You Can Shop From ‘Ganga Mein Haat’ Coming Up Along The Holy River

by Sanjana Shenoy
You Can Shop From ‘Ganga Mein Haat’ Coming Up Along The Holy River

The next time you visit the river Ganga for a pilgrimage, you won’t just return with ‘Ganga Jal’ ( water from Ganga). Instead, you’d have a basket full of fresh organic products bought directly from local farmers. In order to boost the economy in tourist sites of historical and mythological importance, the government shall ‘Ganga mein Haat’ or markets by the holy river. Here’s everything to know.

Farmers’ Markets To Be Set Up Near Ganga

The holy river Ganga is a nightly 2520 km long river that flows through major pilgrimage cities like Varanasi, Prayagraj, Haridwar, Patna, Kanpur and Ghaziabad. Through the Namami Gange Programme, the government has helped pump funds to clean the river. Now, a senior official from National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) revealed to The Republic that they’ve constructed ghats along the river. With 164 ghats built, and no one to manage them, the government decided to soon start haats ( markets) by the river Ganga.

Also Read: This Man Trekked Through India’s Ganga For Two Long Years And Here’s What He Found

Also Read: Flower Waste From Ganga Recycled Into Incense Sticks & Water Colours For Holi

Unleash Your Shopaholic Side At ‘Ganga Mein Haat’

So, farmers can visit every week and sell their local products there. The programme shall be called ‘ghat mein haat’.  You can also expect a tourism festival by the river Ganga called ‘Azadi ka Mahotsav’. Unleash your shopaholic side at this event, where you can purchase products unique to the region like sarees and special dishes. Tourism and the economy in the region will both get a much-needed boost. Meanwhile, here are the top 11 places you must visit in Varanasi.