The 64km road leading to Varanasi city, Uttar Pradesh state, was dust-filled, passing through sections still under construction. Broken and overloaded vehicles lay along the roadside some upside down, others stuck in mud. The foot-traveling Sangha still calmly passed through the length of the road under the bitter cold of winter. At times when the sun shined through, our whole group laughed out loud and exclaimed, “sun, sunshine!” At this time the sunshine was precious, like a blind man gaining his eyesight.

We stopped at a Hindu temple that had an empty space with a lot of straw, spending the night here while waiting for the next day to continue our journey. The foot-traveling Sangha passed through the city covered in thick fog that blanketed its walkways. The earthy yellow robes soon disappeared from each other’s sight, leaving only a few flashes of the flickering flashlight here and there.

Every moment passed rhythmically in sync with the steps of the foot-traveling Sangha. The 30km passed the same way, in silence. The moment the rays of sunlight pierced through the trees and leaves, dispelling the mist and opening up the blue sky, was when the group took the first step on the shore of the Ganges river.We must be quite familiar with the name “Ganges River,” a river linked with the history of India and the numerous changes and ups and downs it has experienced.

India is a land of diversity, so each river has a story connected with a spiritual meaning and a different legend. What is the myth behind the most powerful river, the Ganges?

From downstream of the Himalayan glaciers, the Ganges river emerges with ethereal beauty in the central Himalayas, Uttarakhand state. The Ganges is also known by its less common name, the Bhagirathi River, which is the headstream of the Ganges. In other words, the  Bhagirathi River’s start is the Gangotri Glacier’s end (Gaumukh: Cow’s Mouth). According to Hindu beliefs, rivers originate from Gaumukh glaciers, so they are sacred as soon as streams are formed. Therefore, a small temple was built, located quietly at the headstream of the Bhagirathi River. It is why Gaumukh Glacier can be mentioned as the primary source of the Ganges.

As is believed in Hindu mythology, to tame the torrential waters of Bhagirathi, the Ganges River was contained in the lock of the god Shiva. It descended to earth at the request of the gods who said that the sacred river needed to come down from heaven to supplement humanity’s needs. The Ganges basin is the most extensive in the entire country. Several smaller tributaries meet in the mighty river, thus creating a network of rivers and streams that make the country’s soil fertile for farming.

Hindus bathe in the waters of the Ganges along its course and offer flowers and earthen oil lamps as a sign of respect and devotion. River water is considered sacred and used for all sorts of ritual purposes, along with it being carried on the journey back home.

Indeed, even a small amount of water from a river is believed to be able to purify everything it falls onto, from the body and spirit of a person to even transmitting vibrations of peace in a house that is watered with it. The water at the confluence of three tributaries is considered the most sacred in India. Every two years, millions of people, including hermits, Brahmins, ascetics, and others, gather here to perform rituals, pray and bathe for a month.

(to be continued)

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Source: Dhammacetiya