Ganga Saptami 2025: 6 Lesser Known Facts About River Goddess Ganga You MUST Know

Ganga Saptami 2025: The Ganga River is of great importance in Hinduism, considered a divine and sacred being. It is believed that whereas other rivers are just streams, the Ganga represents faith and spiritual renewal. Legend has it that the Ganga came down to the world from heaven to cleanse the world of its evil deeds, and this sacred event is celebrated as Ganga Saptami. This festival, which takes place on the seventh day of Vaishakh's bright half is a very significant occasion. People worship the river goddess and bathe in the Ganga's waters to wash off their sins and attain spiritual purity. This year, Ganga Saptami is set to be observed on 3rd May 2025.

On the sacred occasion of the appearance day of the river goddess Ganga, check out 6 lesser-known facts about the sacred river below:

Ganga Saptami 2025: 6 Lesser Known Facts About River Goddess Ganga You MUST Know

1. The Ganga River is mentioned in ancient Hindu scriptures such as the Vedas, Mahabharata, and the Ramayana. It is said that King Bhagiratha's severe penance brought the sacred river to the world, cleansing his ancestors' ashes and representing spiritual rebirth and redemption. This mythological incident highlights the river's religious importance.

2. The Ganga River is a healthy ecosystem that hosts a variety of flora and fauna. It provides habitat for different aquatic species, such as the critically endangered Ganges river dolphin, shark and turtle. The river's high biodiversity also includes a variety of plants, fish, birds, and reptiles.

3. In Hinduism, the Ganges is regarded as a bridge between Heaven and Earth. As Triloka-patha-gamini, she travels through the three realms - heaven, earth and the underworld - and thus becomes a crossing over point for all mortal beings. This aspect manifests in Shraddha funerals for the dead, where her story of descent is recited and water of the Ganges is employed in Vedic rituals for the deceased to facilitate spiritual passage.

River Ganga or Ganga Maiya is known to liberate devotees and eradicate their sins. (Image Source: Canva) 

4. As per the sacred Hindu texts, the Ganges is representative of all holy waters, with local rivers frequently referred to as it. Some are even referred to as the "local Ganges". For example, Maharashtra's Godavari River is considered the "Ganges of the South" or "Dakshin Ganga". Legend has it that the sage Gautama made the Godavari flow through Central India, which gave it this holy appellation and underscores its cultural importance.

5. In Hindu culture, the waters of the Ganges are considered both pure and purifying. The river, no matter what scientific examination, remains ritually and symbolically pure. The waters of the Ganga are said to restore order from disorder, taking in and washing away impurities. As a river, its flowing waters are said to purify - a testament to the culture's profound respect for this sacred natural resource and its use in spiritual cleansing and renewal.

6. The fast currents of the upper part of the river Ganga are regarded as particularly purifying. Being bathed by the river cleanses not from physical grime, but metaphysical impurities and sin. The water removes the past offences of the person bathing, a lifetime of transgression erased in an instant. This cleansing from sin is an intense part of Hindu worship, demonstrating the sacred place in the lives of its adherents that the river holds.

(Disclaimer: This content includes advice providing generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified spiritual or astrological opinion. Always consult a specialist for more information before adopting any measures.)

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