The Ganges River: IndiaThe Ganges River: India

““The Ganga, especially, is the river of The Ganga, especially, is the river of India, beloved of her people, round India, beloved of her people, round which are intertwined her memories, which are intertwined her memories, her hopes and fears, her songs of her hopes and fears, her songs of triumph, her victories and her triumph, her victories and her defeats. She has been a symbol of defeats. She has been a symbol of India’s age long culture and India’s age long culture and civilization, ever changing, ever civilization, ever changing, ever flowing, and yet ever the same flowing, and yet ever the same Ganga”Ganga”

~First Prime Minister of India, ~First Prime Minister of India, born in Allahabad on the Gangesborn in Allahabad on the Ganges

FeaturesFeatures• Major river of India and BangladeshMajor river of India and Bangladesh

• Flows southeastward from the Flows southeastward from the Himalayas for 1,550 miles to the Bay Himalayas for 1,550 miles to the Bay of Bengalof Bengal

• Floods occur frequently during Floods occur frequently during summersummer

FeaturesFeatures• Hindus consider the Ganges a sacred Hindus consider the Ganges a sacred

riverriver– Waters are believed to be holy and Waters are believed to be holy and

capable of washing away sinscapable of washing away sins– Banks have templed citiesBanks have templed cities– Holiest of the cities is VaranasiHoliest of the cities is Varanasi

The Ganges PlainThe Ganges Plain• One of the most productive regions in One of the most productive regions in

AsiaAsia– Deep, rich soilsDeep, rich soils

• Main Crops: Grains, sugarcane, cotton Main Crops: Grains, sugarcane, cotton and oilseedsand oilseeds

• River provides irrigation water during River provides irrigation water during dry seasondry season

• One of the world’s most densely One of the world’s most densely populated regionspopulated regions

• Main cities of India are located on or Main cities of India are located on or near Gangesnear Ganges

Pollution on the GangesPollution on the Ganges

• Major Pollution Industries:Major Pollution Industries:– Leather industriesLeather industries

• Use large amounts of chemicals which then find their Use large amounts of chemicals which then find their way into the riverway into the river

• Waste being dumpedWaste being dumped– Nearly 1 billion liters per dayNearly 1 billion liters per day– Untreated raw sewageUntreated raw sewage

• Inadequate cremation proceduresInadequate cremation procedures– Partially burnt or unburnt bodies Partially burnt or unburnt bodies – Livestock Livestock

Imagine you are a Hindu sitting overlooking the Ganges river, what kinds of things might you see, what does the river mean to you as a Hindu

Write a 1 page story describing what you would see if you were sitting on the edge of the river and what you might be doing if you made the pilgrimage to the river