"River of Life and Death"
To Hindus, the Ganges is not just water; she is a Goddess, Ganga Ma (Mother Ganges). Flowing from the Himalayas, she is believed to purify all sins. Millions of pilgrims travel to Varanasi to bathe in her waters, washing away bad karma accumulated over lifetimes.
The riverbanks (ghats) are also a place of death. Hindus believe that dying in Varanasi and being cremated on the banks of the Ganges breaks the cycle of reincarnation (Samsara), allowing the soul to attain Moksha (liberation). It is a profound place where daily life and death exist side by side.