"This is an account of a journey taken in India. The destination is the source of the Ganges, the holy and most famous of Indian rivers. It is a physical journey, involving months of trekking through forested valleys and snow-covered mountains. It is also a spiritual journey, taking a man deep into the heart and soul of the ancient religious culture of India.".

"Stephen Alter, who was born in the Himalayan foothills, crosses many miles, and several millennia, to search for the source of Hindu religion. Along the way, as he reaches one holy spot after another, meeting grounds for pilgrims, remote towns, and forgotten temples, he delves into the myths and traditions of an antique land.

He explores the tales from heroic epics, the intimate connection between natural history and mystical experience, and the sacred wisdom that animates the religious legacy of India."--BOOK JACKET.