#Story of our Sacred Rivers - Suryaputri Tapti
Birth and Origin
Tapti, often
considered a sister river to the Narmada, flows through the state so Madhya
Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat. The river originates from Nadar Kund at Multai,
Madhya Pradesh and flows through the states of Maharashtra and Gujarat for a
distance of 700 odd kilometres and empties into the Arabian Sea at the Gulf of Khambhat.
How and why did
the river Tapti come into being
As always,
Sanatana Dharma has an interesting episode for many things. The origin and
reason behind river Tapti are no different. Surya had married Vishwakarma’s
daughter Sanjana. They had two children Yama and Yami. At some point, Sanjana,
unable to bear the heat emanating from Surya, had created another woman Chhaya
in her resemblance and went off to a distant kingdom. We have already covered
this story in detail. Please click on link to read the earlier story / refresh
your memory. https://bharatiyastories.blogspot.com/2024/02/surya-and-sanjana.html
Long story short,
Chhaya and Surya have children too – Sawarni Manu, Shani, Tapti and Visti.
Tapti in Sanskrit indicates hot or boiling. It is believed that Lord Surya
wanted her to take some of his heat to help him cool down. (The words Tapati /
Tapti both seem to be used to denote the daughter of Surya. In some versions it
is said that the girl was called Tapati and the river for which she is reigning
deity is called Tapti. We are using Tapti throughout to avoid confusion)
Like always
there are many versions to the descent of Tapti to earth. One was a fight between
the half-sisters – Yami (born to Surya and Sanjana) and Tapti where Yami cursed
her to flow as a river on earth.
There is another
more colourful and positive version. We go after the colourful and positive –
as always.
Tapati was
indeed the child of Chhaya and Surya. She grew up to be a beautiful and
flawless maiden. She was pleasing in her temperament and was kind and
courteous. As with all dads, Lord Surya also was interested in getting his daughter
married to a suitable bridegroom who would appreciate her beauty and qualities.
Once Tapti and other
celestial maidens descended on earth to play in the forest. It was spring and
the trees in the forest were in full bloom. The young maidens found a cool and
beautiful pond where they were enjoying themselves. A local king by name
Samvarna had come hunting in the forest. He saw Tapti and her friends frolicking
in the waters. He wanted to marry this beautiful maiden.
Tapti, who saw
the king wanted to marry him too. The couple requested Sage Vasishta to take
the marriage proposal to Lord Surya. Lord Surya was happy that the problem of
his daughter’s marriage had resolved itself. He got Samvarna and Tapti married.
Since Surya was very affectionate towards his daughter, the couple continued to
stay in Tapti’s father’s home in the heavens.
Time passed. King
Samvarna was getting a bit restless. Although he loved his wife and was wanting
for nothing in his father in law’s home, he wanted to go back to his kingdom
and people. He felt he was neglecting his duties as a king. After twelve years,
there was a severe drought in the kingdom of King Samvarna. He felt that this required
his presence in his kingdom and was also an opportune time to take the permission
of his father-in-law Lord Surya to go back to bhulok.
Samvarna told
Lord Surya about the drought and the plight of his people. Surya understood
that as a king his dharma was to go and help his people. He gave permission or
his daughter Tapti and son in law Samvarna to go back to bhulok. They descend
to earth and witness a severe drought and famine. Taking pity on the people,
Tapti requests her father to bless her to flow as a river and alleviate the
sufferings of the people of the kingdom. With the blessings of her father Lord
Surya, she remained on earth permanently as a life-giving river.
When Tapti started
flowing as a river, her brother Lord Shani blessed her with the boon that
anyone who has bathes in her waters will not be visited by untimely death and
will attain salvation. Tapti, is sometimes referred to as Adi Ganga. Perhaps because
of her brother Shani’s blessings that gave her the ability to remove sins and
give moksha – maybe??
Tapti and
Samvarna story are mentioned in the Adi Parva of the Mahabharata. One of the
children of the couple is Kuru, the founder of the Kuru dynasty. Bhavishya
Purana talks about Tapti Mahima. There are references of Tapti in the Skanda
Purana too.
It is said that
Lord Rama performed the last rites for his father King Dasaratha on the banks
of the river Tapti.
Historical significance
of Tapti
It is said that
many European travellers entered India through Surat, that lies on the mouth of
the river Tapti. One of the most significant events that perhaps the river
witnessed is the entry of Sir Thomas Roe who came to visit Jehangir bearing
gifts through the Tapti. This meeting led to the grant of trading rights for
the East India Company. The rest, as they say, is literally history. It led to
the colonisation of Bharat for more than two centuries.
Tapti Jayanti
We, Bharathiyas,
consider our rivers a physical manifestation of the divine. Celebration of
rivers is a very important aspect of our culture and has been a long-standing
tradition. Tapti Jayanti is a festival that is usually celebrated sometime in
the English month of July (Ashada month, Shukla Paksha Saptami).
Let us celebrate
and respect this beautiful and divine water body and take a pledge that each
one of us will not harm these rivers by polluting them or disrespecting them.
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