The subject of the Diorama which we shall have the honour to explain, is
the course of the Ganges from its source to Fort William, Bengal:—its
picturesque scenery, the towns and temples on its banks, the religious
ceremonies, and the customs of the inhabitants, both Hindū and Musalmān,
will be pourtrayed. This noble river, considered the most sacred in
Hindostān, takes its rise at Gangoutrī, in the Himalaya, and issues from
the mountains upon the plains near Hurdwar. It passes within a few miles
of Meerut, flowing on to Furrackabad, Cawnpore, and Allahabad; at the
latter, it joins the Jumna, the first river of importance with which it
unites. Hence its course becomes more winding, its bed wider, and the
united streams flow past Mirzapūr, Chunar, Benares, and Ghazipūr. A
little above Chupra, the River Ghogra falls into the Ganges on the left
bank; and below Arrah, on the opposite bank, is its junction with the
Soane. At Hājīpūr, the Gunduk increases the powerful stream, which flows
on and passes Patna, Monghir, Bhagulpūr, Colgong, and Rajmahal, until it
reaches Gopalgunj, at which place a branch of the Ganges quits the main
stream, and flowing by Sooty and Moorshedabad is called the Bhāgīrathī,
until it reaches Nuddea. The main stream of the Ganges running to the
eastward, joins the Berhampootra, and after its union with that river,
falls into the Bay of Bengal. This, the main stream of the Ganges, is
not looked upon with equal veneration by the Hindūs as the branch
before-mentioned, which, flowing by Sooty and Moorshedabad, is called
the Bhāgīrathī, until it reaches Nuddea, at which place it is joined by
the Jellinghy, and the united currents flow on, passing Calcutta, to the
island of Sāgar, under the name of the Hoogly. Prior to the commencement
of the nineteenth century, the Ganges had been traced by Hindū pilgrims
from Hindostān into the snowy mountains that run in a direction
north-west to south-east on the frontiers of India. We will now ascend
the stream, stopping, as is the custom with pilgrims, at the junction of
rivers, and other sacred places, considered peculiarly holy by the
Hindūs, until we reach the last shrine, Gangoutrī, the source of the
Holy River.
[Illustration]