Among the plethora of books on the Kumbh and Haridwar published during the Kumbh 2010, Dr. Kamalkant Budhkar's autobiography of Haridwar, Main Haridwar Bol Raha Hoon, deserves special mention. Dr. Budhkar, a veteran journalist and a reader in the department of journalism and Hindi literature in Gurukul Kangri University, Haridwar, has penned a vivid and authentic account of the mythological, religious and cultural account of the world famous city of pilgrimage since hoary past. Quoting extensively from legends, scriptures, old manuscripts, records and illustrated by some rare photos, the book is, indeed, a treasure worth cherishing for those who want to delve deep into the descent of the Ganga, the tradition of the akharas, the different sects of the sant community, the pandas and the teerth purohits.
The autobiography of the holy city, to which Dr. Budhkar gives a voice, a voice of the vicissitudes in its journey from times immemorial to the modern age, written in chaste and fluent Hindi, with a balance of written and pictorial contents, makes a pleasant and informative reading. However, the book would have been a more comprehensive account of Haridwar, if the author had also thrown some light on the rich flora and fauna of the city and also on the industrial and educational developments which have changed the skyline of the city.
Main Haridwar Bol Raha Hoon
Author: Dr. Kamal Kant Budhkar
Reviewed by P.S. Chauhan
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