In Hindu mythology, Ganga is the goddess who personifies the Ganges River. She is usually portrayed as a graceful divine woman and is associated with purification, fertility, compassion, and liberation.
According to a famous account, King Bhagiratha performed severe austerities to bring Ganga from heaven to Earth so that his ancestors could be released from a curse. The river’s descent was so powerful that Shiva caught the falling waters in his matted hair and allowed them to flow gently to the world. This story explains why Shiva is closely associated with the Ganges.
Ganga is also connected with several major figures in the Mahabharata. She is described as the mother of Bhishma, one of the epic’s most important elders. This mythological identity is distinct from the river’s geographical and environmental history, although the two are inseparable in Hindu religious culture.
The name Ganga refers to both the goddess and the river. “Ganges” is the common English form of the river’s name.