Overview
The Ganga, also known as the Ganges, is a major trans-boundary river of the Indian subcontinent. It rises in the western Himalayas in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, flows in a generally south-easterly direction across the Gangetic plains of northern India, and finally empties into the Bay of Bengal through the vast Ganga–Brahmaputra delta in West Bengal and Bangladesh. The river is the longest in India and is considered sacred in Hinduism, where it is personified as the goddess Ganga.
Key facts
| Type | River |
|---|---|
| Source | Gangotri Glacier, Uttarakhand (as the Bhagirathi) |
| Mouth | Bay of Bengal, via the Ganga–Brahmaputra delta |
| Countries | India, Bangladesh |
| Major Indian states traversed | Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal |
| Principal headstreams | Bhagirathi and Alaknanda |
| Confluence forming the Ganga | Devprayag, Uttarakhand |
| Major tributaries | Yamuna, Ghaghara, Gandak, Kosi, Son, Damodar |
| Religious significance | Sacred river in Hinduism; personified as the goddess Ganga |
Course
The river is traditionally regarded as beginning at Devprayag in Uttarakhand, where the Bhagirathi, which emerges from the Gangotri Glacier near Gaumukh, meets the Alaknanda. From the Himalayan foothills it descends to the plains at Haridwar, after which it flows across the Indo-Gangetic plain through Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand before entering West Bengal.
In West Bengal, the Ganga divides into two major distributaries. The Bhagirathi–Hooghly flows southwards through West Bengal past Kolkata, while the larger eastern branch, known as the Padma, enters Bangladesh, where it is joined by the Brahmaputra (locally the Jamuna) and the Meghna before discharging into the Bay of Bengal through the Sundarbans delta.
Major cities along the river
- Haridwar, Uttarakhand
- Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh
- Prayagraj (Allahabad), Uttar Pradesh — confluence of the Ganga and the Yamuna
- Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
- Patna, Bihar
- Bhagalpur, Bihar
- Kolkata, West Bengal (on the Hooghly distributary)
Tributaries
The Ganga basin is one of the most extensive river systems in the world. Its principal tributaries include:
- Left-bank tributaries: Ramganga, Ghaghara, Gandak, Kosi, Mahananda
- Right-bank tributaries: Yamuna (which itself has the Chambal, Betwa and Ken as tributaries), Son, Damodar
Religious and cultural significance
In Hindu tradition, the Ganga is venerated as a goddess and is believed to have descended from the heavens to the earth, a myth associated with King Bhagiratha and the god Shiva. Bathing in the river is regarded as spiritually purifying, and the immersion of the ashes of the deceased in its waters is considered an important funerary rite.
Several of the holiest cities and pilgrimage sites of Hinduism lie along its banks, including Haridwar, Prayagraj and Varanasi. The Kumbh Mela, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, is held in rotation at Haridwar and Prayagraj on the Ganga, and at Nashik and Ujjain on other rivers.
Economic importance
The Ganga basin supports a very large population and is among the most densely populated river basins in the world. The fertile alluvial plains it has built up form the agricultural heartland of northern India, producing rice, wheat, sugarcane, pulses and oilseeds. Canals drawn from the river, such as the Upper Ganga Canal and Lower Ganga Canal, have historically been important for irrigation. The river also supports inland fisheries and provides water for domestic and industrial use to many cities.
Pollution and conservation
Industrial effluents, untreated sewage from riverside cities, agricultural run-off and religious offerings have led to severe pollution along several stretches of the Ganga. Successive governmental programmes have attempted to address this, including the Ganga Action Plan, launched in the 1980s, and the later Namami Gange programme, an integrated mission to clean the river and rejuvenate its tributaries. The National Mission for Clean Ganga functions as the implementing body for these efforts.
In a notable legal development, courts in India have at various points considered the legal status of the Ganga and its tributaries, and the river has been the subject of significant environmental litigation.
Ecology
The Ganga basin supports a range of aquatic and riparian wildlife. Notable species associated with the river include the Ganges river dolphin (Platanista gangetica), which has been declared India's national aquatic animal, the gharial, the mugger crocodile and several species of freshwater turtles and fish. The Sundarbans, at the river's delta, form the largest mangrove forest in the world and are home to the Bengal tiger.
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