Compare the significance of rivers and mountains in India's sacred geography. How are both viewed in relation to religious beliefs?

• Rivers and mountains are both regarded as sacred, but for different reasons and functions in religious life.
• Rivers such as the Ganga, Yamuna, and Sarasvati are often worshipped as goddesses. They are seen as life‑giving, purifying and central to rituals like bathing, offering prayers and performing last rites.
• Mountains, especially the Himalayas, are viewed as abodes of gods or as bridges to the divine. They host many shrines and provide places for meditation, retreat and pilgrimage.

In short, rivers symbolise the flow of life and purification, while mountains represent spiritual height, permanence and closeness to the divine. Both connect the physical world with religious belief and practice.