Gangajal, packaged in ceramic pots, is set to go global

DEHRADUN: Starting the month after next, the Uttarakhand government will begin promoting Ganga-Jal both domestically and internationally as part of the "Nirvan Amrit Gangajal" scheme. For the 12 million Hindus worldwide, the Uttarakhand Provincial Cooperative Union (PCU) has created a marketing strategy to make available holy water.

At the Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute in Khurja, which is part of the CSIR, the ceramic pots (referred to as "kalash") that are used to package the holy water are being evaluated for quality, NIE reported.

The initiative would commence with an initial investment of Rs 5 crore, according to Man Singh Saini, managing director of the state PSU. "We have set up a Ganga water collection centre at Devprayag, on the banks of the Sangam, the point where the actual Ganga begins with the merger of Bhagirathi and Alaknanda rivers," he said.

"Around 85% of Hindus settled abroad use Gangajal in their life and 42% of people always store the sacred water at their homes," Saini claimed.

According to manager Deepak Mehta, the price of a 300 ml pack of Gangajal will be Rs 251. For marketing, the PSU is working with the Indian Postal Department, Flipkart, and Amazon. "The proceeds of the sale will go towards the cost of manufacturing of ceramic pots, courier charges, potter cost, honorarium to self-help groups engaged in water collection and the retailers' share", Mehta said.

According to a project officer, the state government's initiative started as a result of the fact that numerous businesses were selling water in bottles with Gangajal wrappers on them. There are about 110 of these businesses. But none of these businesses has a water gathering facility close to the sacred river.