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Amb: outside noise dips under track. 1 secs
NARR: At noon in Varanasi, the holy city located in north east India in the state of Uttar Pradesh, the harsh sun beats down. A few feet from land, a man washes his clothes. Teens lie under an umbrella; a goat and a cow compete for shade under a tree; and water buffalo soak upstream. 12 secs
AMB: water splashing man washing; dip under track. 3 secs
NARR: To Hindus, the Ganges River is a living goddess who will free them from their sins with every sip or dip. They call the river: Mother Ganga. But the sewage from over 400 million Indians flows into the river. In some areas, the water contains more than 3,000 times the acceptable level of bacteria. Which means every sip or dip could cause hepatitis, typhoid or cholera. And yet, Mother Ganga's faithful won't stop. 24 secs.
AX: Like fish living in water, these people also cannot be separated from Ganga. 12 secs
NARR: Veer Bhadra Mishra is a priest in Varanasi. He's also a hydraulic engineer. Since 1982, he has pressured the government to build better sewage systems because 95 percent of the pollution in the river comes from sewers. As a holy man, he sees his devotees as an endangered species. 18 secs
AX: If they go on taking this water then there will be a time when these people will be extinct they will vanish and with them the culture and tradition connected to this river will also be over. 13 secs
NARR: Mishra developed a system that would use bacteria and algae to purify the water. But eight years later, the Indian government still hasn't built the project. Nonetheless, Mishra says, devotees can't accept just how polluted the Ganges is. Every day, 60,000 Hindus swim or drink from the river. Including Mishra. 18 secs
Ax: If a person who knows science and technology is not leaving, think of those people who don't understand. 8 secs
NARR: Mishra says his work is a matter of faith and science. In the morning, he lifts his folded palms to the rising sun and sings to the water. During the day he uses his biological findings to educate the public. He says that concern for Mother Ganga will compel change, not the fear of disease. 16 secs
Ax: In our case, love and respect for the river is the motivating force. 5 secs
AMB: Water paddling dip under track. 5 secs
NARR: Every night hundreds of tourists and pilgrims climb into boats that cram on the water's surface as priests perform an elaborate ceremony with bells, conch shells and lots of fire. 8 secs
AMB: Bells, Conch shells music. 3 secs
NARR: The sunset ceremony is rich with saffron and smoke. During it the Ganges overflows with devotion. Mishra and his team hope they can inspire the political will to match.
Tania Haas, Columbia Radio News.
Music: 2 mins after end.