Social ScienceClass- 9th

THE GANGA

The Ganges Length : Over 2500 kmDrainage : Dendritic patternAmbala : Water divide between

Indus and GangaLength of plains: 1800 kmFall in slope : Hardly 300 meters,

i.e.one meter for every 6 km therefore ,the river develops large meanders

The Ganga River System

The Ganges river is one of the largest and by far the

most important rivers in India.She has been a symbol of

India’s age long culture and civilization, ever changing,

ever flowing, and yet ever the same Ganga.

The river Ganges is officially and popularly known by it’s

hindu name,Ganga. The Ganges is 1560 miles long and flows through China,

India, Nepal and Bangladesh. The river flows through 29 cities and about 48 towns.

Hindus, who constitute the vast majority of India's

population, consider the Ganges a sacred river:

Ganga (or Ganges) is the daughter of the mountain

god, Himavan or Himalaya.

Every day people bathe in the sacred water believing that it will wash away their

sins. It is believed that even a few drops on their tongue will clean their bodies. To bathe

in the Ganga is a lifelong ambition for Hindus.

It is believed that any water that mixes with the smallest

amount of Ganges river becomes holy with healing

powers. Hindus also cast the ashes of their dead in the

river in the belief that this will guide the souls of the

deceased to paradise.

The Ganges has been used for irrigation since ancient times, the use of irrigation canals has increased the

production of cash crops like sugarcane, cotton and

oilseeds.

Floods of the Ganges have enriched the soil. This makes the Ganges Valley a great agricultural

region in India.

Floods of the Ganges have enriched the soil. This makes the Ganges Valley a great agricultural region in India. Fishing also is an important use of the Ganges. The Ganges is also a burial ground for the dead.

Drinking- Many cities get their drinking water from the

Ganges, which is a large problem because the water is very polluted in some parts of

the Ganges.

Energy-Only 20% of the estimated capacity of dams has been developed. At the upper part of the Ganges

River, electricity is generated at the waterfalls of the

Ganges River.

Gangotri glacier

Gnagotri glacier

Source of Alaknanda river

The five river confluences of Alakananda are Vishnu Prayag, Nandaprayag, Karnaprayag, Rudraprayag and Devaprayag… All five along the path of the Alakananda river, that goes on assimilating other rivers… Till it reaches Devaprayag, where Alakandanda meets Bhagirathi and thereon, is known as Ganga.

The confluence of Alaknanda and Mandakini rivers. karnaprayag

Alaknanda River

Alakananda river

Bagirathi river

Devaprayag the confluence of the two rivers

The headwaters of the Ganga called the ‘Bhagirathi’ is fed by the Gangotri Glacier and joined by the Alaknanda

at Devaprayag in Uttaranchal. At Haridwar the

Ganga emerges from the mountains on to the plains.

The Ganga is joined by many tributaries from the

Himalayas, a few of them being major rivers

such as the Yamuna, the Ghaghara, the Ghandak and the Kosi. The river Yamuna

rises from the Yamunotri Glacier in the Himalayas.

Ganga Yamuna Sangam

The River Ganga Pollution

“ Environmentalists say the river supports over 400 million people, and if the unabated pollution is not controlled, it will be the end of communities living along the banks.”

“Let each one of us be responsible and

ensure we are not contributors to pollution of our environment.”