Mother Ganga
The Ganges is the most sacred river to Hindus. Ganga is a trans-boundary river of Asia which flows through the nations of India and Bangladesh. The 2,525 km river rises in the western Himalayas in the IIndian state of Uttarakhand, and flows south and east through the Gangetic Plain of North India into Bangladesh, where it empties into the Bay of Bengal. It is the third largest river in the world by discharge.Most importantly, devotees come to the Ganges to perform “puja” (ritual
prayer). Hindus consider the Ganges River, the Mother Ganga as they call it, as a goddess. They pray to her and make offerings for her. Situated along the bank of the sacred Ganges River, Varanasi is a place where Hindus aim to visit once in a lifetime. They come to participate in many spiritual rituals and to cleanse their sins by bathing in its purifying water. Witnessing the rituals for ourselves, as well as the chaos and all things unexpected, was a truly fascinating experience albeit overwhelming.