Ganga, the heavenly river was brought down to the earth through the efforts of the ruler BhagirathI.
The Ganga has an exalted position in the Hindu ethos. It is repeatedly invoked in the Vedas, the Puranas, and the two Indian epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.
Haridwar in the foothills of the Himalayas and experience the Aarti to the Ganges, when the entire riverside is lit up with the glow of hundreds of lamps.
The Indian system of beliefs is based on an intimate relationship with nature. An offshoot of this is the reverence accorded to rivers as a gesture of acknowledgement of their life sustaining abilities in primarily agrarian societies.
The Ganges River has always been known as a religious icon in the world. The River is known as a spiritual center because the people of India rely on the river for most life functions in the area.
The Ganges is the ultimate adventure point as far as river rafting in India is concerned. And the major rafting site from where any experienced rafter as well as an amateur one would love to start of his rafting trip in India is Rishikesh.
The uses in India for the river are nearly endless; the main functions of the river are Agricultural use, Industry, as an energy source, transportation, Drinking, bathing, and baptisms.
Along the river there are also many industries such as textiles, paper, leather, and many more who use the water for power, cleaning, etc. Power, which is used by industries, is also used by the common population.
Babies are baptized in the river because they believe it cleanses the child, also when a person dies and is cremated their remains are released into the river for the same reason, because they believe it cleanses the soul.
In Hinduism, the river Ganga is personified as Goddess and holds an important place in the Hindu religion. In Hindu mythology, it is believed that bathing in the river Ganga causes the remission of sins and facilitates the attainment of salvation or nirvana.
This deep-rooted truth is proved by the fact that people travel from distant places to immerse the ashes of their kin in the waters of the Ganga at Varanasi or other places located on the banks of this holy river.
The Ganga, especially, is the river of India, beloved of herpeople, round which are intertwined her memories, her hopesand fears, her songs of triumph, her victories and herdefeats. She has been a symbol of India's age-long cultureand civilization, ever changing, ever flowing, and yet everthe same Ganga.
The Ganga, especially, is the river of India, beloved of her people, round which are intertwined her memories, her hopes and fears, her songs of triumph, her victories and her defeats. She has been a symbol of India's age-long culture and civilization, ever changing, ever flowing, and yet ever the same Ganga. - Jawaharlal Nehru, First Prime Minister of India
The water of Ganga (called Gangajal) is stored in most Indian homes as "sacred water" and fed to those on death-bed as the "last meal" on earth.
Ganga is revered as daughter of Meru, as the mother of Bhishma, and Jahnavi (emerging from the thighs of sage Jahnu).
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