Eternal India Encyclopedia

Eternal India encyclopedia

PERCEPTIONS

GANGA

Mandakini. The combined rivers take the name of Ganga. Flowing south for 70 km the Ganga descends to the plains at Hard- war. Emerging out of the Himalayas near Hardwar the Ganga flows eastward for 1200 km, then flanks the eastern face of the Rajmahal hills. Near Dhrlian the waters divide. One branch flows into East Paki- stan, the other flows through Indian terri- tory under the name of Hooghly and enters the Bay of Bengal at the Southern tip of Sagar island. The Ganga receives two important tribu- taries on its right bank, the Yamuna and the Son, and three on its left bank, the Gh- aghara, the Gandak and the Kosi. The Yamuna flows for 800 km parallel to the Ganga and joins it at Allahabad. The mythi- cal Saraswati is believed to flow under- ground and join the Ganga at its confluence with the Yamuna at Allahabad. The conflu- ence of the three rivers ( Triveni ) is a sacred spot for Hindus. Personified as a goddess Ganga is the eldest daughter of Himavat and Mena. Her sister is Uma. These days dwell I in a foreign land, missing the Ganga and silvery sand. Holding within my sacred bosom, Thy blessings, grace, and ancient wisdom.

ashes of his ancestors. The descent of the Ganga disturbed the sage Jahnu as he was performing a sacrifice and in his anger he drank up the waters but he relented and al- lowed the river to flow from his ear, hence it is known as Jahnavi, the daughter of Jahnu. Every temple in India has its entrance guarded by a representation of the river Ganges in human form. One of the most beautiful portrayals of Ganga and Yamuna flanking a doorway is at a Gupta temple in Dah Parvatiya in Assam. Ganga has since time immemorial been associated with purity and holiness. A bath in her waters is considered to purify the soul. The sanctity is greater at a sacred confluence like Prayag. Another legend says that the waters of the Ganges flow into every river in India at a certain time each year. These rivers then become as pure and holy as the Ganges herself. The main headwater of the Ganga is the Bhaagirathi which has its source at Gaumukh, an ice-cave in the Himalayas, 4000m above sea-level, beneath a glacier 7000m above sea-level in the Garhwal dis- trict of Uttar Pradesh. Sweeping westwards for 35 km from its source, the Bhagirathi turns south, cuts through the Great Hima- laya in a deep valley and flowing for another 140 km through the lesser Himalaya, re- ceives another principal affluent, the Ala- laknanda, at Devaprayag. The Alaknanda rises from a glacial snout of the Alakapuri glacier, just behind Badrinath town. At Rudraprayag it meets the south-flowing

imam me gange yamune saraswathi shuthudri stomam sachathaa parushnayaa; asiknyaa marudhrudhe vithasthayaarjeekeeye shrunuhya sushomayaa.

Mother Ganga

Oh Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswathi, follow my hymn, shutudri with the parushni. Listen to me, with asikni, Maruvridha with Vitasta, arjikiya with sushoma. Rig Veda X. 75.5 (Frawley) In India the Ganges is the most holy and most revered of all the rivers. She is per- sonified as the Goddess Ganga. A river of celestial origin, she flows from heaven, from the feet of Lord Vishnu himself and is called Vishnupadi. She comes down on the Hima- layas, flows on it and then flows to the netherworld as Pataliganga. She is also called Hemavathi or 'daughter of Himavan'. Since she traverses all the three worlds- heaven, earth and the netherworld-she is called Tripathaga. There is a legend accord- ing to which she descended from heaven onto the head of Shiva in response to the prayer of king Bhagiratha. She is hence called 'Bhagirathi' (daughter of Bhagira- tha). Ganga was angry at being brought down from heaven and Shiva, to save the earth from the shock of her fall, caught the river on his elbow and checked its course with his matted locks. From this action, Shiva is called Gangadhara, ‘upholder of the Ganga’. After she was released, she fol- lowed Bhagiratha as he led her to purify the

— Swami Rama

— “LoveWispers”