This river has always played for people living on its shores, an exceptional role. It is for this reason that she was personified and made a sacred river. The history of India and Ganges are interconnected, it is impossible to imagine a country without this river. Since ancient times, millions and millions of people committed and committed a pilgrimage.
Why Gang is considered a sacred river
Hindu mythology says that this river is called the heavenly river (and it was called Ganges), which went down to the Earth and was called Ganges. For Hindus – Ganga is a sacred river. Special places of pilgrimage for the Hindus are the sources of the river, as well as the city of Haridvar and Varanasi. Also, a lot of pilgrims visit Gang in the city of Alahabad (where the Jamna River flows). Although the sacred river Ganges is throughout its length, but the lack of infrastructure and inaccessibility do not make it possible to visit Ganges anywhere. The cremations of the dead are held on the banks of the sacred river, and the ashes are scattered in water. Ritual ablutions also occur.
Why Gang is considered a sacred river
Indian classical literature and folklore are very closely connected with this sacred river. Since ancient times, many poets and novelists in different languages wrote about Ganges. The rich Indian cinema also rotates around the river, dedicating it to many of its films. Songs about Ganges are composed even more. The song called “I live where Ganges flows” is exceptional popularity “. This is due to the fact that the river is associated with India and is its highest symbol.
Unfortunately, for many years there have been a number of environmental problems associated with Ganges.
Firstly, the glacier from which the river begins is melting rapidly and if such a pace of melting remains, then according to forecasts, the glacier can completely disappear by 2030. This threatens not only the inevitable reduction of water, but also a great religious effect.
Secondly, the river can no longer fully cope with its treatment function. Despite the fact that the state allocates considerable funds for these purposes. Now Ganga is considered the most dirty river around the world.
Thirdly, the problem of ecology is aggravated by the tradition of local residents to burn the dead on the riverbank. But not everyone can do this by virtue of their poverty. And therefore, the poor, most often, just throw off corpses into the river. Hence various infections and infection.
By the way, every year in Ganges, about 700 million is held in the ritual of washing. a person (they also drink this water) and from them die from 500 thousand. up to 3.6 million. from infections and infection. For the most part these are children. But the Indians say to this that such is God’s will.
Gang for them a sacred river and that says it all.