Sacred Waters - A Pilgrimage up the Ganges River to the Source of Hindu Culture
This is a report of a journey in India. The destination is the source of the Ganges, the sacred and most famous of the Indian rivers. It's a physical journey, with train rides across the vast plains and passages on foot far into snow-capped valleys and mountains. It is also a spiritual journey, taking a man deep into the heart and soul of India's ancient religious culture. Born in the foothills of the Himalayas, Stephen Alter travels many miles and several millennia in search of the source of Indian religion. Along the way, reaching one holy place after another, meeting places for pilgrims, remote towns and forgotten temples, he delves into the myths and traditions of an ancient land. He explores the tales of heroic malpractice, evil and good, telling the grand tales of death, warfare, passions, and sacred wisdom that animate India's vibrant history and religious traditions. As every pilgrim learns, a spiritual quest involves travel, but ultimately returns to the inner self. A richly told tale of a beautiful land and a man's inner journey, Sacred Waters is for readers everywhere who want to gauge their own spiritual resources.