Where the Ganga makes an OM

The main tributaries of the Ganges, the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda rivers merge at Devprayag to form the River Ganga [1, 2]. Between Devprayag to Byasi (around 25 km), the river takes a winding course that forms the sacred syllable “Om” twice. This stretch of the Ganga holds spiritual significance, being associated with Sage Ved Vyas, who is believed to have had his ashram at the centre of the first “Om.” The second “Om” ends at Byasi, a hamlet named after the sage Vyas, or Byas. Rishi Ved Vyas, regarded as the compiler of the Vedas, Mahabharata and Puranas is closely linked with the syllable “Om,” which begins and ends all Vedic chants [3]. The “Om” shape of the river isn’t visible from the highway, the riverbanks, or even mountain tops—it is only revealed through local tradition and confirmed via satellite imagery like Google Maps. This region, between Rishikesh and Byasi, especially between Shiv Puri and Byasi, is sacred, as it the site of penance of several ancient sages including Vashisht, Parashar, and Ved Vyas. A notable landmark is the Vashishta Cave, near the Ganga, associated with Rishi Vashisht, the preceptor of the Raghu dynasty and guru to Lord Rama’s father, Dashrath.