Ganga Ma

The river goddess Ganga once flowed wild and free, ripping through the Indian landscape with vigour and might from the roaring icy waters in the Himalayas down its murky end in the Bay of Bengal. A symbol of spirituality as old as Jerusalem and Athens, the Ganges has become the first non-human entity in India to be granted the same legal status as that of human beings. For ten years I documented the lives of the people who live along the river, witnessing first-hand the devastating effects of climate change, industrialisation and urbanisation. It is evident in many ways that an impending ecological disaster waits on the horizon. In Hindu mythology the Ganges is considered a “Tirtha” which means a crossing point between heaven and earth. My fear is this bridge may crumble in our lifetime. In the face of climate change it appears we are only adding more logs to the incineration of this holy river goddess. This project aims to add fuel to the current discussion surrounding the fate of the river at this historical junction where we have the power to shape not only physical but also spiritual geography of a nation.