For millions, the Ganga is not merely a river; she is Maa. A living Goddess who is invoked at birth, marriage and death, and anywhere in between. Ashes are consigned to her waters with the faith that she will carry souls towards salvation. It is said she flows through heaven, earth, and the underworld, earning her the name Tripathaga, one who travels three paths.
The Origin Story
She does not begin as a river. At least, not as we imagine her. Flowing and free. Majestic, yet silent. As described in the poignant words of Bhupen Hazarika’s Ganga behti ho kyun. She begins as a trickle of freezing water, high in the Himalayas. She emerges quietly from the Gangotri, as water finds the courage to move.
Known as the Bhagirathi, she gathers strength from snow and silence and descends into the plains. At Devprayag, where the Bhagirathi meets the Alaknanda, she becomes the Ganga. Winding through Haridwar, Varanasi, Prayagraj and Patna, she irrigates fields, supports livelihoods, and anchors rituals that have survived centuries.
A Living Myth
A living presence in Hindu mythology, she was summoned by King Bhagiratha from the heavens to cleanse the ashes of his ancestors. She did, but with waters that threatened to wipe out life on earth. Lord Shiva caught her tumultuous waters in his locks, softening her fall before letting her flow freely. The story endures as a reminder that power, particularly when uncontrolled, must be guided, and respected. Yet, neither her nurturing presence nor devotion have protected her from pollution.
“The preservation of rivers is not just a duty but an act of reverence, as every river is called ‘mother’ in our culture.”
According to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, “Amid our tradition and culture’s unbreakable bond with Mother Ganga, it is our collective responsibility to keep her clean. With the Namami Gange campaign, this initiative of India is now being recognised around the world.”
Jal Shakti minister C.R. Paatil reiterates, “India is a land of rivers. The world’s finest river, the Ganga, flows in India. It is our duty not to pollute our rivers.”
To speak of the Ganga is to speak of faith alongside fragility, reverence alongside responsibility. The Namami Gange Programme under the National Mission for Clean Ganga is a beacon of hope, an act of renewal, an effort to reconcile modern life with a river that has given India both sustenance and soul.
