River Ganges

In the Hindu mythology, the holy River Ganges is also the goddess Ganga. She was the daughter of Himavat, God of the Himalayas, and the celestial nymph, Mena. She originally flowed only through heaven. Rishikesh is the place where the Ganges comes down to the plains from the mountains.

For Hindus in India, the Ganges is not just a river but a mother, a goddess, a tradition, a culture and much more. Some Hindus also believe life is incomplete without bathing in the Ganges at least once in your lifetime. Many Hindu families keep a vial of water from the Ganges in their house and believe that the water from the Ganges can cleanse a person's soul of all past sins. The ancient scriptures mention that the water of Ganges carries the blessings of Lord Vishnu's feet; hence Mother Ganges is also known as Vishnupadi, which means 'Emanating from the Lotus feet of Supreme Lord Sri Vishnu.'