Ganga was little girl. She was the daughter of king Himavat and queen Mena. She lived with them far away in a cave of ice in the Himalayas.

Ganga’s parents loved her very much. They gave her everything she wanted. She lived happily in her mountain cave. When the sun’s rays touched the icy walls of her cave, they sparkled with rainbow colors.

One day Ganga’s father returned from a visit to the land of Bharat (India). He looked very sad.

Why are you so sad?’ asked Ganga.

`The land of Bharat has a severe drought,’ said her father. `Men, women and children are dying of hunger and thirst. The cattle are also dying. The trees, the plants and the crops have all dried up and been destroyed.’

`How can we help the people of Bharat?’ asked little Ganga.

Her father remained silent for a long time. Slowly he answered, `Ganga, my precious child, you alone can help the people of this burning plain in the north of Bharat.’

`How father?’ asked Ganga.

`If a maiden pure and white as snow goes to live in the plains of Bharat, the land and its people can be saved,’ her father replied.

`I won’t go,’ said Ganga. She was not willing to leave her icy, rainbow-tinted home.

Ganga’s father visited Bharat once again. This time he brought back a small baby. The baby looked dead. Ganga bent over the tiny form. The baby had a thin body with a pale face and parched lips. Seeing this, Ganga’s eyes filled with tears. A single tear- drop fell on the baby’s lips. Immediately the baby’s lips moved and it opened its eyes.

`Father, I will go to Bharat,’ cried Ganga, with tears streaming down her face.

Ganga’s father and mother were sad because their daughter was going away. But Ganga was happy. She would help to renew life. The people, plants and ani9mals of the northern plain would live again.

Ganga left her icy kingdom in the Himalayas. As soon as she stepped out of her cave she became a stream of water. She tumbled over the rocks and badly hurt.

Still she continued to flow. Often she had to drop from a great height. When this happened she became a waterfall. Sometimes she had to travel over rough ground. But Ganga did not stop her journey.

At last she reached the great plains of northern Bharat. By then she was no longer a stream, but a mighty river. She flowed over the plains. The parched earth drank her cool water. The plants awakened at the touch of life –giving water.

Soon the birds and animals also found Ganga and drank the life-giving water. The people too drank it. They used it to water their crops. Son they had food to eat. The land prospered again. Ganga had saved all of them. People began to worship her as goddess. They began to call her mother Ganga.