Despite being worshipped and celebrated for thousands of years, Ma Ganga, our sacred river is increasingly being polluted. At Varanasi, one of the ancient cities in the world, venerating Ganga has been part of daily rituals. This includes floating ‘deepams’ on the river Ganga.

For a long time – since the advent of plastics – the deepams were placed on silver foiled paper cups and floated. These non-biodegradable cups settle down at the bottom of the river posing a threat to the rich ecosystem of Ganga. Approximately 10,000 non-biodegradable cups end up at the bottom of the river every day. This is one of the reasons for polluting the holy river extensively.

Despite this deterioration, like any mother, Ma Ganga blesses humanity. Just like human beings, rivers have souls too. That’s why they act as the lifeblood of the ecosystem that is found throughout their banks. That’s why early civilizations around the world were formed along the riverbanks. In a country where practically everything in nature is venerated, the Ganges is most holy. There is no better time than now to act to save this perennial river from this fate.