The largest is the Damodar River, which is 625km (388mi) long, with a drainage basin of 25,820km2 (9,970sqmi). At their confluence the Yamuna is larger than the Ganges contributing about 58.5% of the combined flow,[25] with an average flow of 2,948m3/s (104,100cuft/s).[24]. 350290 BCE). At Karanprayag, the Pindar River, a left bank tributary, meets with the Alaknanda River. [20] The Sundarbands freshwater swamp ecoregion, however, is nearly extinct. She has been a symbol of India's age-long culture and civilization, ever-changing, ever-flowing, and yet ever the same Ganga. Three towns holy to HinduismHaridwar, Allahabad (Prayagraj), and Varanasiattract millions of pilgrims to its waters to take a dip in the Ganges, which is believed to cleanse oneself of sins and help attain salvation. In hydrology, the Alaknanda is the source stream for the Ganges River due to its length and discharge. Bhagirathi is called the Ganges after Devprayag. [59], In the rainy season of 1809, the lower channel of the Bhagirathi, leading to Kolkata, had been entirely shut; but in the following year it opened again and was nearly of the same size as the upper channel but both however suffered a considerable diminution, owing probably to the new communication opened below the Jalanggi on the upper channel. According to Deputy Director-General of NCRP A. Nandkumar, the incidence of cancer was highest in the country in areas drained by the Ganges and stated that the problem would be studied deeply and with the findings presented in a report to the health ministry. Now this river, which at its source is 30stadia broad, flows from north to south, and empties its waters into the ocean forming the eastern boundary of the Gangaridai, a nation which possesses a vast force of the largest-sized elephants." The main flow of the river reached the sea not via the modern Hooghly River but rather by the Adi Ganga. [117], The natural forest of the upper Gangetic Plain has been so thoroughly eliminated it is difficult to assign a natural vegetation type with certainty. [136], Recent studies by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) say that the river is so full of killer pollutants that those living along its banks in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Bengal are more prone to cancer than anywhere else in the country. Ganga and Sarasvati, however, are so distraught at this dispensation, and wail so loudly, that Vishnu is forced to take back his words. Bailadila is famous for the production of. [81] Shiva is sometimes called Uma-Ganga-Patiswara ("Husband and Lord of Uma (Parvati) and Ganga"), and Ganga often arouses the jealousy of Shiva's better-known consort. This section of the Himalaya contains 9 of the 14 highest peaks in the world over 8,000m in height, including Mount Everest which is the high point of the Ganges basin. [67] In the Vedic version, Indra, the Lord of Swarga (Heaven) slays the celestial serpent, Vritra, releasing the celestial liquid, soma, or the nectar of the gods which then plunges to the earth and waters it with sustenance. They are, in downstream order, Vishnuprayag, where the Dhauliganga joins the Alaknanda; Nandprayag, where the Nandakini joins; Karnaprayag, where the Pindar joins; Rudraprayag, where the Mandakini joins; and finally, Devprayag, where the Bhagirathi joins the Alaknanda to form the Ganges.[20]. [62] East Pakistan objected and a protracted dispute ensued. Contemplated first by Col. John Russell Colvin in 1836, it did not at first elicit much enthusiasm from its eventual architect Sir Proby Thomas Cautley, who balked at the idea of cutting a canal through extensive low-lying land to reach the drier upland destination. The dwarf attendant carries her cosmetic bag, and a female holds the stem of a giant lotus leaf that serves as her mistress's parasol. The great Indian bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps) and lesser florican (Sypheotides indicus) are considered globally threatened. "Ganga is now a deadly source of cancer, study says". Several cities such as Kanpur, Kolkata and Patna have also developed riverfront walkways along the banks to attract tourists. [80], It is Shiva's relationship with Ganga, that is the best-known in Ganges mythology. [157], .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct,.mw-parser-output .geo-inline-hidden{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}2518N 8301E / 25.30N 83.01E / 25.30; 83.01. [146] The main objectives of the Namami Gange project is to improve the water quality by the abatement of pollution and rejuvenation of river Ganga by creating infrastructures like sewage treatment plants, river surface cleaning, biodiversity conservation, afforestation, and public awareness. public domain. Bengal tigers survive only in the Sundarbans area of the Ganges Delta. The Alaknanda is a turbulent Himalayan river in the Indian state of Uttarakhand and one of the two headstreams of the Ganges, the major river of Northern India and the holy river of Hinduism. As the river flows, the towns along its banks are Badrinath, Vishnuprayag, Joshimath, Chamoli, Nandaprayag, Karnaprayag, Rudraprayag, Srinagar and Devprayag. The lower plains contain more open forests, which tend to be dominated by Bombax ceiba in association with Albizzia procera, Duabanga grandiflora, and Sterculia vilosa. Confluence Of Alaknanda And Bhagirathi River Goes Viral, Netizens In Awe Of Breathtaking Picture Basit Aijaz 02-06-2022 Provided by Indiatimes Incredible India is not just a catchphrase. This article is about the river. [4], When Ganga descended, Bhagiratha took her through the mountains, foothills, the plains of India, and to the sea where she liberated the sixty thousand sons of King Sagara. The normal Kumbh Mela is celebrated every 3 years, the Ardh (half) Kumbh is celebrated every six years at Haridwar and Allahabad,[94] the Purna (complete) Kumbh takes place every twelve years[95] at four places (Triveni Sangam (Allahabad), Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nashik). [103] Bhagirathi River Uttarakhand - About its origin and - eUttaranchal [40], In some cases, the length of the Ganges is given by its Hooghly River distributary, which is longer than its main outlet via the Meghna River, resulting in a total length of about 2,704km (1,680mi), if taken from the source of the Bhagirathi,[30] or 2,321.50km (1,442.51mi), if from Haridwar to the Hooghly's mouth. Kumbh Mela is the most sacred of all the pilgrimages. report on melting Himalayan glaciers as 'voodoo science', "IPCC statement on the melting of Himalayan glaciers", Permanent Committee on Geographical Names for British Official Use (PCGN), "World of Change: Padma River - NASA Earth Observatory", "India's effort to clean up sacred but polluted Ganga River", "Gangotri Tapovan Trek, Gangotri Gaumukh Trek, Gangotri Tapovan Trekking", "Submarine fans: A critical retrospective (19502015)", "Holocene tectonic movements and stress field in the western Gangetic plains", Los Angeles County Museum of Art & Pal 1988, "Kumbh Mela, most sacred of Hindu pilgrimages", "Kumbha Mela Video: Amazing and Magical Celebration of Life", "Report of the committee on pollution caused by leather tanning industry to the water bodies / ground water in Unnao district of Uttar Pradesh", "Ganga pathway to be complete in three years", "Central govt approval to KDA's riverfront development project", "Upper Gangetic Plains moist deciduous forests", "Lower Gangetic Plains moist deciduous forests", "Ganges River Dolphin Declared India's National Aquatic Animal", "A New Species of River Dolphin from Brazil or: How Little Do We Know Our Biodiversity", "Global warming benefits to Tibet: Chinese official", "See s. 10.6 of the WGII part of the report at", "Impact of climate change on the hydrological regime of the Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra river basins: a review of the literature", "The Pyres of Varanasi: Breaking the Cycle of Death and Rebirth", "River Ganga pollution: Causes and failed management plans", "Draw plan to check Ganga pollution by sugar mills", "India and pollution: Up to their necks in it", "Hindu Funderals, Cremation and Varanasi", "Miller-stone's Travel Blog: Varanasi: The Rich, The Poor, and The Afterlife", "Journey of River Ganga, from Purest to the Dirtiest river of the World ", "World Bank loans India $1bn for Ganges river clean up", "Ganga gets a tag: national river Vote whiff in step to give special status", "Namami Ganga development Project gets 2037 crores", "Uttarakhand HC declares Ganga, Yamuna living entities, gives them legal rights", "Will granting legal rights to rivers like the Ganga, change the on-ground situation? Devprayag (Confluence of Bhagirathi and Alaknanda River & origin of Ganges River) Devprayag is situated nearly 70KM from the city of Rishikesh at an elevation of 2720 feet. The small town is situated on the route from Rishikesh to Badrinath. The Hooghly River is formed by the confluence of the Bhagirathi River and Ajay River at Katwa, and Hooghly has a number of tributaries of its own. [30] It stretches 400km (250mi) along the Bay of Bengal. [122] In the Patna region in the lower section of the basin, catches of carp fell from 383.2 metric tons to 118, and catfish from 373.8 metric tons to 194.48. [122] Among the threatened species is the critically endangered Ganges shark (Glyphis gangeticus). [125] Most of these are seriously threatened. [117] In the 21st century there are few large wild animals, mostly deer, wild boars, wildcats, and small numbers of Indian wolves, golden jackals, and red and Bengal foxes. Auckland's successor as Governor-General, Lord Ellenborough, appeared less receptive to large-scale public works, and for the duration of his tenure, withheld major funds for the project. [4], The Alaknanda contributes a significantly larger portion to the flow of the Ganges than the Bhagirathi. The 814km (506mi) long Gandaki River, then the 729km (453mi) long Kosi River, join from the north flowing from Nepal, contributing about 1,654m3/s (58,400cuft/s) and 2,166m3/s (76,500cuft/s), respectively. These are:[6], The Alaknanda river is among the best for river rafting in the world due to its high rafting grade. You are free: to share - to copy, distribute and transmit the work; to remix - to adapt the work; Under the following conditions: attribution - You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. [65] The symbolic and religious importance of the Ganges is one of the few things that Hindus, even their skeptics, have agreed upon. As the Alaknanda flows past Rudraprayag, it enters a wide valley near Srinagar, Garhwal. Photograph taken by Mark A. Wilson (Department of Geology, The College of Wooster). Ganges - Wikipedia The Ganges Canal, which required a total capital outlay of 2.15million, was officially opened in 1854 by Lord Dalhousie. [147], In March 2017 the High Court of Uttarakhand declared the Ganges River a legal "person", in a move that according to one newspaper, "could help in efforts to clean the pollution-choked rivers". [118] The Sundarbans mangroves (Heritiera fomes) also grow in the Sundarbans area of the Ganges Delta. [112], Tourism is another related activity. [117], A similar situation is found in the lower Gangetic Plain, which includes the lower Brahmaputra River. Within the Himalaya, the Ganges basin spreads almost 1,200km from the Yamuna-Satluj divide along the Simla ridge forming the boundary with the Indus basin in the west to the Singalila Ridge along the Nepal-Sikkim border forming the boundary with the Brahmaputra basin in the east. [58] The site of the old Brahmaputra-Meghna confluence, in the locality of Langalbandh, is still considered sacred by Hindus. Goddess Ganga with left hand resting on a dwarf attendant's head from the Rameshwar Temple, Ellora Caves, Maharashtra (6th century), The goddess Ganga stands on her mount, the makara, with a kumbha, a full pot of water, in her hand, while an attendant holds a parasol over her. Other resolutions: 320 240 pixels | 640 480 pixels | 1,000 750 pixels. The river continues to travel to Harsil and crosses the Bhagirathi Granite. This infuriated sage Kapila and with his ascetic's gaze burned all sixty thousand sons to ashes. After entering Bangladesh, the main branch of the Ganges river is known as the Padma. [105] According to historian Ian Stone: It was the largest canal ever attempted in the world, five times greater in its length than all the main irrigation lines of Lombardy and Egypt put together, and longer by a third than even the largest USA navigation canal, the Pennsylvania Canal. The continuing customs of burning dead bodies, throwing carcasses, washing of dirty clothes by washermen, and immersion of idols and cattle wallowing were not checked. [121] In a major 20072009 study of fish in the Ganges basin (including the river itself and its tributaries, but excluding the Brahmaputra and Meghna basins), a total of 143 fish species were recorded, including 10 non-native introduced species. The flowing of dirty water through drains and sewers were not adequately diverted. Miss Krazzy 6.02K subscribers "Devaprayga" means "Godly Confluence" in Sanskrit. It then enters a wide valley and meets two tributaries near Jhala. [Solved] Bhagirathi and Alaknanda rivers meet at - Testbook.com Very little provision of public latrines was made and the open defecation of lakhs of people continued along the riverside. [82], The Ganges is the distilled lifeblood of the Hindu tradition, of its divinities, holy books, and enlightenment. Having no compensating virtue, Vahika's soul is at once dispatched to hell. [82] She accepts Shiva's incandescent seed from the fire-god Agni, which is too hot for this world and cools it in her waters. Ganga-Sacred confluence of river Alaknanda & Bhagirathi RIvers LaxmanGanga meet Alaknanda, This page was last edited on 21 July 2023, at 01:21. [129], In 2007, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), in its Fourth Report, stated that the Himalayan glaciers which feed the river were at risk of melting by 2035. This strong seasonal variation underlies many problems of land and water resource development in the region. It reaches the Badrinath valley, arrives at Hanumanchatti, and meets with the Ghrit Ganga, a right bank tributary. The Alaknanda is on the right and Bhagirathi is on the left.Confluence of Alaknanda and Bhagirathi at Devprayag in Uttarakhand, Uttaranchal, Garhwal, India. The main stem of the Ganges begins at the town of Devprayag,[1] at the confluence of the Alaknanda, which is the source stream in hydrology on account of its greater length, and the Bhagirathi, which is considered the source stream in Hindu Mythology. The Himalayan headwaters of the Ganges River in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, India. Now known as the Western Yamuna Canal, it has fallen into disrepair and been restored several times. [45], The Ganges basin ranges from the Himalaya and the Transhimalaya in the north, to the northern slopes of the Vindhya range in the south, from the eastern slopes of the Aravalli in the west to the Chota Nagpur plateau and the Sunderbans delta in the east. After the Ghaghara confluence, the Ganges is joined from the south by the 784km (487mi) long Son River, which contributes about 1,008m3/s (35,600cuft/s). Jyoti Thottam. There are a few small patches of forest left, and they suggest that much of the upper plains may have supported a tropical moist deciduous forest with sal (Shorea robusta) as a climax species. The proposed 23 hydel-projects are as follows -. Effects of Differential Tectonic Uplift on Steepness and - Springer [81] Shiva, is depicted in Hindu iconography as Gangadhara, the "Bearer of the Ganga", with Ganga, shown as spout of water, rising from his hair. The Ganges river follows a 900km (560mi) arching course passing through the cities of Kannauj, Farukhabad, and Kanpur. As per Hindu scriptures, Devaprayaga is the sacred event of merging two heavenly rivers, Alakananda and. They curse each other to become rivers, and to carry within them, by washing, the sins of their human worshippers. The Gandhi Setu Bridge across the Ganges in Patna, Bihar [156], Illegal mining in the Ganges river bed for stones and sand for construction work has long been a problem in Haridwar district, Uttarakhand, where it touches the plains for the first time. The public of the areas was not taken into consideration. The river continues to flow downwards to Uttarkashi and then through Dharasu, Chinyalisaur, and the old town of Tehri. Considered to be one of the most sacred confluences of rivers, the name Devprayag literally means Godly Confluence. Devprayag: Here the confluence of Alaknanda River and Bhagirathi River take place and the Ganges River officially starts from here. The turbulent Bhagirathi as it enters Devprayag. This place is surrounded by two mountain ranges of Nar and Narayan on either sides and Neelkanth peak located at the back of Narayan range. In hydrology, the Alaknanda is considered the source stream of the Ganges on account of its greater length and discharge;[1] however, in Hindu tradition and culture, the other headstream, the Bhagirathi, is considered the source stream. Bansagar Dam was built on the Sone River, a tributary of the Ganges for both irrigation and hydroelectric power generation. ), The purna kumbha or full pot of water is the second most discernible element of the Ganga iconography. "[152], The incidence of water-borne and enteric diseasessuch as gastrointestinal disease, cholera, dysentery, hepatitis A and typhoidamong people who use the river's waters for bathing, washing dishes and brushing teeth is high, at an estimated 66% per year. [76] Nothing reclaims order from disorder more than the waters of the Ganga. [24] The Ganges joins the 1,444km (897mi) long River Yamuna at the Triveni Sangam at Prayagraj(previously Allahabad), a confluence considered holy in Hinduism. Chief crops cultivated in the area include rice, sugarcane, lentils, oil seeds, potatoes, and wheat. From Joshimath, the Alaknanda crosses the Main Central Thrust near Helang. The name Ganges is used for the river between the confluence of the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda rivers, in the Himalayas, and the first bifurcation of the river, near the Farakka Barrage and the India-Bangladesh Border. The Padma is joined by the Jamuna River, the largest distributary of the Brahmaputra. Alaknanda and Bhagirathi meet at - Quhasa One result is different ways to determine the river's length, its discharge, and the size of its drainage basin. The enthusiasm, however, proved to be short-lived. [26] The Hooghly River empties into the Bay of Bengal near Sagar Island. [60], The first European traveller to mention the Ganges was the Greek envoy Megasthenes (ca. Ganga, the biggest and the holiest river in India, starts its journey to the plains and further . By the end of the 18th century, the Padma had become the main distributary of the Ganges. [2] Due to Bhagiratha's role in the descent of the Ganges, the source stream came to be known as Bhagirathi. The same highway, on the sides of Devprayag, runs up to Badrinath covering prominent places like Rudraprayag, Karnprayag, Nandprayag, Chamoli, Joshimath . Photograph (1875) of goddess Ganga (Gupta period, 5th or 6th century CE) from Besnagar, Madhya Pradesh, now in Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. The Court of Directors, moreover, considerably enlarged the scope of the projected canal, which, in consequence of the severity and geographical extent of the famine, they now deemed to be the entire Doab region.[104]. [67], In the Vaishnava version of the myth, the heavenly waters were then a river called Vishnupadi (Sanskrit: "from the foot of Vishnu"). This new main channel of the Brahmaputra is called the Jamuna River. Jun 3, 2018 407 Dislike Share Save WildFilmsIndia 4.26M subscribers Aerial view of the confluence of river Alaknanda and Bhagirathi in Devprayag in Uttarakhand. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use. Sabarimala is situated in which of the following states? [82] In the Mahabharata, she is the wife of Shantanu, and the mother of heroic warrior-patriarch, Bhishma. [78], I come as an orphan to you, moist with love.I come without refuge to you, giver of sacred rest.I come a fallen man to you, uplifter of all.I come undone by disease to you, the perfect physician.I come, my heart dry with thirst, to you, ocean of sweet wine.Do with me whatever you will. A beautiful showcase of traditions, myths and mysticism, Devprayag is the place where the holy rivers Bhagirathi and Alaknanda meet, merge into one and take the name Ganga, making it a unique pilgrimage. Where does Alaknanda River originate? [79] Her divinity is immediate and everlasting.[79]. There are 5 prayags or Panch Prayag- Alaknanda River:- Alaknanda is one of the two Major headstreams of Ganga River. As the iconography evolved, sculptors, especially in central India, were producing animated scenes of the goddess, replete with an entourage and suggestive of a queen en route to a river to bathe. [131], The Ganges suffers from extreme pollution levels,[133] caused by the 400million people who live close to the river. Top Hotel Collections Often in such reliefs, the makara's tail is extended with great flourish into a scrolling design symbolizing both vegetation and water. [120] The forests of the lower Gangetic Plain, despite thousands of years of human settlement, remained largely intact until the early 20th century. It flows south and east through the Gangetic plain of North India, receiving the right-bank tributary, the Yamuna, which also rises in the western Indian Himalayas, and several left-bank tributaries from Nepal that account for the bulk of its flow. There are over forty protected areas in the ecoregion, but over half of these are less than 100 square kilometres (39sqmi). [67], The karunasiri is an old theme in Hinduism with a number of different versions of the story. The River Bhagirathi with a total length of 217 km up to Devprayag has an average slope of 12.5 m per km, whereas the river Alaknanda has an average gradient of 15.5 m per km in her 224 km length up to Devprayag. [76] Regardless of all scientific understanding of its waters, the Ganges is always ritually and symbolically pure in Hindu culture. [79], The Ganga is also the mother, the Ganga Mata (mata="mother") of Hindu worship and culture, accepting all and forgiving all. Badrinath Rishi Ganga River meet Alaknanda. The failure of the Ganga Action Plan has also been variously attributed to "environmental planning without proper understanding of the human-environment interactions",[d] Indian "traditions and beliefs",[k] "corruption and a lack of technical knowledge"[c] and "lack of support from religious authorities". [93] A relief similar to the depiction in frame 4 above, is described in Pal 1997, p.43 as follows: A typical relief of about the ninth century that once stood at the entrance of a temple, the river goddess Ganga is shown as a voluptuously endowed lady with a retinue. [100] Dams and canals were common in the Gangetic plain by the 4th century BCE. Devprayag (Deva prayga) is a town and a nagar panchayat, near New Tehri city in Tehri Garhwal District [1] [2] in the state of Uttarakhand, India, and is the final one of the Panch Prayag (five confluences) of Alaknanda River where Alaknanda meets the Bhagirathi river and both rivers thereafter flow on as the Ganges river or Ganga. He played an important role in the descent of the Ganges. The morphometric analysis of the 4 th, 5 th, 6 th order catchments of both the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi watershed shows that for 4 th and 6 th order basins Alaknanda has higher drainage density, texture and stream frequency but the trend is reversed in 5 th order basins. [70] As the Triloka-patha-gamini, (Sanskrit: triloka = "three worlds", patha = "road", gamini = "one who travels") of the Hindu tradition, she flows in heaven, earth, and the netherworld, and, consequently, is a "tirtha" or crossing point of all beings, the living as well as the dead. [117] As recently as the 16th and 17th centuries the upper Gangetic Plain harboured impressive populations of wild Asian elephants (Elephas maximus), Bengal tigers (Panthera t. tigris), Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis), gaurs (Bos gaurus), barasinghas (Rucervus duvaucelii), sloth bears (Melursus ursinus) and Indian lions (Panthera leo leo). The other four are the baiji (Lipotes vexillifer) of the Yangtze River in China, now likely extinct; the Indus River dolphin of the Indus River in Pakistan; the Amazon river dolphin of the Amazon River in South America; and the Araguaian river dolphin (not considered a separate species until 2014[128]) of the AraguaiaTocantins basin in Brazil. Bangladesh, in particular, frequently experiences drought during the dry season and regularly suffers extreme floods during the monsoon.[56]. [66] "The Ganga", he wrote in his will, "is the river of India, beloved of her people, round which are intertwined her racial memories, her hopes and fears, her songs of triumph, her victories and her defeats. [88] The pairing of the fearsome, life-destroying makara with the youthful, life-affirming gana speaks to two aspects of the Ganges herself. [77] Moving water, as in a river, is considered purifying in Hindu culture because it is thought to both absorb impurities and take them away. It is from Devprayag, the Ganges River officially starts. The cover undergoes another transformation in the temple at Kharod, Bilaspur (9th or 10th century), where the parasol is lotus-shaped,[92] and yet another at the Trimurti temple at Badoli where the parasol has been replaced entirely by a lotus.[92]. [33] The subcontinent's subsequent collision with the Eurasian Plate and subduction under it, gave rise to the Himalayas, the planet's highest mountain ranges. [42] The seasonality of flow is so acute it can cause both drought and floods. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. The Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna system is the second largest river on earth by discharge.[11][12]. One of the major water sources of river Ganga " Bhagirathi " rises at the foot of Gangotri Glacier at Gomukh in Uttarakhand. [e], Varanasi, a city of one million people that many pilgrims visit to take a "holy dip" in the Ganges, releases around 200million liters of untreated human sewage into the river each day, leading to large concentrations of fecal coliform bacteria. File:Bhagirathi and Alaknanda Confluence.jpg. Uttarakhand: Existing, under construction and proposed Hydropower Projects [d] The Ganga Action Plan has been described variously as a "failure",[143][i][j] a "major failure".[a][b][h].