Gaṅgā is the holiest of India's rivers and is worshipped as a goddess riding a makara. The Rāmāyaṇa and the Purāṇas tell how King Bhagīratha's penance brought her down from heaven, and how Śiva caught her in his matted hair so that her fall would not shatter the earth. That is why she is also called Bhāgīrathī and Jāhnavī.
A dip in the Gaṅgā is believed to wash away sins, and her water is kept in every home for worship. Her descent is celebrated on Gaṅgā Dasharā, and the evening Gaṅgā Āratī at Haridvāra and Vārāṇasī draws pilgrims from all over the world. Other holy rivers such as the Yamunā, Narmadā and Godāvarī are honoured in the same spirit.
Stotras, mantras and names of Gaṅgā on this site are listed below, each with Devanagari, transliteration and meaning.
