To Hindus the Narmada is of the seven holy rivers of India; the other six being Ganges, Yamuna, Godavari, Saraswathi, Sindhu, and Kaveri. It is believed that a dip in any of these seven rivers washes one’s sins away. According to a legend, the river Ganges, polluted by millions of people bathing in it, assumes the form of a black cow and comes to the Narmada to bathe and cleanse itself in its holy waters. Legends also claim that the Narmada River is older than the river Ganges. There is a great significance and glory of bathing in the river. People from far and wide come for submerging the remains of the dead(Asthi-Visarjan) to holy river Narmada. There is a great merit of doing so, mentioned in the scriptures.