The holy river Ganges, originating from the Gangotri glacier in the Himalayas, is believed to be a source of life to the Hindus in India. The river is popularly called Ganga which is the name of a goddesss appearing in the epic Mahabharata.
In popular belief, bathing in the river leads to remission of sins and attainment of salvation. The Gangetic basin has been extremely fertile, and thus the river is associated with agricultural prosperity. So many Hindu pilgrimages such as Rishikesh, Hardwar, Varanasi & Allahabad are located in the shore of the river.
It is said that the river used to flow in the heavens, and was ordered to go down to earth. Forceful descent of the river might have washed the earth away. Lord Shiva broke the fall of Ganga by capturing her in his mighty locks.
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