Mongolians too revere Ganga

SURPRISING THOUGH it may sound, river Ganga has much religious significance for the people of Mongolian origin and its reflection in ancient Mongolian literature corroborates this.

SURPRISING THOUGH it may sound, river Ganga has much religious significance for the people of Mongolian origin and its reflection in ancient Mongolian literature corroborates this.

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“We revere the holy river Ganga and consider its water most sacred,,everlasting and a sign of cultural-exchange”, Prof Siqin Menghe, Director of Division of Mongolian Literature, Institute of Ethnic Literature, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing, China told reporters here on Saturday.

Flanked by Prof Tsetsenbat of the Institute of Ethnic Literature, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing and Prof Dipak Malik, Director Gandhian Institute of Studies, Varanasi, Prof Menghe referred to Mongolian literature like a book called ‘Ganga-in-Urusgal’—(The Flowing of Ganga), authored by Gombujab in the 18th century in which the importance of this holy river has been described in detail.He said that folk music on the preservation, protection and religious significance of Ganga, its purity and ‘message of love’ was popular among the people of Mongolian origin.

Expressing concern at the rising pollution in the Ganga after their visit to the river here, the Chinese scholars said that they were optimistic that it would soon regain its glory. However, he said the situation of rivers was no better in China due to industrial waste going into the rivers.