Ganges

views updated May 21 2018

Ganges (Ganga) River of n India. It rises in the Himalayas, then flows se, and empties into the Bay of Bengal through the Brahmaputra-Ganges delta. The plains of the Ganges are extremely fertile and support the densely populated cities of Delhi, Agra, Varanasi, and Lucknow. In Hinduism, it is the earthly form of the Goddess Ganga and pilgrims purify themselves in its waters. Length: 2512km (1560mi).

Ganges

views updated May 29 2018

Ganges a river of northern India and Bangladesh, rising in the Himalayas and flowing south-east to the Bay of Bengal. The river is regarded by Hindus as sacred.