Along the Ganga: Photography by Serena Chopra

The river Ganga is revered as ‘Ganga Mai’, the mother Ganga. The entire length of this mighty river is steeped in religiosity and is the most important pilgrim route for Hindus. The river is a symbol of purity and holds the secret to purification. She is worshipped in a myriad ways by millions of devotees who bathe in her waters to cleanse their bodies and souls from sin, invoking oaths and chanting her name in profound prayer, believing in her divine power to bring them one step closer to a release from the cycle of reincarnation, or 'samsara'.