Along the Ganges River
Photo: Pfly, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The Ganges (Hindi: गंगा Gangā, Bengali: গঙ্গা Gongā) is India's longest and most important river, and a sacred river in Hinduism. At over 2,500 km long, the Ganges is the third-longest river in South Asia, after the Brahmaputra and the Indus.
UnderstandOften called the "lifeline of India", the Ganges has been an important transport route in the country with major cities along its banks for several thousand years.
CitiesListed from Devprayag to Bangladesh border, the cities on the Ganges are:
PrepareWhile you can get away with only English in major cities, you would need a phrasebook of either Hindi or Bengali or both if you're exploring the rural areas, as well as the Sundarbans.
Get inDelhi has a major international airport with connections to almost anywhere.
GoOne of the most popular ways to explore the Ganges is the Ganga Vilas, the world's longest river cruise.
Stay safeRegardless of the sanctity of the river, don't drink the Ganges water (gangājal) directly.
Sources and licences
- Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Along the Ganges River" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo: Pfly, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons