The Sacred Ganges River

The Ganges is a 2,525-kilometre river flowing through India and Bangladesh. It rises in the western Himalayas.

Its main stem begins at Devprayag, where the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi rivers meet. Hydrology plays favorites.

Its submarine fan buries global organic carbon.

Hindus worship it as the goddess Ganga. Bathing here is thought to remit sins.

In mythology, Shiva caught the falling river in his matted hair. This stopped it from shattering the earth.

Fecal coliform bacteria levels are more than 100 times the official limit. Bacteria do not read government limits.

It forms the largest delta, about 64,000 square kilometres. Jawaharlal Nehru asked for his ashes to enter it.

At Haridwar, a headworks diverts some water into the Ganges Canal. Even sacred rivers need plumbing.