Ganges : The Many Pasts of an Indian River | Hardcover

Ganges: The Many Pasts of an Indian River

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 464
Date of Release: 11 December 2018

A richly detailed and beautifully illustrated exploration of India’s most sacred river, Ganges: The Many Pasts of an Indian River by Sudipta Sen traces the cultural, political, environmental, and spiritual history of the Ganges across thousands of years. Widely praised as one of the definitive books on the river, this compelling historical narrative examines how the Ganges shaped the civilizations, religions, empires, and identities of the Indian subcontinent.

Flowing from the Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal, the Ganges has long stood at the center of Indian life and imagination. Sen explores the river’s prehistoric origins, early settlements, Hindu myths, Buddhist traditions, trade routes, and ecological transformations, revealing how generations of communities depended upon and revered its waters. The book also examines the influence of Indian kingdoms, Central Asian rulers, European traders, the British Empire, and the modern Indian nation-state in shaping the river’s history and environmental future.

Combining history, geography, religion, ecology, and political analysis, this acclaimed work offers deep insight into South Asian civilization and the enduring symbolism of the Ganges in Indian culture and spirituality. Lavishly illustrated and meticulously researched, the book explores themes such as sacred geography, environmental politics, colonialism, river ecology, pilgrimage traditions, and the relationship between nature and human society.

Perfect for readers interested in Indian history, Hinduism, environmental studies, cultural geography, South Asian studies, river civilizations, and historical nonfiction, Ganges presents a sweeping portrait of one of the world’s most influential rivers and the people whose lives it continues to shape.

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