Sixth Grade
Worksheets
Sacred River, Dirty River
Caption: Women offer floating lamps to the river Ganga as morning worship.
Water is an important part of life. We drink it, bathe in it, and cook with it. In India, some water is considered sacred. Indians think of the Ganges River as a goddess. According to Hindu belief, this river can purify people made unclean by sin and help the dead reach heaven. Unfortunately, the purifying Ganges River water that is believed to cleanse people of their sins is not very clean.
According to Hindu tradition, the Ganges River used to be in heaven. She flowed across the sky. She eventually agreed to come down to earth to help a king. The king's ancestors had been burned to ashes. Only the pure Ganges water could help them get to heaven. The Ganges did help the king's relatives. This story is why Hindus scatter their loved ones' ashes in the Ganges River. They believe that the river will help their departed loved ones have a peaceful journey into their next life or up to heaven.
