A River of Civilisation: Ganga

Like a peerless jewel, Uttaranchal nesties in the Himalaya with unmatched majesty, glorying in its title of ‘dev bhumi’, or the mythological abode of gods, with its icy mantle, verdant forests, sylvan valleys, perennial rivers and breathtakingly beautiful shrines. Here nature is divine and ecology, mythology and spiritualism go hand in hand. If you need a mentor or guide in this ‘dev bhumi’, how about the Ganga, the most revered river in India? For this is the land in which, as mythology tells you, she made her descent from heaven to earth, upon an impassioned plea for help from humans. Omnipresent in this hill state, she will lead you in your quest to explore and experience the spiritual interconnectedness of humans with nature. She will make you experience the living legends born out of the rich mythology of the region, which resonate in the landscape to this day. Look at any map of Uttaranchal and you will find something fascinating. Like a filigree pattern determining the fundamental character of the region, is a network of innumerable Gangas – as stream, tributary or river – all of which ultimately come together to form the Ganga as we know her. Alongside these Gangas, people have built an ecology and mythology of a sacred landscape. Each stream, rock for them. So, why not follow the stream of consciousness that is Ganga.