Viral video: Story of a man who earns his bread and butter by throwing magnets into Ganga
Ganga holds immense cultural and religious significance for the people of India, and its waters have long been a source of spiritual and material value. It quenches the thirst of countless people, besides it is believed that bathing in its waters washes away sins, and donating coins into the river fulfills the wishes of devotees.
As a result, many individuals have taken to retrieving these donated coins from the river. Using magnets, they collect coins and other metal objects, creating a livelihood for numerous families.
The practice of using magnets to collect metallic objects from the riverbed has gained attention, especially with a video that went viral on social media, in which a man tosses a magnet tied to a rope into the water and waits for it to sink to the riverbed. When he pulls the rope, his face lights up as the magnet has coins attached to it, which he then gathers.
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The man says that his family survives solely on the money retrieved by the magnet. He reveals that he also finds gold and silver items occasionally.
The video, which has been shared on the Instagram account @social_sandesh1, has gained over 6.2 million views so far. Many viewers were sceptical about the gold and silver claim, while some speculate that the coins were already on the magnet.
This highlights not only the symbolic value of Ganga in terms of spiritual purification, but also its role as a source of livelihood for those who engage with it in non-traditional ways. For many, these coins represent not just monetary value but also the fulfillment of wishes, showcasing the complex relationship people have with the river.
