Book Describes Ganga’s Microbial Intelligence at Triveni Sangam

A new book says the Ganga is more than a river and religious symbol.

It describes the Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj as a busy place for microorganisms.

When people bathe there, tiny organisms from their bodies can enter the water.

The book says these new bacteria meet viruses called bacteriophages.

Bacteriophages can attack bacteria, so the river becomes a place of microbial competition.

The author believes new bacteriophages can develop as the types of bacteria change.

Large gatherings such as the Kumbh Mela may make this process happen faster.

These ideas are presented as the author’s interpretation of the Ganga’s changing microbiome.