Ganga is the personification of the river Ganga and is worshiped by Hindus as the goddess of purification and forgiveness. Known by many names, Ganga is often depicted as a beautiful fair woman, riding a divine creature called Makara. Some of the earliest mentions of Ganga are found in the Rigveda, where she is mentioned as the holiest of the rivers. Her stories mainly appear in the post Vedic texts like Ramayana, Mahabharata and the Puranas