The Ganges is a sacred river to Hindus along every fragment of its length. Hindus bathe in its waters, cupping the water in their hands, lifting it and letting it fall back into the river. And when a loved one dies, Hindus bring the ashes of the deceased person to the Ganges River.

Hindus consider the waters of the Ganges to be both pure and purifying. Moving water, as in a river, is considered purifying in Hindu culture because it is thought to both absorb impurities and take them away.

What the Ganges removes, however, is not necessarily physical dirt, but symbolic dirt; it wipes away the sins of the bather, not just of the present, but of a lifetime.

The Ganges was ranked as the fifth most polluted river of the world in 2007, pollution threatens not only humans, but also more than 140 fish species.

Fancy a dip ?