Cultural Documentation of River Ganga from Gaumukh to Ganga Sagar – Garhmukteshwar and Amroha District

This Namami Gange project is being undertaken for the Jal Shakti Ministry, Government of India, under the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) scheme. INTACH is assisting the Ministry in the capacity of a knowledge partner. Three divisions of INTACH namely; Natural Heritage (NH), Architectural Heritage (AH) and Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) divisions have been engaged in the cultural mapping project, of three aspects natural, tangible and intangible assets along Ganga.
The objective of the project is to conduct field investigation and document existing cultural assets on either side of the river Ganga (within a radius of 5Kms, starting from its source, i.e. Gangotri, down to its point of dispersal at Ganga Sagar) and to produce for the ministry a detailed, illustrated report based on the primary and secondary resources available.

Garhmukteshwar and Amroha District

The report covers the historical and cultural significance of this place. Garhmukteshwar was the main centre of trade with the Ganges water route. In the earlier time, there was the trade of timber, bamboo etc., which was imported from Doon and Gaharwal. Along with this, jaggery was a big market. The report also covers the crafts like Modhawhich is an old industry. The report also emphasizes various rituals held in Garhmukesthwar like Deep Daan tradition, Ganga Dusshera and Ganga Jayanti. The significance of the Pothi system (Genealogy records)system of Garh has been documented and covered.Genealogy registers, of families, maintained by Brahmin Pandits locally called ‘Pandas’, who also work as professional genealogists, at Garhmukteshwar.

The report also highlighted the traditional cuisines which include sweets like‘Khajla’, Mave ka Pedha and Mave ki Kheer (which now is not being made used to be a special sweet made during the Pitrapaksha and Navratri time). Garhmukteshwar has been known for Khajla the most and it is believed that nowhere else Khajla is made the way it is prepared here. The important and unique fair also covered in the report which organized in this city is the Gadho-ka-Mela, a kind of animal market where horses and donkeys are purchased, as well as sold. This Being an important pilgrimage centre, a variety of festivals and fairs take place in this city. Every year the Garh Ganga Fair, a bathing festival, is organized on the day of a full moon in the Hindu month of Kartik at Garhmukteshwar.

Check out more on the INTACH ICH Archive:
https://icharchive.intach.org/Detail/collections/81