Overview: The Ganges is the most spiritually revered river on Earth. For Hindus, Mother Ganga is a sacred spirit to be worshipped. It rises in an ice-cave in the Himalayas and empties into the Bay of Bengal. The holy river is a source of cleansing for sins, a place of purification. But the Ganges has become so badly polluted that it is dangerous to bathe in it let alone to drink from it.