards, the water level further rises, and after Patna, the volume of water rises tremendously, especially after joining the rivers at Gandak, Ghaghra and Kosi. The river becomes much wider and channelises into different streams. From Jharkhand, the water becomes absolutely stagnant due to Farakka Barrage. Farakka onwards, the main Ganges further moves down towards Bangladesh as river Padma, and another stream diverted throught the feeder canal as river Bhagirathi. Tribeni onwards, the wave & tide’s effect starts, and the down way movement completely depends on low tide hours. After Kolkata, the river, popularly known as Hooghly, becomes too wide with a zigzag formation, and before falling it into the Bay of Bengal, it further divides into two streams encircling the Gangasagar island near Kakdwip. Ganga Sagar - the point where the Ganga merges with Bay of Bengal, is really so enchanting that it refreshes the mind and soul.

Kayaking down the entire stretch of the Ganga is a rewarding experience, though challenging and requires about 70 days.

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