Ganga - The holy river
Ganga is the holiest river in the Hindu religion. Besides being a sacred river, Ganga is also worshiped as a goddess; as it is believed that the effects of the rituals performed through river Ganga becomes manifold. Hindus depict goddess Ganga as a beautiful woman attired in a beautiful sari with a water lily and a conch in her hands.
Goddess Ganga has found her place in all the great Hindu epics, including the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. The most popular myth associated with Ganga is the celebration of her descent to the earth on the insistence of King Bhagirath, to purify the souls of men. Before arriving in this world, however, Ganga had to pass through Lord Shiva’s hair, for the strength of her fall would have been too great for this world to endure. Catching her in his matted locks, Lord Shiva mediates and tames the flow of Ganga from the heavens into this world. In this way, Ganga is considered as a source for the immortals to achieve the heaven.
