Describe the significance of the Ganges River in Hinduism.

The Ganges River holds immense significance in Hinduism, primarily because it is considered a holy river and a source of purification for sins. Hindus believe that bathing in the Ganges can cleanse a person of their sins and facilitate spiritual liberation (moksha). The river is personified as the goddess Ganga, who embodies purity and is revered in numerous texts, rituals, and traditions. Pilgrimages to the river for rituals such as immersing ashes of the deceased during cremation ceremonies are common, as this practice is thought to ensure both purification of the deceased and blessings for the living.

Furthermore, rituals and festivals conducted along its banks—most notably the Kumbh Mela—highlight the river's role as a focal point of faith and community. By engaging in these practices, devotees seek connection with the divine, reinforcing the river's status as a vital component of spiritual life for millions of Hindus.

The other options, while they may contain elements related to the Ganges, do not capture the central role it plays in Hindu spirituality and ritual practices as accurately as the idea of it being a source of purification.