(above) : A dip is considered sacred for all Hindus...
Feel the touch of the cool placid river.
A dip in the Ganga
The mighty Ganga, which is synonymous with India, rises from the Himalayas and flows through the heart of the sub-continent into the Bay of Bengal. But, the spiritual power of the river Ganga resonates over a far wider territory. Believed to have risen from the matted hair of Lord Shiva, the mighty Ganga is joined by numerous tributaries. A confluence of the river with it’s tributary is called a " PRAYAG". Every Prayag is a sacred place and all along the course of the river pilgrims take a "holy dip" in the water. The major "Theerthasthanas " or places of pilgrimage in North India are associated with the Ganga-Hardwar ,Allahabad and the holiest of cities-Benaras.
The Ganga may be divided into three parts- the upper Ganga or the mountain stage.the middle Ganga or the plain stage and the lower Ganga or the delta stage.
In the mountain stage, which starts from the Gangotri glacier-the source of the Ganga up to Rishikesh the river flows across snow clad high peaked mountains. During this stage, the crystal-clear water gushes through rocks and uneven land and it is at Rishikesh that the plain stage starts.
Even today, at Rishikesh and Hardwar, there are many saints or ‘sadhus’have given up material world and taken to spiritualism. Many Yogis can be seen meditating on the banks of the river. Several Yoga Schools have been established here. As the tributaries join in, the river is broadest at Hardwar. There are several ‘ghats’ in these two cities and devotees flock these places to have a holy dip in the river.
Further, as we go down the course of the river, at Allahabad-Triveni Sangam, Varanasi, Gaya and Ganga Sagar, people visit on special occasions to take a holy bath in the river.
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