Photographical Memories from the Himalayas: River Ganga...

River Ganga holds a lot of charm and fascination for most believers and I am no different. I managed to catch up with Her many a times throughout the Char Dham Yatra of mine... Turning a few pages to see where and in what form...

"Of purifers I am the wind, of the wielders of weapons I am Rama, of fishes I am the shark, and of flowing rivers I am the Ganga"
- Shri Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita 3:14

River Ganga as seen from Asia's Highest Bridge in Bhaironghati in the Garhwal Himalayas in Uttarakhand
River Ganga viewed from Asia's highest bridge @ Bhaironghati

"Food from the devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Ganga water, the mind engaged in the Lotus Feet of Lord Vishnu and the day of Lord Hari, named Ekadasi, these are all pure and thus holy."
- Conversation between Markandeya and Bhagiratha, Skanda Purana

River Ganga at Badrinath - Srinagar highway in the Garhwal Himalayas in Uttarakhand
River Ganga at Badrinath- Srinagar highway in the Garhwal Himalayas in Uttarakhand
River Ganga glistens @ Her source in Gangotri

"India is great, the Himalaya are great, but the region in the Himalayas where Ganga is born is especially great because that is the place where She (River Ganga) exists in confluence with Narayana." - Skanda Purana

River Ganga at Harsil in the Garhwal Himalayas in Uttarakhand
River Ganga @ Harsil

"Ganga always extends her unto those that are devoted to her with humbleness of heart. She unites those that are so devoted
to her with every kind of happiness."
- Mahabharata, Anusasana Parva, Chapter 27, Verse 100

River Ganga during the Char Dham Yatra in the Garhwal Himalayas in Uttarakhand
River Alaknanda @ Badrinath

"That end which a creature is capable of attaining by penances, by Brahmacharya, by sacrifices, or by practicing renunciation, one is sure to attain by only living by the side of Bhagirathi and bathing in her sacred waters." - Mahabharata, Anusasana Parva, Chapter 27, Verse 26

River Ganga during the Char Dham trip in the Garhwal Himalayas in Uttarakhand
River Ganga @ Gangotri Highway

"Mountains of sins accumulated by a sinner in the course of his millions of transmigrations on earth disappear at a mere touch of the sacred Ganga water.  Cleansed will he be also, who even breathes some of the air moistened by the holy waters." - Brahmavaivarta Purana

River Ganga at Devprayag in the Garhwal Himalayas in Uttarakhand
"One who has studied the Bhagavad Gita just a little, drunk even a drop of Ganga water, has worshipped Murari (Krishna) just once, does not meet with Yama (the lord of death)." - Bhaja Govindam, Verse 20, Adi Shankaracharya

River Ganga in the Garhwal Himalayas, Uttarakhand
River Ganga @ A village enroute to Srinagar

"Thousands of man's sins get destroyed by the holy sight of the Ganges, and he becomes pure by the touch of the water of the Ganges, by consuming it, or just by pronouncing Ganga." - Garuda Purana

River Ganga in the Garhwal Himalayas in Uttarakhand on the Char Dham Yatra Roadway
Confluence of Rivers Alaknanda and Mandakini
@ one of the Prayags - Rudraprayag

"One may, by putting forth one's best powers, count the stones that occur in the mountains of Meru or measure the waters that occur in the ocean, but one cannot count all the merits which belong to the waters of Ganga."
- Mahabharata, Anusasana Parva, Chapter 27, Verse 97

River Ganga in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand
River Ganga @ Rishikesh

"By holding that sacred stream, touching it, and bathing in its waters, one rescues one's ancestors to the seventh generation." - Mahabharata

River Ganga at Har Ki Pauri Ghat in Haridwar
River Ganga @ Har Ki Pauri in Haridwar

"God is the color of water. Water doesn't have a color."
― James McBride

A constant companion throughout my journey... It was difficult to part with Her and say goodbye at the end of my yatra...

Post a Comment

65 Comments

  1. U would be aware Ganga is one of the most polluted rivers in India :(
    but up in the himalaya she seems be in the full glory and looks pristinely beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  2. These pics look so mystical and alluring.River Ganga simmering with divine beauty...ur photos would make anyone free,to pack his bags and straight to these lovely places...
    And thanks for visit and reading my post,ur words meant a lot to me.

    ReplyDelete
  3. ओह!आरती,मुझे आपकी आरती उतारने का मन कर रहा है.

    Because,Ganga is floating in your pious heart.

    Beautiful pictures with great sayings all are great and superb.

    May God bless you.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wow , lovely post . Thanks for the holy darshan of the Mother .

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ganga as it cascades from Gaumukh all the way to Rishikesh is just mesmerizing! Lovely capture of the holy river..

    ReplyDelete
  6. Lovely,lovely pictures of Ganga. Thanks for the share, Arti. The last picture and the quote of McBride are stunning!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Loving all your photographs but especially the one of the River Ganga which is second from last, truly beautiful, the reflection on the water is so tranquil.

    ReplyDelete
  8. wow... lovely shots & nice info buddy... don't know whether i can visit River Ganga in future... but u already made me 2 have d feel of visiting her...

    Thanks 4 sharing...

    ReplyDelete
  9. What utterly gorgeous shots!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Wow.. breath taking pics of Ganga.. what do you work on? Every week i see that you are travelling :) lucky you.. and lucky me who can see all these through your blog..

    ReplyDelete
  11. What a gorgeous river it is! And your photos are superb, Arti! Thanks too for the information and such beautiful thoughts and words! Such a lovely way to begin my day! Many blessings to you! Enjoy!

    Sylvia

    ReplyDelete
  12. Wow beautiful photography Arti looks so good....and lovely write up as well....Arti U have a lovely weekend and Merry chirstmas and Happy New year to you and ur family:)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Beautiful photos. I also liked the scriptural references to the Ganga river. Reminded me of my trip to Har ki Pauri:
    http://lalitpatnaik.blogspot.com/2010/07/life-giving-river.html

    ReplyDelete
  14. I love the pictures best where you have captured the sun sparkling on the water! Also the last two pictures, spectacular!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Gorgeous pictures of the light on the water.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Ganga, is a place where i can learn how to give, give and give without hesitation, without expectation, and without discrimination.

    Ganga is our all mother, althought we make it dirty , ruin it with all the greed but she never going to stop giving her love.

    Thank you for all the picture arti :)

    We all love you Ma Ganga..

    ReplyDelete
  17. Arti, for some reason, I always had a bad image of river Ganga!! I never thought it could be so beautiful!! Damn those books who misguided me!! :)

    Bloggers Park

    ReplyDelete
  18. What a serene and beautiful post! Thanks a lot for sharing these pictures Arti...:)

    ReplyDelete
  19. lovely photos and lovely quotes too!!! makes me want to go there again!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Loved the one at Rishikesh. the full moon adds to her charm. I am taking that pic too. Hope you don't mind :)

    ReplyDelete
  21. It was soothing reading all those verses and scriptures... beautiful pics Arti :)

    ReplyDelete
  22. Great photos, I could almost get lost in them!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Pure magic Arti - words, pictures - it takes me away ... xx

    ReplyDelete
  24. The pics of 'Holy River Ganga' should attract a lot of readers to your esteemed blog. I can definitely feel the holiness of Mother Ganga in these pics. Nicely captured and hats off to your wonderful post!!!

    From: www.sriramnivas.com

    ReplyDelete
  25. lovely photographs...wish to visit the himalayas some day

    ashok

    ReplyDelete
  26. Hi there,
    In India, Ganga is next to god. I was fortunate enough to visit Haridwar in 2009.
    The evening Aarti strengthens your faith in the holy Ganga. I wish Ganga should ever stay the way it is.

    All your pics are mesmerizing. Maybe you should go for a DSLR. :)

    Regards,
    Sunil

    ReplyDelete
  27. The Ganges always induces a sense of respect in any Indian, that's her charm.Wonderful post!

    ReplyDelete
  28. These are lovely pictures and I like all the rocks. Thanks for the information.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Beautiful shots as always. I learned that mountains connects to death and birth.
    I'm not sure that this is correct but these photos remind me of it.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Love the sun sparkling on the waters, Arti. Thank you so much for sharing the lovely sayings as well. Have a blessed day!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Heavenly pictures of the river Ganga flowing through the Himalayas. Just gazing at these exceptionally beautiful pictures is energizing & elevating. Thanks for the eloquent tour.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Another beautiful post, Arti. I wish to visit the Himalayas some day.

    Have a great week ahead :-)

    ReplyDelete
  33. Loved each and every pic. beautiful clicks.

    ReplyDelete
  34. I wonder what the difference is between GANGA and GANGES? Are they 2 different rivers located in different areas of the country? Why are the names so similar? Love your photos, Arti! Keep them coming!

    ReplyDelete
  35. A beautiful post Arti. The pictures complement the wonderful quotes perfectly.

    I think I can sort of understand how you (and so many others) can be spiritually connected to this great river.

    We get excited when we see any of our country's great rivers (or even their smaller tributaries) -- we understand that they are truly the life force of the land!

    ReplyDelete
  36. My goodness...ganga is sooooooooo magnificient...thanks Arti for the valuable cliks..;)
    Tasty Appetite

    ReplyDelete
  37. Her colors in the 4th and 5th photos are truly beautiful. I feel cleansed and purified simply looking at them. I'm happy that you've shared these photos of the source, where the waters are most clean and frothy. thanks for sharing Arti. and happy day to you.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Hi Aarti

    I have never seen the ganga as I have only visited vrindavan in the north and seen the yamuna, you lovely quotes on the ganga with the mesmerizing pictures tugs my heart to visit the holy river. My husband was telling me he could plan a trip to delhi next year and also get to visit rishikesh and haridwar.

    My MIL also wants me to visit all the holy places as in old age we will not be in good condition to enjoy this beauty.

    Thanks for sharing these pictures and wonderful quotes of the ganga


    Super Yummy Recipes

    ReplyDelete
  39. i love the shot with the moonlight but they are all beautiful.
    hope you are well
    ~laura xx

    ReplyDelete
  40. @zephyr The pleasure is all mine, thank you :)

    @zephyr @Pooch purple reign The second last pic is that of a setting sun in Rishikesh. My Sony Ericson mobile camera along with my photography skills is making it look like a moonlit one but it is actually not :)

    @gigihawaii There is no difference. Both are just different ways to address one and the same river - River Ganga - flowing through various parts of the country. In the Hindu scriptures, the river is referred to as Ganga.. I am not too sure how and where exactly the word Ganges has come into usage but they both point to the same holy river.

    @All Thank you very much for the appreciation and kind words :)

    ReplyDelete
  41. Awesome post as always .Arti i just forwarded a link of your blog to my dear friend Susan who is an episcopal priest from Little Rock USA.She is looking for a spiritual destination somewhere near Delhi and i suggested her to look into your blog for destination like Haridwar and Rishikesh.
    Once again a big congratulations for maintaing such a beautiful blog.

    ReplyDelete
  42. Arti,
    I am happy to nominate you for a blogger award. Please visit the link to know more http://nishdil.blogspot.com/2011/12/award-for-me.html
    Regds,
    Nisha

    ReplyDelete
  43. wow! wonderful pictures... most of the pictures have the sunshine reflecting and it adds to the beauty of the river... the river is just wonderful!!!

    ReplyDelete
  44. Hi Arti, you have been nominated for the Versatile Blogger Award

    Check this out: http://www.smilewidabha.com/2011/12/versatile-blogger-award.html

    ReplyDelete
  45. River Ganga is such a massive, , mysterious, beautiful, and soothing river. I love to see foamy bubbles shimmering or sparkling in the sun. You had such a wonderful company, Arti, travelling through Himarayas , looking at her flowing and listening to her whispers. Have a happy and restful weekend.

    Yoko

    ReplyDelete
  46. "Holding,touching,bathing,pronouncing Ganga" or "merits which belong the water of Ganga" or" man's sin get destroyed by Ganga" and so on.
    I can feel Ganga is a holy river and it exists people at hand.
    Thank you sharing.
    I wish you have a happy christmas.

    ReplyDelete
  47. I have seen Ganga many a times, as it passes it changes in physicality.
    I have seen it nearest at Hrishikesh it looks divine there though I know further before from where most of your pics are the water there is crystal clear and Icy cold.
    Thanks for some amazing Pics Arti : )

    ReplyDelete
  48. Lovely pictures, my friend. Any of Gaumukh?

    ReplyDelete
  49. Hi,Arti.
    So gorgeous photos of Ganga river.
    I always feel a powerful life from your photos.The flow,splash and various shaped rocks are great creations in Himalayas!
    I was off-line for a while.
    Have a great week and Merry Christmas,Arti.
    Tomoko.

    ReplyDelete
  50. One of my wishes is to visit the Ganga, but i've accepted that I will visit Her in the right place in the right time. So many Masters have been inspired by Her, it must be magical.

    ReplyDelete
  51. hey i have a doubt - ive always heard that the ganga is allllways crowded/polluted bt ur pics - the place soo blissfully serene and not a single soul anywhere!!! how come?

    ReplyDelete
  52. Oh you so made me smile with this post. You picked up so many nuances in the scenes that I also often see. The sparkles in the water. The framing of the valley. The suns rays casting their streams of light. But the river is where the beauty lies for one to search out it secrets. Wonderful post. By the way I prefer the pop-up post as my connection is a bit slower so when it is embed in the blog the whole page has to load again to post it. Thanks for making it easier for me.

    ReplyDelete
  53. @Arti: Can I add the following information? The name Ganga is the original name as per Hindu Scriptures. During British Rule in India which lasted for few hundred years the name was changed to Ganges for ease of pronunciation. Likewise Mumbai became Bombay, Dilli became Delhi,Kolkata became Calcutta & so on. Like wise the name India was coined by the British to mean the land through which the river Indus flowed.

    ReplyDelete
  54. @verbivorehere Hehe, It's the magic of the Himalayas and a bit depends on your perception too :)

    @R.Ramakrishnan Thank you very much for coming back and taking the time out to add value to my reply above. I never knew of these amazing facts, thank you once again for enriching my knowledge :)

    ReplyDelete
  55. Arti, each of your post captures the true visual beauty and amazing write up!

    ReplyDelete
  56. Beautiful pictures and beautiful words. Glad I dropped by from BPOTW.

    ReplyDelete
  57. Mother Ganges...माँ गंगे से साक्षात्कार कराने का धन्यवाद, आप धन्य हो माई!

    ReplyDelete
  58. I always feel I m with my mother when I sit at the banks of gangaji. I feel so relaxed and at home that my heart wants to keep sitting there .Such deep sense of rest,peace and love I don't feel anywhere.and gangaji talks to me and I talk to her. May maa ganga bless all of us with coolness and energy and purity

    ReplyDelete
  59. may maa ganga bless all of us with her coolness her patience her purity and her energy.she is mother of all of us and bestows her blessings continuously.

    ReplyDelete
  60. Beautiful pictures! Happy that Ganga is getting ready to be purified... :)
    TC! Keep smiling :)

    ReplyDelete

Delighted you stopped by... Your suggestions, feedback are really appreciated. Thanks a lot :) Hope you visit again!

If you have asked a question, please give me at least 2 days to reply back. Thank you :)