The Ganges is one of the major rivers in India flowing east from the Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal. The 2,510 km river is linked to the goddess Ganga and is considered holy by Hindus. The water is said to have purifying qualities and pilgrims come to bathe in the river in hopes of washing away their sins.
The Ganges is also the site of many religious ceremonies and rituals. As the river is considered a pathway to heaven, families spread the ashes of the deceased there. Believers may also come to the Ganges with water bottles in tow to capture some of the river water and bring it back to their ailing loved ones to help them along the journey to heaven.
One of the cities that the Ganges flows through is Kolkata. On our first full day, we traveled to the edge of the river and dipped our feet in. As our next stop was on the opposite side of the city, we then took a thirty minute boat ride across the river.
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