SOCIOPSYCHOLOGICAL DIMENSIONS OF DEVOTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL BEHAVIOR: THE GANGA PARADOX IN VARANASI

Absract: The river Ganges that flows through Varanasi has a perplexing psychosocial aspect;it is worshipped as a mother and purifying body yet its ecology is negatively impacted overtime. The aim of the research is to delve into the intersections of themes like faith, ecology,moral thinking, governance, and institutions with respect to the case of Namami Gange (2014–2024). The research adopts a pluralistic approach which involves the collection of primary datathrough 30 semi-structured interviews, two focus group discussions and the observation of thefield made during the period from July to December 2023 and it also examines the data of theCentral Pollution Control Board (CPCB) Annual Reports together with the National Missionfor Clean Ganga (NMCG) Water Quality Atlas ten-year trend data which includes theprovisional 2024 data based on the summaries collected in March 2024. The study, utilizing theconcepts of cognitive dissonance (Festinger, 1957) and moral disengagement (Bandura, 1999),has put forward the idea of "devotional dissonance" which refers to the situation where peopleare aware of the environment but at the same time, they carry on engaging in the rituals thatcause pollution. The quantitative measures reveal that the Namami Gange project has led to avery slight ecological improvement, but the change in people's behaviour is limited by thestrong social and psychological factors. The research results point out that people'smisconception about pollution is not the main reason for its continuation, rather it is the culturalcognitive resilience that is supported by the government and the fragmentation of thegovernance that is responsible for the situation. Connecting devotion and ecologicalresponsibility requires the use of environmentally friendly communication and the co-creationof policies that are culturally appropriate and recognize the alignment of moral cognition withsustainable action.Keywords: Ganga River; Varanasi; Water Governance; Ritual Ecology; Cognitive Dissonance;Namami Gange; Behavioral Adaptation; Cultural Resilience