Bhagiratha was a legendary king of the Ikshvaku dynasty. He brought the River Ganga to Earth from the heavens because only she could bestow nirvana to Bhagiratha’s ancestors who were cursed by Sage Kapila. After years of great penance, River Ganga descended on Earth and Lord Shiva agreed to channelize her flow. Therefore, River Ganga flowed from Lord Shiva’s hair. The place where the sacred river originated is known as Gangotri in present times, and since the river originated from Lord Shiva’s Jata (hair) it is also called Jata Shankari.

While flowing, the Ganga demolished the ashram of sage Jahna who became furious and stopped her movement. On Bhagirath’s appeal, the sage freed her; therefore, Ganga is also called Jahnavi. The Ganga then reached sage Kapil’s ashram, where Bhagirath’s ancestors were burnt to ashes and liberated to rest in peace.

The Ganges has been revered from the earliest times and today is regarded as the holiest of rivers by Hindus. The Ganges River is most sacred in the Hindu tradition. It is understood as the personification of the Goddess Ganga.

Hindu belief holds that bathing in the river on certain occasions causes the forgiveness of transgressions and helps attain salvation. Many people believe that this will come from bathing in Ganga at any time. Hindus also believe life is incomplete without bathing in the Ganga at least once in their lifetime. Places of Hindu pilgrimage, called tirthas, that are situated on the Ganges have particular significance.

People travel from distant places to immerse the ashes of relatives in the waters of the Ganga; this immersion also is believed to send the departed to Moksha, ending the cycle of reincarnation and cremation temples have been built in many places on the banks of the Ganges.

Several sites along the banks of the river are considered especially sacred, including Prayag (Allahabad), Haridwar, and Varanasi (Benares).

People carry sacred water from the Ganges that is sealed in copper pots after making the pilgrimage to Kashi. It is believed that drinking water from the Ganga with one's last breath will take the soul to heaven.

In most Hindu families, a vial of water from the Ganga is kept in every house. This is done because it is auspicious to have water of the Holy Ganga in the house, and also if someone is dying, that person will be able to drink its water.

Many Hindus believe that the water from the Ganga can cleanse a person's soul of all past sins, and that it can also cure the ill.

The ancient scriptures mention that the water of Ganges carries the blessings of Lord Vishnu's feet; hence Mother Ganges is also known as Vishnupadi, which means "Emanating from the Lotus feet of Supreme Lord Sri Vishnu."