FULL FOG PrayagRaj Ganga River LOst in FOG Kumbh 2019
Channel: ADBHUT
Date: 25/11/2020

The Ganges (/ˈɡændʒiːz/ GAN-jeez) or Ganga (/ˈɡʌŋɡə/ GUNG-gə, Hindustani: [ˈɡəŋɡaː]) is a trans-boundary river of Asia which flows through India and Bangladesh. The 2,704 km (1,680 mi) river originates from the Gangotri Glacier of western Himalayas in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, and flows south and east through the Gangetic Plain of India and Bangladesh, eventually emptying into the Bay of Bengal.[4]

The Ganges is a lifeline to millions who live along its course.[5] It is a sacred river and worshipped as the goddess Ganga in Hinduism.[6][7] It has been important historically; many former provincial or imperial capitals (such as Prayagraj, Dhaka, Baharampur, Bikrampur, Kampilya, Kannauj,[8] Kara, Kashi, Kolkata, Murshidabad, Munger, Patliputra,[8] and Sonargaon) have been located on its banks.

The Ganges is threatened by severe pollution. This poses a danger not only to humans but also to animals; the Ganges is home to approximately 140 species of fish and 90 species of amphibians. The river also contains reptiles and mammals, including critically endangered species such as the Gharial and South Asian river dolphin.[9] The levels of fecal coliform bacteria from human waste in the river near Varanasi are more than a hundred times the Indian government's official limit.[9] The Ganga Action Plan, an environmental initiative to clean up the river, has been considered a failure[a][b][10] which is variously attributed to corruption, a lack of will in the government, poor technical expertise,[c] environmental planning[d] and a lack of support from the native religious authorities.[e]