Religious Vein of Sanatana

The Ganga, according to Hindu mythology, is believed to travel through all three lokas mentioned in Sanatana scriptures: Svargaloka (Heaven), Mrityuloka (Earth), and Patal Loka (Hell). Additionally, it is said to have stayed on Brahmaloka as well. The river’s sacred nature is attributed to the boon granted by Lord Shiva, which allowed it to maintain its purity throughout its journey, purifying every place it touched. The scriptures (such as the Mahabharata and Padma Purana) describe the Ganga as the elder daughter of King Hemavan and Queen Menavati, and the sister of Goddess Parvati. This was during a time when Lord Shiva was married to Goddess Sati. As the myth goes, when Ganga proposed to Lord Shiva, he refuses the marriage proposal because of his existing marital bond with Sati.

To the Heaven

However, the circumstances changed when Indra, the king of the heavens, requested Ganga's assistance. Indra sought her presence in the heavenly realm to purify the decay caused by Tarkasura, a demon. It is said that Ganga agreed to descend to Heaven, where she performed her duties of purification, and brought sanctity to the heavenly realms. Her stay in Heaven was interrupted by the conflict between Indra and Brihaspati, the guru of the gods. Afterward, Ganga moved to Brahmaloka (the realm of Brahma), where she stayed until she was ready to return to Earth. This return to Earth is significant in the mythology, where she descended to cleanse the Earth from the sins of humankind. This descent is associated with the "Ganga Avataran" myth, where Lord Shiva, in his compassion, allowed the mighty river to flow down to Earth, and he caught it in his matted hair to prevent its force from destroying the world.

Kapil Muni's curse

It was time for the Ganga to descend to Earth once again. The story begins with King Sagara of the Raghukula and Ikshvaku dynasty, which was the same dynasty to which Lord Rama belonged. Sagara, a powerful and righteous king, decided to perform an Ashwamedha Yajna to celebrate his victory over a demon. According to the Vishnu Purana and Ramayana, as part of the Ashwamedha Yajna, a horse was set free to roam, and any ruler who could capture the horse would claim dominion over the land. However, the horse was stolen by Indra, the king of the heavens, and hidden in the Ashram of Kapil Muni, a revered sage. Indra did this to prevent Sagara from becoming too powerful. When King Sagara received the news that the horse had been stolen, he sent his 60,000 sons to search for it. They travelled far and wide, eventually reaching Kapil Muni's Ashram, where the horse was tied. Upon arriving at the Ashram, the sons of Sagara found Kapil Muni deep in Tapasya (meditative concentration), and instead of showing respect, they began disturbing him. Ignoring the sage’s state, they started accusing him of stealing the horse and engaged in a conflict. After a long period of meditation, Kapil Muni opened his eyes, and his gaze fell upon the sons of Sagara. Immediately, he cursed them, turning them to ashes with the sheer power of his look. This moment is often referred to as Kapil Muni's curse. When King Sagara saw that his sons had not returned, he grew worried and sent his grandson Anshuman, the son of Asamanjas, to search for them. Anshuman travelled far and reached Kapil Muni's Ashram, where he learned about the tragic fate of his ancestors. Anshuman, desperate to save their souls, humbly asked Kapil Muni for a solution. The Muni, in his compassion, told Anshuman that the only way to redeem the souls of his ancestors would be to bring Ganga to Earth. He explained that the holy waters of Ganga would purify the ashes of the 60,000 sons and grant them moksha (liberation). Kapil Muni gave Anshuman the Ashwamedha horse and instructed him to return to his kingdom. Anshuman returned to Ayodhya, where he was crowned king in place of his grandfather, King Sagara. However, despite his best efforts, Anshuman was unable to convince Lord Brahma, the creator god, to bring Ganga to Earth. This task was not easy, and it took generations of effort. Anshuman’s son, Dilip, also tried to convince Brahma, but even he was unsuccessful. It was only after Dilip’s son, Bhagirath, took up the mission that Ganga’s descent was finally achieved.

To the Earth

Bhagirath, the son of King Dilip, undertook severe Tapasya (penance) to please Lord Brahma and seek his blessings to bring the divine river Ganga to Earth. His purpose was to liberate the souls of his ancestors, the 60,000 sons of King Sagara, who were cursed and burnt by the sage Kapil. This story is detailed in the Bhagavata Purana, Vishnu Purana, and Padma Purana. Brahma, pleased with Bhagirath’s devotion, agreed to send Ganga to Earth but warned of the challenges in controlling her powerful descent from Brahmaloka. To resolve this, Bhagirath began another Tapasya, this time to conciliate Lord Shiva. Shiva, moved by Bhagirath's unwavering determination, assured him that he would contain Ganga's torrent within his jata (matted hair) to prevent destruction. When Ganga descended with great force, Shiva captured her within his hair and gently released her, allowing her waters to flow smoothly onto Mrityuloka (Earth). This event symbolizes divine intervention to harmonize spiritual power with earthly existence.

After Arrival on the Earth

As Ganga continued her flow, she reached the ashram of Rishi Jahnu, as recounted in the Bala Kanda of Valmiki’s Ramayana. Her roaring waters disrupted the sage’s meditation, angering him. In retaliation, Rishi Jahnu swallowed the river. The gods, alarmed by this turn of events, pleaded with the sage to release Ganga. Relenting to their requests, Rishi Jahnu released her through his ears, earning Ganga the name Jahnvi, which honors Rishi Jahnu’s role in her journey. Further downstream, Ganga arrived at the ashram of Kapil Muni, where she sanctified the ashes of King Sagara’s 60,000 sons, liberating their souls and granting them salvation. This event signifies Ganga’s divine mission as a purifier and liberator. This sacred story forms a key connection between Maa Ganga and the lineage of King Sagara, culminating in the epic Ramayana, where Ganga continues to play a central role in the life and legacy of Lord Rama, a descendant of Bhagirath. Ganga's descent and her transformative journey on Earth are a cornerstone of Indian spiritual and cultural heritage, celebrated not only in the epics and Puranas but also in rituals, festivals, and art. The river is revered as a goddess and a symbol of purity, embodying the interplay between the divine and human realms.

The Ganga holds a deep and sacred connection with Sanatana Dharma, as reflected in various religious scriptures. In Sanatana Dharma, the three primary divine forces—Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva—are seen as sources of all energy, and the Ganga is often celebrated in the scriptures as a manifestation of their divine grace. The river is also intricately tied to the spiritual realms described in the texts, including Brahmaloka (the abode of Brahma), Swargaloka (heaven), Mrityuloka (Earth), and Narkloka (hell). Through countless stories and traditions, the Ganga has been revered as the Mother of the Land, or Maa Ganga, symbolizing life, purity, and spiritual sanctity. Although the river primarily flows through northern India, its significance transcends geography, and it is worshipped in every corner of the country. Even beyond India, people with Indian roots across the world honor Ganga as Maa Ganga, venerating her as a divine goddess and a vital symbol of cultural and spiritual identity. 

Saurabh Kumar Singh, PhD

The establishment of the South-West monsoon system

Around 45 million years ago, during the Cenozoic era, the Himalayan orogeny marked a significant geological event when the Indian Plate collided with the Eurasian Plate. This collision led to the upliftment of the landmass, giving rise to the Himalayas, a prominent folded mountain belt. The formation of this elevated landscape profoundly influenced the region’s climate, creating the ideal conditions for the origin of the South-West monsoon system. The monsoon initiated a perpetual hydrological cycle, wherein water is transported from the ocean to the highlands and released onto the surface as precipitation. This precipitation occurs in two primary forms: snowfall and rainfall, which depend on the prevailing surface temperature. Colder regions receive snowfall, while warmer areas experience rainfall. This intricate water cycle, catalyzed by the emergence of the Himalayas, has continued unbroken since its inception and will persist as long as the mountain range endures. 

The Indo-Gangetic Alluvium

When the water reaches the highlands, it flows downslope toward the lowlands under the influence of gravity. This downslope movement is a critical driver in shaping riverine geomorphology. These processes collectively led to the formation of the River Ganga. The river's dynamics are governed by two primary processes: degradation and aggradation. Degradation occurs in the highlands, where the erosional activity produces loose sediments, while aggradation occurs in the lowlands, where these sediments are deposited. The availability of lowland surfaces for aggradation varies among rivers, but the Ganga benefits from an extensive depositional area at the base of the Himalayan mountain range. Over time, this continuous cycle of erosion, transport, and deposition by the Ganga and its tributaries has accumulated over 200 meters of thick mud deposits, known as the Indo-Gangetic Alluvium, atop the crystalline basement rocks. The scientific community classifies the time period of the Indo-Gangetic Alluvium as part of the Quaternary period. However, the environmental conditions conducive to its development began during the late Cretaceous period, continued through the Tertiary, and culminated in the Quaternary with its current configuration. 

Anomaly with Western Ghat

The Indian subcontinent comprises numerous ecologically significant regions, two of which are particularly notable for their contributions to biological and ecological systems. The first is the Western Ghats, one of the richest biodiversity hotspots in the world, renowned for its unparalleled ecological wealth. The second is the Indo-Gangetic Alluvium, characterized by fertile soils and a continuous supply of both surface and groundwater, making it exceptionally suited for agriculture. In the modern context, however, the Western Ghats are less conducive to agricultural practices compared to the Gangetic Alluvium. The agricultural potential of the Alluvium has been extensively utilized, and often exploited, leading to the emergence of densely populated states in northern India. While both regions are highly productive in supporting biological systems, their roles differ: the Western Ghats sustain rich biodiversity, whereas the Gangetic Alluvium supports high human population density due to its agricultural viability. The expansive Indo-Gangetic Alluvium also houses numerous aquifers of varying sizes and depths, which are relatively easy to access. This abundant groundwater resource has been vital for human sustenance in the region and is often regarded as a divine blessing, symbolized as the grace of Mahadeva for the inhabitants of this fertile landscape. 

Saurabh Kumar Singh, PhD