The Ganges River
The Ganges River is the holiest river in the religion of Hinduism. Most Hindus try to visit the Ganges at some point in their lives. The most famous city that lays along the river, Varanasi, has a population of about 3.7 million. At all times, thousands of people can be seen along the ghats, steps leading down to the river. People pray and bathe in the river, too. Hindus believe the Ganges River is a part of God, and that if it will get sick, it can heal itself. Sadly, this means that the people who live or work in the cities along the Ganges do not worry about how much they are polluting it.
People bathe in the extremely polluted water. Crematoriums line the river in Varanasi. It is believed in the Hindu religion that, if a person’s cremated ashes are dumped into the river after death, his or her soul will escape the cycle of reincarnation. Workplaces, such as leather tanneries, dispose of their waste by pouring it into the river. The Indian government cannot impose laws on putting waste into the river because most will not listen. The Ganges has such religious significance and importance that the government cannot prohibit certain activities, such as bathing, praying and cremations near the river, because it would take away people’s religious freedom. The Ganges River may be believed to be God, but it cannot heal itself without the help of others. Indians must do something about the pollution in the river before it “gets too sick” and “dies". |