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GANGA: The Salvation of India

© Meenakshi Subramaniam

They say that man, differing from other animals, because of his "gifted" sixth sense, undergoes huge pains both in mind and soul resulting from mixed emotions and thoughts. Because of these confusions, he takes refuge in religious life for a peaceful mind. India, a highly spiritual land packed with different deities and temples, is not chockful of Maharishis and Yogis. Surrendering themselves, the Lord was considered as the most important aim in their life. They forsook worldly things to come closer to God. To see and worship Him, they moved to uninhabited stretches of land.

One such place is the Himalayas, exotic and beautiful and the birthplace of the Ganga. People call 'Himalayas' as the most gifted place of India. Starting from the eastern region of Simla, The Himalayas, actually situated in Uttar Pradesh stretches to Nainital. Here in this location only, Indian's most biggest yet, non-dryable river of life, Ganga is situated.

Hindus, consider every river as their God. A mother gives her child food to eat and water to drink. The same way, the river Ganga, never fails to bring up her people with her love and lustrous water.

The Holy Ganges of the Hindus is passionately referred by them as Ganga Matha (Mother Ganges). It is not possible to trace the path of the river from its origin at Gangotri to its final destination viz., Bay of Bengal in Calcutta! Gangotri is situated at a height of 10300 feet. On the eastern side of the river near Gangotri there is the temple of Mother Ganga! The poojas performed to this goddess are famous and the people's passion for the river extends to the entire of 2300 Kms of the river!

As usual there is a legend behind the birth of river Ganges: There was a king Anushmaan and his brave son Dilip who tried in vain to bring the Ganga from the heavens to the earth. Anushmaan's grand-son Bakeerath, performed an admirable penance in a place called Gangotri to succeed in doing what his father and grand-father had tried to do. Because of this, the word, 'Bhageerapprayarthanam' was formed.

After this, the river Ganga descended down from the heavens and took her place among the Great God Lord Shiva's locks. Knowing about this, Bhageerathan went and worshipped Lord Shiva and pleaded him to send the river Ganges onto the earth. Taking pity on him, Lord Shiva accepted his humble request and let the river flow on the earth.

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