Which river to Hindus believe is special or sacred?

Answer 1

There are 7 sacred or special rivers:

1. Ganga or River Ganges being the most important.
2. River Yamuna / Jamuna
3. River Godavari
4. River Saraswathi
5. River Narmada
6. River Sindhu
7. River Kaveri or Cauvery

In-fact, there is a Shloka that Hindus recite during they take bath.

Gange cha Yamune chaiva Godavari Saraswathi,

Narmada Sindhu Kaveri Jale asmin sannidhim kuru.

It means:

Oh , holy river Ganga,

Oh, Holy river Yamuna,

Oh , Holy river Godavari,

Oh, Holy river Saraswathi,

Oh , Holy river Narmada,

Oh holy river Sindhu,

And holy river Kaveri,

I pray you to enter this water, which is meant for my bath.

Answer 2

River Ganges (Ganga). But then, many other major rivers of India are also considered sacred. It is something like we think about Gods and Goddesses. They are forms of one. So the other rivers also are forms of Mother Ganges. The Hindu bathing mantra says:

Gange cha Yamune chaiva Godavari Saraswati,

Narmade Sindhu Kaveri jalesmin sannidhim kuru

In this water, I invoke the presence of holy waters from the rivers Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Saraswati, Narmada, Sindhu and Kaveri.

Answer 3

ALL rivers are considered in India. Many have the names of saints and sages of Indian history, myth, and legend. Above all, the Ma Ganga, the Ganges River holds the highest place in the minds and hearts of Indians.

In an ancient Hindu chant, done during a ceremony of light (arati), the following rivers are described and will be discussed below:

Om Gange Cha Yamune Chaiva

Godaveri Saraswati

Narmade Sindhu Kaveri

- Sapta Sindhu ("Seven Rivers" of the Indus River Valley)- The father of rivers. "India" as a term comes from the Anglicized version of Indus. It really contains more than 20 rivers total in it's confluence.

- Ganga / Ganges River- the Ganges River is personified in myth. As an incarnated woman, she herself played a key part in the Mahabhrata- the most epic mythological tale in world history- by marrying Shantanu, the son of Bharat (the great king after which the story is named) giving birth to Bhishma, the central figure in the entire story.

Gomukh, meaning cow's mouth, is located on a tongue of the Bhagirathi Glacier and is the source of the River Ganga. Haridwar, one of the seven sacred cities of India, is located where the Ganga river enters the north Indian plains. Every 12 years a religious fair called the Khumbh Mela attracts millions of pilgrims for a sacrificial bath. Nazi in Maharashtra and Sangam near Allahabad are other sites of the Kumbh Mela bathing festival.

Rivers lend sanctity to some places, either by being born there or joining another river there. The place of junction of two rivers is called a Sangam, of which there is a familiar illustration in the junction of the Muta and Mula, near Poona. Allahabad, also known as Triveni Sangam, is sacred to Hindus because three sacred rivers - the Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati (which is supposed to join them from beneath the ground) meet there. It is also called Prayag, or "the confluence". It is personified by a fish bearing on its back three goddesses. Similarly, Thala-Kaveri, the birth place of the river Kaveri in Coorg (Karnataka), is also considered sacred.

- Jamuna / Yamuna River- This is the river which Lord Krishna, as a baby, was carried across to safety by his father- who escaped from prison for this reason only- from being killed by an evil king. There he stayed with Yashoda until he grew up.

- Godavari River- West to East flowing river south of the Narmada.

- Sarasvati River- extinct in a desert, but it was originally, as in the case of the Ganges, personified in the Goddess Saraswati (later independent of the former river), the goddess of knowledge, music and learning.

- Narmada River- an East to West flowing river in central India which forms the boundary between North and South India. The Narmada River is considered the mother and giver of peace. Legend has it that the mere sight of this river is enough to cleanse one's soul, as against a dip in the Ganga or seven in the Yamuna. The Ganga is believed to visit this river once a year, in the guise of a black cow to cleanse herself of all her collected sins.

- Cauvery / Kaveri River- West to East flowing river in South India whose outlet into the ocean is near Sri Lanka. After assuming the form river, Kaveri performed another tapas to become the sacred of rivers, more sacred than even the Ganges. Her tapas was answered and Lord Vishnu appears before her. On hearing her wish, Lord Vishnu says "Ganges is sacred because she originates from my feet; but you are infinitely more sacred to her as I adorn you as my garland". Upon this blessing, it is said that even Ganges is said to come underground, once a year, to Kaveri to cleanse herself. To this day, Vaishnavites (worshippers of Lord Vishnu) regard Kaveri, the river that holds Srirangam her bosom, as the most sacred of rivers.

- Brahmaputra River- (literally, son of Brahma, the Creator). A river which originates in Tibet, and is called Brahmaputra as it flows through the Assam Valley and is known as the Jamuna in Bangladesh and surrounding areas. Merges with the Ganges there in a vast delta.

Answer 4

The Ganges River in India is considered sacred by Hindus. The Hindu belief that the river is sacred comes from their mythology.

Answer 5

River Ganges is believed to be pure and sacred by Hindus.

Answer 6

river Ganges is very important to hindus. river Ganges is believed to be originated from heaven and extremely sacred. river Ganges can wash all the sins of a hindu.

Answer 7

the Ganges river

Answer 8

Ganga

Answer 9

The Ganges