Geography of the Ganges River

The Ganges River, also called Ganga, is a river located in northern India that flows toward the border with Bangladesh (map). It is the longest river in India and flows for around 1,569 miles (2,525 km) from the Himalayan Mountains to the Bay of Bengal. The river has the second greatest water discharge in the world, and its basin is the most heavily populated in the world with over 400 million people living in the basin. The Ganges River is extremely important to the people of India as most of the people living on its banks use it for daily needs such as bathing and fishing. It is also significant to Hindus as they consider it their most sacred river. The Course of the Ganges River The headwaters of the Ganges River begin high in the Himalayan Mountains where the Bhagirathi River flows out of the Gangotri Glacier in Indias Uttarakhand state. The glacier sits at an elevation of 12,769 feet (3,892 m). The Ganges River proper begins farther downstream where the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda rivers join. As the Ganges flows out of the Himalayas, it creates a narrow, rugged canyon. The Ganges River emerges from the Himalayas at the town of Rishikesh where it begins to flow onto the Indo-Gangetic Plain. This area, also called the North Indian River Plain, is a very large, relatively flat, fertile plain that makes up most of the northern and eastern parts of India as well as parts of Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh. In addition to entering the Indo-Gangetic Plain in this area, part of the Ganges River is also diverted toward the Ganges Canal for irrigation in the Uttar Pradesh state. As the Ganges River then flows farther downstream, it changes its direction several times and is joined by many other tributary rivers such as the Ramganga, Tamsa, and Gandaki rivers to name a few. There are also several cities and towns that the Ganges River passes through on its way downstream. Some of these include Chunar, Kolkata, Mirzapur, and Varanasi. Many Hindus visit the Ganges River in Varanasi as that city is considered the holiest of cities. As such, the citys culture is also closely tied into the river as it is the most sacred river in Hinduism. Once the Ganges River flows out of India and into Bangladesh, its main branch is known as the Padma River. The Padma River is joined downstream by large rivers like the Jamuna and Meghna rivers. After joining the Meghna, it takes on that name before flowing into the Bay of Bengal. Before entering the Bay of Bengal however, the river creates the worlds largest delta, Ganges Delta. This region is a highly fertile sediment-laden area that covers 23,000 square miles (59,000 sq km). It should be noted that the course of the Ganges River described in the above paragraphs is a general description of the rivers route from its source where the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda rivers join to its outlet at the Bay of Bengal. The Ganges has very complicated hydrology, and there are several different descriptions of its overall length and the size of its drainage basin based on what tributary rivers are included. The most widely accepted length of the Ganges River is 1,569 miles (2,525 km), and its drainage basin is estimated to be about 416,990 square miles (1,080,000 sq km). The Population of the Ganges River The Ganges River basin has been inhabited by humans since ancient times. The first people in the region were of the Harappan civilization. They moved into the Ganges River basin from the Indus River basin around the 2nd millennium B.C.E. Later the Gangetic Plain became the center of the Maurya Empire and then the Mughal Empire. The first European to discuss the Ganges River was Megasthenes in his work Indica. In modern times the Ganges River has become a source of life for the nearly 400 million people living in its basin. They rely on the river for their daily needs such as drinking water supplies and food and for irrigation and manufacturing. Today the Ganges River basin is the most populated river basin in the world. It has a population density of about 1,000 people per square mile (390 per sq km). The Significance of the Ganges River Aside from providing drinking water and irrigating fields, the Ganges River is extremely important to Indias Hindu population for religious reasons as well. The Ganges River is considered their most sacred river, and it is worshiped as the goddess Ganga Ma or Mother Ganges.   According to the Myth of the Ganges, the goddess Ganga descended from heaven to dwell in the waters of the Ganges River to protect, purify and bring to heaven those who touch it. Devout Hindus visit the river daily to offer flowers and food to Ganga. They also drink the water and bathe in the river to cleanse and purify their sins. Also, Hindus believe that upon death the waters of the Ganges River are needed to reach the World of the Ancestors, Pitriloka. As a result, Hindus bring their dead to the river for cremation along its banks and afterward their ashes are spread in the river. In some cases, corpses are also thrown into the river. The city of Varanasi is the holiest of cities along the Ganges River and many Hindus travel there place ashes of their dead in the river. Along with daily baths in the Ganges River and offerings to the goddess Ganga there are large religious festivals that occur in the river throughout the year where millions of people travel to the river to bathe so that they can be purified of their sins. Pollution of the Ganges River Despite the religious significance and daily importance of the Ganges River for the people of India, it is one of the most polluted rivers in the world. Pollution of the Ganges is caused by both human and industrial waste due to Indias rapid growth as well as religious events. India currently has a population of over one billion people, and 400 million of them live in the Ganges River basin. As a result, much of their waste, including raw sewage is dumped into the river. Also, many people bathe and use the river to clean their laundry. Fecal coliform bacteria levels near Varanasi are at least 3,000 times higher than the what is established by the World Health Organization as safe (Hammer, 2007). Industrial practices in India also have little regulation and as the population grows these industries do as well. There are many tanneries, chemical plants, textile mills, distilleries and slaughterhouses along the river and many of them dump their untreated and often toxic waste into the river. The water of the Ganges has been tested to contain high levels of things like chromium sulfate, arsenic, cadmium, mercury and sulfuric acid (Hammer, 2007). In addition to human and industrial waste, some religious activities also increase the pollution of the Ganges. For example, Hindus believe that they must take offerings of food and other items to Ganga and as a result, these items are thrown into the river on a regular basis and more so during religious events. Human remains are also often placed into the river. In the late 1980s Indias prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi began the Ganga Action Plan (GAP) to clean up the Ganges River. The plan shut down many highly polluting industrial plants along the river, and allotted funding for the construction of wastewater treatment facilities but its efforts have fallen short as the plants are not large enough to handle the waste coming from such a large population (Hammer, 2007). Many of the polluting industrial plants are also continuing to dump their hazardous waste into the river. Despite this pollution, however, the Ganges River remains important to the Indian people as well as different species of plants and animals such as the Ganges River dolphin, a very rare species of freshwater dolphin that is native only to that area. To learn more about the Ganges River, read A Prayer for the Ganges from Smithsonian.com.

Financial Statement Analysis Solution Chapter 1 - 15830 Words

Chapter 1 Overview of Financial Statement Analysis REVIEW Financial statement analysis is one important step in business analysis. Business analysis is the process of evaluating a company’s economic prospects and risks. This includes analyzing a company’s business environment, its strategies, and its financial position and performance. Business analysis is useful in a wide range of business decisions such as investing in equity or debt securities, extending credit through short or long term loans, valuing a business in an initial public offering (IPO), and evaluating restructurings including mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures. 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Analysis of “A letter to my mother” by Chenjerai Hove Free Essays

The purpose of this text, which is a letter from a traveller home to his mother, is to inform her of his experiences on his travels, and is thought and feelings on this. The tone of the letter is largely one of nostalgia and suggestions of homesickness which can be seen in the many contrasting ways he portrays the way of life from his home in Africa to his new home in Norway. However the writer acknowledges that he has learned that travelling is a way to broaden one’s horizons and expand one’s mind so, but looks forward to the day he can return to his roots and share his experiences with his family. We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis of â€Å"A letter to my mother† by Chenjerai Hove or any similar topic only for you Order Now The tone of nostalgia is prevalent throughout this text, it even begins with the word ‘Remember’ which suggests that it is going to be a very reflective and personal piece. This is repeated again with reference to ‘memories’ of the way of life the writer has left behind, and the fondness with which he looks back on it. The fond recollections of home which are described in detail such as the way they view the weather, particularly the rain as something which is to be ‘celebrated’ because it ‘gives life to people, plants and animals’. This stands in stark contrast to the way in which Norwegian regard this type of weather. ‘Have not stopped cursing the weather’ shows that they see it as the opposite of the blessing that those who live in Africa see it as. This is again emphasized when the writer treats the type of people who would have cursed the rain in his home as unnatural and evil. These people are a ‘witch who wishes that life should not be brought’, this shows how the local attitudes to the rain could not be more in opposition. This all works to show the writer’s nostalgic view of his home culture and longing to be there, with people he shares the same values with. The writer goes on to talk about the weather conditions of Norway that are new to him and how his inexperience of the ice and snow could possibly lead to real, physical harm. ‘A step on the ice is a potential disaster’, this shows that he could easily fall and cause harm to himself in this new and strange environment, which instantly contrasts with the experienced and graceful Norwegians who have been living in these conditions all their lives. ‘they float on it like Arabs’. The writer also goes on to show how the Norwegian use of the ice for entertainment or sporting purposes is completely alien and almost baffling to him. ‘they even run races and win competitions’ His astonishment is again emphasized by the use of a rhetorical question-‘can you imagine?’, this shows that using something which would be strange and dangerous for him in a competitive manner is bewildering and that he doesn’t quite feel like he fits in yet and that he is so far removed from the culture as to always be an outsider. Further contrasts are shown between the geographical differences of Norway and Africa are introduced by the phrase ‘by the way’ which suggests the writer’s excitement to tell his mother about a novel experience. ‘I forget you have never seen the sea’ this could be taken to be typical of all people of his place of origin, this would be something that they could consider exciting and opening up new ideas to them. This contrasts with the way Norwegian settlements re set out, they are all in coastal areas and gain much of their sustenance from the sea, ‘Norwegians are people of the sea’ and ‘it brings everything they want’, this suggests that while the sea and all it’s bounty are enough to make the local Norwegians happy and content, it does not seem to do so for the author, further alienating him from those round him. This is further emphasized by the Norwegian folk wisdom ‘if you don’t eat fish, like me, you are supposed to be miserable’ . The Norwegians would argue that he is unhappy because he does not eat fish, however the source of his unhappiness is more likely to be his homesickness and desire to be with those he misses. The writer becomes more upbeat towards the end, and begins to describe his thoughts as he looks towards the time when he can return home and share with his mother his experiences and all that he has learned. The use of the verb phrase ‘I hope’ shows that he is looking to that time in the future not with sadness but expectation, that it is something to look forward to. The repetition of the lexical item ‘Maybe’ gives the impression that the writer is uncertain but hopeful, and that he would like nothing more than to be able to return one day. The writer goes on to list the things that he one day hopes to return to do, ‘gaze at the beauty of that African moon’ this suggests that the African moon is unique and perhaps has some magical quality. This suggests that the writer would love to be able to be at home doing these things, but must continue his journey. The writer seems to acknowledge that it may be many years before he is able to return, ‘I may be older, but I will not have given up the idea of being young’ , this suggests that while the writer knows he will be away for years, he will never forget about his homeland and the people he left behind, and will one day return. The use of the lexical item ‘idea’ suggests that the writer considers that it doesn’t matter what age he has reached, as long as he does not feel old in himself then he will not be too old to continue his journey and to continue gaining knowledge. The writer finishes on a positive note, telling his mother how he is determined to carry on his quest to learn and for life experience ‘many streams to the river of knowledge’. This metaphor is describing knowledge as a river, which is constantly flowing, changing and heading somewhere new, just like he was when he left for Norway. The ‘stream’ which flows to the rivers is his path to this knowledge, one that he feels he must continue to travel. The writer is more forceful here than before, having often used the lexical item ‘maybe’ to which showed uncertainty but hopefulness, he now uses the verb phrase ‘ I know’ , this shows his mind has been made up that he shall not give in and come home yet just because he is unhappy. The noun phrase ‘other lads’ refers to his new home in Norway, which could be considered his classroom or learning grounds for his life lessons, but also suggests it could be anywhere in the world due to lands being plural, and that he may move on to somewhere new one day. All in all the writer uses various techniques to show the contrasts of his homeland to his new home, his homesickness and his desire to soldier on, to continue to gain new knowledge and life skills and experience. How to cite Analysis of â€Å"A letter to my mother† by Chenjerai Hove, Papers

A New Perspective free essay sample

Even though that is how many views it today, a different prospective. But is Al-Jazeera really that different from the BBC and other news agencies? When we look at the stories and material they publish we can see that it is not that different. Their websites features the same stories. So why is Al-Jazeera considered so controversial? In my own opinion the reason it is viewed as controversial maybe that it comes from a part of the world where a free speaking news agency is rare to come by. We clearly appreciate a â€Å"free press† news agency from the Middle East, and especially one that is also available in English. Considering the fact that Al-Jazeera receive funding and is owned by powerful people with big money, or even governments, it would be naive to think that Al-Jazeera would remain uninfluenced by these forces. The Al-Jazeera satellite channel is actually owned by the state of Qatar. We will write a custom essay sample on A New Perspective? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page How can it be unaffected by that? And considering the chairman of Al-Jazeera the enterprise, Sheikh Hamad bin Thamir Al Thani also is the former Deputy Minister of Qatar we cannot say that Al-Jazeera is a news agency without government ties. But a large news agency like Al-Jazeera need government ties to be able to report the news accurately in some areas. So that can work both ways. Al-Jazeeras popularity rose fast with the war in Iraq, so in 2003 they hired their first English speaking journalist. And shortly after, in March 2003, an English website was up and running. In 2005 Al-Jazeera International had expanded, and they had opened a series of broadcasting centers all over the world, including London, Kuala Lumpur and Washington D. C. More and more people from all over the world could now enjoy what Al-Jazeera had to offer. And as they expanded they started looking more and more like already existing news agencies. I’m sure the original idea was to create an independent and different new agency. But with time Al-Jazeera has been corrupted by the modern capitalistic society we live in. I won’t go as far as saying it was corrupted by capitalism, because Al-Jazeera is not making any money, but some people will always benefit from what they are doing. Al-Jazeera is clearly not as independent and controversial as people are made to believe and maybe Al-Jazeera themselves believe. I would like to ask the question, is there really such a thing as a completely independent and uninfluenced news agency? I am in no way, shape or form trying to undermine the importance of a free press and Al-Jazeera as a news agency. Freedom of speech is one of the most important things in our society today, and I consider Al-Jazeera a credible source of information. Al-Jazeera is an organization of good journalists and reporters.