An Instagram video shared by British biologist and television presenter Jeremy Wade has triggered a fresh round of discussion around pollution in the river Ganga and the tension between faith and environmental concerns.
Wade, known for hosting the popular wildlife series River Monsters, posted a video clip of a simple water test. He uses samples of water from various sources: bottled mineral water and water from the Ganga.
Simple test, stark result
In the video, he explains that the test vial is set up with chemicals that change colour depending on the level of contamination in the water. “Pink means the river is clean. Anything else spells trouble,” he says, before testing mineral water for reference. The bottled water turns a darker pinkish-brown shade, which Wade describes as the colour expected from clean water.
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He proceeds to test the Ganga water, which turns a light brown colour. Wade says, “This is the Ganges water. What does this mean? It means faecal coliform bacteria. Basically, the water here is full of human waste”, he says while holding up the container.
Sacred river, sensitive subject
Wade also acknowledges the sensitivity around discussing pollution in the Ganga, a river revered by millions of Hindus. He notes that pointing out contamination is often perceived as offensive by believers. In the clip, he recounts meeting a holy man who invited him to take part in a ritual bath in the river.
Describing the moment as an “awkward dilemma”, Wade says he chose to participate to avoid offending. The video shows him entering the river and attempting to follow the ritual, though he later admits he did not realise swimming was part of it.
‘Soft and squishy’
While in the water, Wade comments on the experience, saying it felt “quite refreshing” but adds that he was trying not to focus on what he could see and feel around him. “It’s actually quite refreshing, though I’m trying not to think of what I’m seeing around me, particularly floating on the surface and what I’m treading on. It feels very soft and squishy”, he said.
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The clip also shows the holy man drinking the river water. Wade stops short of doing so, saying he only touched the water to his mouth. He ends the segment by saying, “I really do feel refreshed and set up for the day. Whether I get a dose of dysentery or worse remains to be seen.”
Social media reactions
The video quickly drew strong reactions online. Several users criticised what they saw as neglect of the river in the name of faith, while others questioned the effectiveness of government spending on cleaning efforts.
A user commented, “Religious beliefs are killing the Ganga; education without wisdom is just another form of ignorance.”
Another user said, “The whole of India is plunging into doom in the name of religion, no religion is better than other, and no scripture can beat science.”
An user wrote, “Faith blinds people to an extent that the people are busy enough in worshipping than to look after well-being of the river. And it's still not alarming.”
