why is the ganges river so important to india
Ganges The Ganges is one of the most sacred rivers to Hindus, although it is not mentioned in either the Rigveda or the Ramayana.[4] It is also a lifeline to millions of Indians who live along its course and depend on it for their daily needs. It is worshipped as the goddess Ganga in Hinduism.[5] It has also been important historically, with many former provincial or imperial capitals (such as [6] Kannauj, Kampilya, [6] Kara, Prayag or Allahabad, Kashi, Pataliputra or Patna, Hajipur, Munger, Bhagalpur, Murshidabad, Baharampur, Nabadwip, Saptagram, Kolkata and Dhaka) located on its banks.
Hooghly River The Hooghly River (Hugli; Anglicized alternatively spelled Hoogli or Hugli) or the Bhāgirathi-Hooghly, traditionally called 'Ganga', is an approximately 260-kilometre-long (160 mi) distributary of the Ganges River in West Bengal, India.[1] The Ganges splits into the Padma and the Hooghly near Giria, Murshidabad. The Padma flows eastward into Bangladesh, whereas the Hooghly flows south through West Bengal. The river flows through the Rarh region, the lower deltaic districts of West Bengal, and eventually into the Bay of Bengal. The upper riparian zone of the river is called Bhagirathi while the lower riparian zone is called Hooghly. Calcutta and Hugli-Chinsura, the headquarter of Hooghly (district), is located on the banks of this river.[2]