POISION FLOWING IN HOLY POISION FLOWING IN HOLY RIVER : GANGA RIVER : GANGA

INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION

Class :- 7Class :- 7thth new tons new tons

School name :- happy faces School name :- happy faces

Significance Of The Significance Of The Ganges RiverGanges River

Aside from providing drinking water and irrigating fields, the Ganges River is extremely important to India's Hindu population for religious reasons as well. The Ganges River is considered their most sacred river and it is worshiped as the goddess Ganga Ma or "Mother Ganges" (Dunn). According to the Myth of the Ganges the goddess Ganga descended from heaven to dwell in the waters of the Ganges River to protect, purify and bring to heaven those who touch it. Devout Hindus visit the river daily to offer flowers and food to Ganga.

They also drink the water and bathe in the river to cleanse and purify their sins. In addition, Hindus believe that upon death the waters of the Ganges River are needed to reach the World of the Ancestors, Pitriloka. As a result, Hindus bring their dead to the river for cremation along its banks and afterward their ashes are spread in the river. In some cases corpses are also thrown into the river. The city of Varanasi is the holiest of cities along the Ganges River and many Hindus travel there place ashes of their dead in the river.

““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 HinduWrite 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