India Tourism » Ganga River

Nectar of Life - Ganga
For a believer, Ganga is not merely a river. She is the Mother Ganga Maiyya. She is divinity in flow, personification of piousness, symbol of life and emancipator of mankind... From the Rig Veda to the times when assorted musical tunes ring in the numerous mobiles on her banks, Ganga has played a major role in shaping the history of Indian sub-continent. This river has the unique distinction of representing an entire civilisation, a benevolent faith and a culture in its wholesomeness.

Starting from the Himalayan peaks of Gaumukh, the river Ganga passes through the ancient towns of Rishikesh, Haridwar, Allahabad, Varanasi, Patna and Kolkata and then merges herself in the Bay of Bengal, at the island of Ganga Sagar. Thus, she completes her 2,507 km long journey.

Off the beaten track
Gaumukh, from where the Bhagirathi originates, is the place where the Gangotri glacier ends and the river begins. If there is heaven on earth, it is here.

First encounter
We had been invigorated by our enigmatic and divine experience of the Gangotri-Gaumukh trek. We were back at Gangotri and the day we reached happened to be Ganga Dussehra. celebrated to commemorate the descent of Mother Ganga on earth and is held on the tenth day of the month of Jyestha (May-June).

Alaknanda’s secret obeisance
After visiting Tapovan, Gaumukh, Gangotri, Uttarkashi, we returned to Rishikesh. Thereafter, we decided to visit Alaknanda, the bigger but lesser acclaimed sister of Bhagirathi.

Place of pilgrimage
Haridwar is an ancient pilgrimage site. Millions of devotees visit this sacred place, around the year during different festivals and for performing various rites and religious ceremonies. But the gathering on the occasion of Shivratri (night for worship of Shiva) is phenomenal.

Meandering through the plains
In Garhmukteshwar (popularly known as Garh Ganga), people come from far and wide to disperse the ashes of their dead relatives.

Confluence
Our next stop was Allahabad. The scriptures refer to this place as Prayag, the confluence. It is called teerath raj, the king of all pilgrimage centres.

Salvation city
Varanasi has often been referred to as the city of temples and learning. Also known as Benares and Kasi, the Rig Veda called it ‘the luminous’.

The bowl
Ganga traverses the countryside of Bihar like a lifeline, cutting across the state from, west to east.

Stately splendour
Travelling with the Ganga, we entered West Bengal. It is a curious blend of the old and the new.

Divine surrender
We reached the last leg of our spiritual rejuvenation, Ganga Sagar, the confluence of Ganga with the Bay of Bengal. At is said that ‘saare teerth baar baar, Ganga Sagar ek baar’ one goes to most pilgrimages many times to reap the benefits, but just one trip to Ganga Sagar is enough.