The Ganges River is considered one of the most sacred rivers in India, and its water, called Ganga water, does not spoil years. It is not only associated with religious faith but is also very special from scientific point of view. Its specialty is that it never smells and it always remains pure. This secret has been surprising people for centuries, and many scientific and mythological reasons are given behind it.
The water of the Ganges is not only used in worship but it is considered as nectar. It is believed that consuming Ganga water keeps the body healthy and age is long. After all, why does Gangajal remain pure for years? In response to this question, both science and spirituality have revealed important facts.
The Ganges river originates from Gomukh in Uttarakhand and is found in the Bay of Bengal in Bangladesh via Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal. It is about 2,525 km long. In Hinduism, Ganga has the status of mother and it is mentioned in many mythological texts including Mahabharata. It is believed that bathing in Ganga water destroys sins and attains salvation.
Ganga water never deteriorates, nor does bad smell from it. The main reasons behind this are bacteriophages and ninja viruses present in its water, which eliminate harmful bacteria.
Scientific study began in the 1890s on the purity of Ganga water. At that time there was a severe famine in many places in India, which increased the outbreak of starvation and diseases. Cholera spread during the Magh fair on the Sangam coast in Allahabad (now Prayagraj), causing many people to die. Due to lack of resources, the dead bodies started to be shed in the Ganges.
Famous British bacteriologist Ernest Hankin did research on Ganga water and found that even though the bodies were being shed in the Ganges, the people who were drinking its water were not getting sick. He collected samples of Ganga water and analyzed them and concluded that an unknown element in this water was destroying the bacteria of cholera. He wrote in his paper published in 1895, "The Ganges and Yamuna rivers of India are more clean than the rivers of Britain and Europe, no matter what they are treated."
After Ernest Hankin, a French scientist also researched Ganga water and found that it contains microorganisms called Ninja virus, which eliminates harmful bacteria. According to Science Facts, more than 1000 types of bacteriophages are found in Ganga water, which keep the Ganges water pure by eliminating harmful bacteria.
Another feature of Ganga water is its high oxygen holding capacity. The Ganges has the ability to absorb 20 times more pollution than other rivers. Due to exit from the Himalayas, it contains many types of natural herbs and minerals, which protect its water from rotting.
Along with religious beliefs about the sanctity of the Ganges river, scientific evidence also proves its specialty. That is why keeping Ganga water at home removes negative energy and provides physical and mental purification.