Around the Next Bend
Follow two daring adventurers as they embark on a 1,500 mile rafting expedition down India's Ganges River. They are forced to learn a new set of survival skills as they discover the vast and beautiful country of India.
Delhi
The Ganges River is considered one of the holiest rivers in the world. At 2510 km long draws from the Western Himalaya's in Northern India, flowing southeast to Bangladesh where it drains into the Indian Ocean.
Yamuna
The Yamuna is the largest tributary river of the Ganges in Northern India. Unfortunately the Yamuna is also one of the most polluted rivers in the world. Millions of people depend on the polluted Yamuna water.
Agra
Vrindavan lies on the bank of the Yamuna river, 150 kilometers south of Delhi. The town was built upon the forest of Vrindavana, where Krishna spent his childhood. The town is a major pilgrimage destination for many traditions of Hinduism.
Holi
The Taj Mahal lies on the bank of the Yamuna river in the city of Agra. While Agra is probably best known for the Taj and other historical buildings from the same era, it is also renown for its handy crafts, marble and stone inlay work and its sweets.
Allahabad
With over 1.18 billion people, India houses roughly one sixth of the world's population. Unfortunately, it's estimated that over 400 million Indians now live under the global poverty line of one dollar and twenty-five cents per day.
Varanasi
In India the summer season begins in early March and lasts until late June. Much of Indian life during the summer is spent indoors and out of the sun. Daytime work is often abandoned between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Nepal
For Hindus, there is no city holier than Varanasi, also known as Benares or Kashi, it is located on the banks of the Ganges in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. Established over 3,000 years ago, it is one of the oldest cities in India.
Monsoon
The monsoon season typically arrives in June and lasts until September. The season is marked by an intense initial downpour that lasts for days, followed by a pattern of heavy rain for several hours each day.
Bihar
With a population of over 100 million, Bihar is India's third most populous state. In ancient times, the area was considered the country's center of power, learning, and culture. Now, slow economic development has led it to becoming India's poorest state.
Farakka Barrage
In traditional Indian culture, social status is defined by the caste system. It is a strict hierarchy that assigns social standing based on hereditary descendants. Under this system Indians are literally born into their social status.
Bangladesh
Calcutta is considered the cultural capital of India and the birthplace of modern Indian literature and art. West Bengal shares much of its cultural heritage with the neighboring Bangladesh.
Dhaka
Considered to be the most densely populated country in the world, Bangladesh is situated on large, low-lying river deltas, flowing from the Himalayas into the Bay of Bengal.
