Mother Ganga: The Spiritual Meaning of the Ganges

Why is the Ganges sacred to Hindus? Umesh Guruji explains why India calls the river Mother Ganga and why pilgrims from all over the world come to bathe in her. His answer joins tradition with his own reading of energy: a river that comes down from the Himalayas, the power of flowing water and, above all, the power of prayer and trust.

Why is the Ganga called a mother?

In the Hindu tradition, Umesh says, "she is our mother". The Ganga is the largest river in India, flowing from the Himalayas to Kolkata and carrying with it the stones, minerals and roots of the mountains. For Umesh its holiness lies in movement: running water never stands still like the water of a tank. In his view, bathing in flowing water cleans the aura and the chakras, the energy centres of the body, especially the second one, Swadhisthana, which is linked to water.

Sunrise, prayer and trust

In Varanasi the river turns and faces the rising sun, and Umesh sees in this a source of strong energy. That is why, in winter as in summer, people go down to the river at dawn to bathe, recite mantras and pray, a scene visitors watch from boats. Yet the deepest reason, he insists, is trust: "believe is very important", and energy returns the way you meet it. The same morning prayer returns in the lesson on puja, the Indian prayer ceremony.