The river Ganges carries an immense  religious and cultural meaning for Hindus of every region and every sect. For thousands of years the Hindus have declared that there is nothing quite as cleansing and purifying as the living waters of the River of Heaven. Every morning thousands of Hindus who have made their homes close by the river Ganges make their way into the holy water.

Washerman and woman can be found beating their clothes on the stone at the river edge. A beautiful palette of multi colored saris are laid out in the sunshine and further down the river in the ancient city of Benares Hindus from all over will bring their dead  for cremation. A verse from the Mahabharata promises ' If only the bone of a person should touch the water of  the Ganges, that person shall dwell, honored, in heaven.  

The river speaks with one voice and one concept that  most  Indians will agree with. This 'pure' water is supposed to wash their sins away. In the Ganges river town of Benares