The Ganges (गंगा) River begins high in the Himalaya Mountains and merges into the Bay of Bengal. Its made of many tributaries such as Mandakini, Alaknanda and Bhagirathi within the Himalayas. Two main tributaries Alaknanda and Bhagirathi merge at Rudraprayag and from there it’s known as the Ganges.
It is a sacred body of water to Hindus who believe that taking a dip in the holy river will absolve them for their sins. The river basin of the Ganges has a population of more than four hundred million people. The River Ganges is more than 2,500km long and its Gangetic plain is the most populated river basin in the world. It’s a lifeline of that population and huge wildlife in the region. But pollution, dams and excessive extraction of water (mostly for agriculture) have affected the flow and health of this holy river.
