“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
According to the Bhagavata Purana, Gaṅgā was a goddess that came from the heavens to earth in the form of the Ganges River, to grant salvation to the ancestors of King Bhagirath who had been disrespectful to a meditating sage. Since that time, she continues to offer a means of purification for all humanity through her healing waters. Today, pilgrims come from far and wide to bathe in the sacred river and receive her blessing.
The Ganges runs for 2,520 kilometres, from its source in Uttarakhand, India to its mouth, the Ganges Delta, Bay of Bengal. It is home to over 140 diverse species of fish and 90 different types of amphibians. The water from the Ganges is used to irrigate the fertile soil that produces fields of rice, sugarcane, oil seeds, lentils, wheat and potatoes. Over 400 million people live in Ganges river basin, the highest population of any river basin in the world.
The WWF has included the Ganges River in the “10 Rivers most at Risk.” It is heavily polluted with human and industrial waste. As well, water over-extraction for agriculture has increased reliance on ground water. This has led to deficiencies in the soil composition and reduced water quality. Mahatma Gandhi once said, “We must be the change we want to see in the world.” Even now, there are dedicated people working to reclaim the Ganges. It will take a coordinated effort and input by all stakeholders to finance, plan, implement and monitor.
It is a noble undertaking.
“Let the mountains talk, let the rivers run. Once more and forever.”