I was then at Banaras enjoying my annual summer vacation. Every evening I went to the Gangs. One night there was the moon rising on the east, — a silver disc that threw over the world a spell of magical beauty. My friends proposed a boat-trip in the lovely moonlight of spring and I gladly agreed to join.
A boat was hired and soon we were sailing merrily westwards. The moon shed its lusture on wavelets. On the paved banks one could see the temples and towers high up towards the blue sky. Here was all that the mind could desire, beauty and peace and a deep sense of blessedness.
Soon we were turning back. Our hearts were too full. One of us sang softly a devotional song of Mirabai, another boy sang — ‘O my moonlight’ (‘O Amar Chander Alo’) — a song of Rabindranath. When once again our boat touched shore, we had a profound sense of fulfillment. It was as if the bridal of earth and sky.
All river trips are delightful. But a trip by moonlight is an unforgettable experience. This is what I felt during that all-too-brief trip by moonlight on the Ganga at Banaras.