Books on the ganges river

The ganges has always been more than just an ordinary river. In this unprecedented work, historian sudipta sen tells the story of the ganges, from the communities that arose on its banks to the merchants that navigated its waters, and the way it came to occupy center stage in the. Jan 14, 2019 ganges is a study of a river as many simultaneous places, temporalities, and experiences. A journey down the ganges river by julian crandall. The ganges river, the subject of history professor sudipta sens engrossing and challenging new book ganges.

This area, also called the north indian river plain, is a very large, relatively flat, fertile plain that makes up most of the northern and eastern parts of india as well as parts of pakistan, nepal, and bangladesh. At once a work of deep history, of intellectual and cultural history, and of religious studies, it is informed by sens own extensive travels along the course of the river, which give the narrative a sense of immediacy and engagement. Ganges is one of the main rivers of india and the largest in northern india. Along the way it is joined by the ramganga, which contributes an average annual flow of about 500 m 3 s 18,000 cu fts. Numerous books in english and other indian languages have been written on the river which deal with its religious, geographical and other aspects. According to popular belief, bathing in mother ganga dissolves all sins, drinking her waters cures illness, and dying on her banks ensures freedom from the cycle of death and rebirth. The birth of the ganga hinduism books by harish johari, on. Aug 26, 2016 the ganges river begins in an ice cave in the himalayan mountains. Yet the river has become one of the most polluted on the planet, denying hundreds of millions access to clean water and robbing the world of its once sublime beauty. It was as if ma ganga were telling me, if you want to write a book on travelling up the ganges river into the himalayas, you will need to stay longer, in rishikesh, to get to know me better. It supports over 400 million people and thousands of animal and plant species. Jawaharlal nehru, the nations first prime minister after independence in 1947, called it the purest expression of indias soul. Journey along one of the worlds greatest rivers and catch a glimpse i.

This title describes a country between ancient traditions and astonishing modernity and the holy river that crosses it for hundreds of miles. Encounters with saints and sinners along indias mythic river. Rich in detail and sparkling with the insight of a trained observer, mallets chronicle is an engaging and enlightening read. A journey down the ganges river by julian crandall hollick. Water from the river simply didnt go bad, even when. Then it passes through the towns of kanpur, soron, kannauj, allahabad, varanasi, patna, ghazipur, bhagalpur, mirzapur, ballia, buxar, saidpur, and chunar. It offers a way of thinking about a river not only as it flows over a landscape but as it assembles and connects aesthetics, territories, habitats, and human beings.

The many pasts of a river by sudipta sen sudipta sens comprehensive work on the river is certain to become one of the goto books on studying the ganga. The ganges river follows an 900 km 560 mi arching course passing through the cities of kannauj, farukhabad, and kanpur. Yogic mantra gangajal 200 ml pure, natural, unfiltered ganga jal bottle ganges holy water source brahma kund, har ki pauri, haridwar. In india, specially the hindu people consider the river as an embodiment of sacredness. Human and environmental stories interweave in a meandering.

I started reading on a recent trip to india and thoroughly enjoyed. The best books on asias rivers victor mallet on five books. The nonindian author comes across as very much at ease and in his element as he journeys from the source of the ganges to its outlet with a varying cast of companions. Ganges water was a beverage of choice in the 16th and 17th centuries for sailors making their way from india to the netherlands or england. A sweeping, interdisciplinary history of the worlds thirdlargest river, a potent symbol across south asia and the hindu diaspora. Ganges synonyms, ganges pronunciation, ganges translation, english dictionary definition of ganges. Numerous books in english and other indian languages have been written on the river. It is sacred to hindus who worship ganga, the river goddess. Jennifer s prugh is raising funds for river of offerings. Im pretty interested in rivers, and i was immediately fascinated by the yamuna river, a big tributary of the ganges that runs through the middle of delhi. Despite the rivers pollution, it remains a holy spot in india, where pilgrims come to. Im pretty interested in rivers, and i was immediately fascinated by the yamuna river, a big tributary. Mystery factor gives ganges a clean reputation the fourth report in a sixpart series examines the mysterious factor that gives the ganges river a.

The book also considers the changing role of the ganges in the lives of the. The ganges basin supports over half a billion people. The epitome of elegance and luxury, ganga voyager offers travel experiences in the indian subcontinent by sailing in some of south asias finest luxury river cruise ships. Ganges is a study of a river as many simultaneous places, temporalities, and experiences. But in truth the entire river, flowing for more than 2,500km across north india from the mountainous haunts.

In a country where the red heat of summer inspires prayer for the coming monsoon, the lifegiving waters of the ganges have assumed legendary powers in the form of the hindu goddess ganga. The book is presented in a series of short chapters, mostly vignettes about different people he interviews along the way. Smashwords 14 fun facts about the ganges river a book. The most notable ritual regarding the water of the ganges, and a primary reason for pilgrims to travel to the river, is the opportunity to ritually bathe in its waters. Ganges simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

This stunningly original, beautifully crafted book is the best history of the ganges that currently exists. The best books on asias rivers, as recommended by the author of river of life, river of death. Such irrigation is described in scriptures and mythological books written more than 2,000 years ago. Smashwords 14 fun facts about the ganges river a book by.

Nicholas gordon interviews victor mallet, author of river of life, river of death what brought this book about. Use of the ganges water for irrigation, either when the river is in flood or by means of gravity canals, has been common since ancient times. The river touches plain land in the rishikesh region near haridwar in uttarakhand. To anyone who surveys the ganges from one of the industrial towns along its coursemoradabad, for example, or kanpurhumankind can. The life of a sacred river, from its source to the sea, as seen through the lens of jennifer prugh. Ted now lives and works in the brownstone he shares with his wife and their two cats in brooklyn, new york. Hindu priests regard it as a sin to call her a river at all. The basin is characterized by a high degree of heterogeneity from climatic, hydrological, geomorphological, cultural, environmental and socioeconomic perspectives. She is a goddess, the source of the world, her waters holy and healing. Excellent well researched book on the ganga river and the importance it plays in millions of lives. Also the book illustrates the problem of improper sanitation and waste water treatment in india.

Despite its importance, its length of 1,560 miles 2,510 km is relatively short compared with the other great rivers of asia or the world. Jul 19, 2016 the promise to clean up the ganges is the most visible symbol of that. The ganges has more than a hundred names, but hindus call it gangamai, or mother ganga. River of life, river of death the ganges and indias. In those days the river still ran clear for much of its length. The ganges is one of the most complex yet fascinating river systems in the world. For more than 350 million people who live near its banks, the ganges river represents life. The journey starts with allahabad, founded over 4,000 years ago, and end with bangladeshs modern capital city, dhaka. The ganges is too toxic to be holy anymore fair observer. On the second step vishnus big toe accidentally created a hole in the wall of the universe and through it spilled some of the waters of the river mandakini. You have reached your limit for free articles this month. From its icy origins high in the himalayas, this sacred river flows through the holy cities and the great plains of northern india to the bay of bengal.

The book is very interesting and theres much to consider from an ecological this isnt one of them. Onetenth of the worlds population relies heavily on the ganges and its tributaries. In this unprecedented work, historian sudipta sen tells the story of the ganges, from the communities that arose on its banks to the merchants that navigated its waters, and the way it came to occupy center stage in the history and culture of the subcontinent. The ganges river emerges from the himalayas at the town of rishikesh where it begins to flow onto the indogangetic plain. Ganges river, great river of the plains of the northern indian subcontinent, which from time immemorial has been the holy river of hinduism. Award winners book club selections books by author books by series coming soon kids books new releases teens books this months biggest new releases. As we travel its 1,558 miles 2,500 km from the himalayan mountains to the bay of bengal, we see how the ganges is used. There is a lot to like about this book, in which author george black follows the ganges river downstream from the mountains to the delta. The ganges river starts in the indian himalayas and empties in the bay of bengal, over 1,500 miles away. However, religion is not guiding the fate of this river, but instead government error, industrial greed, and soaring population. Vocabulary subcontinent a large landmass that juts out from a continent.

Exotic heritage groups offers one of the best indian luxury river cruises on the river ganges. May 27, 2015 in hindu mythology the ganges river was created when vishnu, in his incarnation as the dwarf brahmin, took two steps to cross the universe. This short informational text and fillin fact finder graphic organizer teach kids all about the ganges river in india. According to scriptures, ganga was a goddess residing in heaven but was brought down to earth in the form of a river the ganges to provide salvation to the ancestors of. Sacred holy puja ceremony griha pravesh himalayan mountain water. The ganges is the fifth most polluted river in the world, with the ambivalent reputation of being the sacred river of hinduism. Ganges river cruises ganga river cruise in kolkata. Among the numerous aquatic and semiaquatic turtles in the ganges basin are the northern river terrapin batagur baska. More than 500 million people are directly or indirectly dependent upon the ganges. The book details the ganges rich cultural history and also details the industries, such as the tanneries and industrial plants at kanpur, that continue to dump untreated chemicals in the river.

Gaumukh, the source of the river ganges, is one of the most sacred places in hinduism. Living on the ganges river by louise spilsbury, richard. This book follows a passage through time to explore important settlements along the ganges river. Jan 22, 2020 jennifer s prugh is raising funds for river of offerings.

Nov 26, 2017 nicholas gordon interviews victor mallet, author of river of life, river of death what brought this book about. The great and aweinspiring sacred ganga, as it is generally known, is revered by hundreds of millions of. While working on sacred river, which he both wrote and illustrated, ted joined thousands of hindus on their pilgrimage to the banks of the ganges river in benares, india. In prose that is as sanguine and fluid as his subject, victor mallets river of life, river of death charts the course of the ganges, the spiritual and material lifeline of northern india, through the vicissitudes of time, space and the hubris of men. The ganges and indias future, veteran journalist victor mallet. The many pasts of an indian river n y journal of books. James barter discusses the source, course, and tributaries of the ganges river, its spiritual significance, its use for agriculture and industry, and its problems with pollution. We come to understand the ganges as an expansive and dynamic social and natural system, and we gain a clearer perspective on the rivers present and potential futures. The ganges, indias river of life, is in imminent danger. The birth of the ganga hinduism books by harish johari. It flows through india and bangladesh and enters the sea at the worlds largest delta. The ganges flows only 200 km through the himalayas.

Despite the river s pollution, it remains a holy spot in india, where pilgrims come to. The many pasts of an indian river in new york journal of books. Ganges river cruises ganga river cruise in kolkata, india. More than 500 million people are directly or indirectly dependent upon the ganges river basin, which spans china, nepal, india and bangladesh. Ganges river india and bangladesh journal of a tour through part of the snowy range of the himala mountains, and to the sources of the rivers jumna and ganges london. Jul 30, 2003 for more than 350 million people who live near its banks, the ganges river represents life. Anne rademacher, science this stunningly original, beautifully crafted book is the best history of the ganges that currently exists. The many pasts of an indian river audiobook written by sudipta sen. The ganges riverganga in hindibegins over 3,000 meters above sea level on the indian side of the snowcapped himalayan mountains, but for many its story begins in the matted hair of lord shiva. Translated for the first time in english, the birth of the ganga by harish johari tells the mythological story of the origins of the river ganga known in the west as the ganges river and its powerful purifying properties. Printed for rodwell and martin, 1820, by james baillie fraser page images with commentary at. Its yoga, ashrams, meditation, different styles of massage, healings and healthy ways of life are all reasons for coming to this beautiful town alongside the banks of the ganges river. Ganges definition of ganges by the free dictionary.

The town of rishikesh is regarded as the yoga capital of the world. Dec 16, 2007 mystery factor gives ganges a clean reputation the fourth report in a sixpart series examines the mysterious factor that gives the ganges river a mythical reputation among the millions of indians. It nourishes and cleans them, helps them travel, and lies at the heart of their religious beliefs. Originating in the himalayas and flowing into the bay of bengal, the ganges is indias most important and sacred river. The ganges river the story of india photo gallery pbs. Jan 23, 2019 ganges water was a beverage of choice in the 16th and 17th centuries for sailors making their way from india to the netherlands or england.