Ganga or the Ganges is held in high esteem in Hindu ethics and is regarded
as the holiest of all rivers. Ganga Devi venerated as a goddess finds
mention in the holy book of the Hindus the Bhagavat Gita, the Puranas
and the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. Hindus believe that a dip in the
holy Ganges redeems them of all sins. The perennial river traces its source
from the Bhagirathi river which originates from the Gangotri glacier at
Gaumukh (14000ft) located between the Bhagirathi and the Shivling peaks
of the Himalayas in northern Uttaranchal.
 The
Bhagirathi gushes through a small opening from under the glacier formed
of sheer icy walls 500 metres high on two sides and rock on one side.
The Bhagirathi joins with the Alakananda at the sacred town of Devprayag
to form the Ganga. From Devprayag the Ganga flows some 1,550 miles to
the Bay of Bengal and the vast Sundarbans Delta in West Bengal, passing
and giving life to some of the most populous cities of India, including
Kanpur, Allahabad, Varanasi, Patna and Kolkata. Ganga joins with the Brahmaputra
near Dacca, the capital of Bangladesh, to form the river Padma.
The Ganga and its tributaries such as Bhagirathi, Alakananda
and Mandakini, offers one of the most popular and adventurous river rafting
expeditions in the country. Ganga is full of surprises with its diversities
for the rafter, at some places it is calm and tranquil; while at others
it is equally turbulent and rapid. The best time to capture the thrill
of the Himalayan white waters is from February to April, and September
to December. Rishikesh near Shivpuri forms the base from where one can
participate in one of the many expeditions through the Ganga. Vehicles
can be hired from Rishikesh to the various starting points. There are
calm paced runs suitable for the amateur as well as expert professionals
with rapids as high as grade IV to V. The river runs through picturesque
surroundings with thick forested slopes of oak, pine, fir etc, occasional
villages with its terraced fields and sandy beaches at intervals suitable
for stop overs in between runs. Wild life can be sighted at a distance
along with Ashrams and spiritual retreats overlooking the river.
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