Gangajal, sacred water from the River Ganges, Radhe Industries, India c. 2017

Bottle of Gangajal, sacred water from the River Ganges, 100 ml, Radhe Industries, Haridwar, India c. 2017

For Hindus, the River Ganges is sacred and revered. They believe that any rituals performed at the banks of the Ganges or in its water will bring fortune and wash away impurity. In July 2016, a scheme was introduced to make bottled Ganges water available for sale at low cost in post offices throughout India. It is also widely exported, and this example was purchased on Amazon. However, the commodification of this natural and sacred resource has also been controversial.

Though the sacred waters are linked to spiritual purity, the Ganges is one of the most polluted rivers in the world. Over the last decade, there have been increasing efforts to clean up the river.