The Ganges Delta is situated in the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent and approximately two-thirds of it is located in Bangladesh, while the remaining one-third forms a part of the Indian State of West Bengal. The Ganges Delta is considered to be an arc-shaped delta and is positioned at the meeting point of the three tectonic plates namely, the Burma Plate, the Eurasian Plate, and the Indian Plate.
The delta is a network of channels, swamps, lakes, and sediments of the floodplains. As per the legend, the sixty thousand sons of King Sagara were turned to ashes by the angry gaze of Sage Kapila. Their descendant King Bhagiratha had meditated for several years to please Goddess Ganga, and to bring her on Earth for washing away the sins of his ancestors. The waters of the River Ganga are considered pure, sacred, and purifying and the river is therefore considered as the absolver of all sins, providing a door towards salvation.
The Makara or, Gharial is considered the vehicle of Goddess Ganga. The Ganges River supports more than species of fish, 90 species of amphibians, several reptiles, birds, and mammals. The Ganges River is home to many reptilian species like gharial, the saltwater crocodile, the mugger crocodile, three-striped roof turtle, Indian black turtle, etc. Many mammalian species like Bengal Tigers in the mangrove swamps of the Ganges Delta , elephants, four-horned antelope, foxes, and leopards have been recorded in the upper Gangetic Plains.
The Ganges Basin with its fertile alluvial soil provides support to the agricultural economies of India and Bangladesh. About half a billion people inhabit the regions along the banks of the River Ganges and depend on the waters of the river to sustain their needs. Some major cities and industrial towns are situated along the course of the river. Several ghats have been constructed along the river banks which are used for bathing, washing, and for performing cremations.
Religious festivals like Kumbh Mela are held where more than million pilgrims gather to take a holy dip in the Ganges. Adding further stress to the situation, scientists have concluded that climate change has led to a decrease in glacial ice in the Himalayas, the source of the Ganges, and theorize this will result in further decreased water levels in the river over time.
Also called the Ganga. The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit. The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited. Tyson Brown, National Geographic Society. National Geographic Society. For information on user permissions, please read our Terms of Service.
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Image Ganges River Delta The Ganges Ganga River and its surrounding watershed supports one of the most fertile and densely populated regions on the planet, and its intricate web of waterways offered a stunning view to the crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia on mission STS Photograph by NASA.
Twitter Facebook Pinterest Google Classroom. Encyclopedic Entry Vocabulary. Ganges River. Gangotri Glacier. Himalaya Mountains. Media Credits The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit.
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