Described in Mahabharata as the ¡®best of rivers, born of all sacred waters', River Ganga is personified as Goddess Ganga, seen in Hindu art as a fair-skinned woman, wearing a white saree and riding a crocodile.?
In the Mahabharata, Ganga is the mother of Bhishma and in some myths, Skanda (Karttikeya), the Hindu god of war, is her son with Agni, the god of fire.
In Hindu mythology, the river Ganga was created when Vishnu, in his incarnation as the dwarf brahmin, took two steps to cross the universe. On the second step, he accidentally dug a hole in the universe, and out came flowing Ganga.
Among many other mythological stories, one is about the great king Bhagiratha, who, through his prayers, convinced Shiva to bring Ganga to Earth.? Shiva offered to gently lower the goddess in his hair which he did, rather cautiously taking 1,000 years.
These legends have been heard for eons, but there are numerous other stories about Ganga and its water that have become foggy with the passing of time.
Very few are aware of the Mughal emperors' love for Gangajal.?
While Mughal ruler Akbar's liking for it has been chronicled, what is overlooked is that Babur and Humayun were too convinced of its purity, and considered it next to Aab-e-Hayat, the water of paradise or life, in Persian.
Ain-i-Akbari, written by Abu'l Fazal, sets down Akbar's love for Gangajal.
Akbar used "Gangajal" for drinking purposes. When Akbar resided in Agra and Fatehpur Sikri, Gangajal was brought from Soron ( Uttar Pradesh). When he made Lahore his capital, the water was supplied from Haridwar. The water of Jumna and Chenab was used for cooking, mixed with Ganga water.
Historian Dr Ram Nath, in his book, "Private Lives of the Mughals" states that Akbar, at home or while travelling, only drank Ganga water. Some trustworthy persons (perhaps to prevent poisoning) were stationed on the banks of the river Ganga, who dispatched the water in sealed jars daily.
Ice was the luxury of his age, only available for the kings and some of his nobles because it was brought directly from Panhan, the northern mountains
When Babur conquered Hindustan in 1526, what he missed the most were the cool streams of Kabul. The alternative he found in India was Ganga water, which Humayun, his son too liked because of his father¡¯s preference for it.
Jamuna, which flowed between Delhi and Agra, was the second option.
One reason for favouring Ganga water was that it could be stored longer and also because of the belief that it did not get contaminated with bacteria at a time when the concept of germs was unknown.
But the one who really increased the popularity of Gangajal was Mughal emperor Akbar, who only drank Gangajal.
To get Ganga water to Delhi and Agra from Rishikesh and Haridwar, Akbar had appointed many horsemen. Along these banks of river Ganga, Akbar also founded Allahabad, now known as Prayagraj.
With regards to food and drink, for eras past, the water of Ganga is considered ambrosia. In every Hindu household, you'll surely find Ganga water in a copper vessel.
In 1543, Portuguese physician Grace Deurta, who used to live in India, also said that Ganga water is anti-bacterial.
A few hundred years later, British physician, CL Nelson found Ganga's water healthy for the body.
Medical experiments carried out in labs establish that there are many elements and minerals in Ganga water because of which it doesn't go bad.
However, the Mughal emperors would turn in their graves, if they were to know the current situation of the river Ganga, the water of which was once considered elixir, and could wash away all the sins.
Today, Ganga is among the most polluted rivers in the world, posing significant threats to human health and the larger environment.?
Human waste, industrial waste, religious traditions are the primary reasons behind toxicity in Ganga, enough to give anyone serious illness.
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