Did you know that your local post office is actually a government owned e-commerce outlet? And, it’s selling ‘holy water’! You’ll get authentic Ganges water between 15 to 35 rupees!

Along with regular mail, Indian post offices have started selling Gangajal, or water from the Ganges River, considered auspicious by the Hindus. The new service can also be availed through online orders on India’s Post’s website, with the bottled water being delivered to homes across India.

The water is reputedly sourced from Gangotri and Rishikesh in 200 and 500 ml bottles, and has be priced between Rs 15 and Rs 35.

Well, the water is authentic, never mind that the river’s water is also remains severely polluted due to industrial effluents and human waste. Note that this seems to have made little difference to eager customers. The first batch of bottles sold out like hot cakes in the eastern state of West Bengal, with post offices in cities like Calcutta and Jalpaiguri quickly running out of stock.

Online marketplaces such as Amazon and Snapdeal already sell bottled Ganges water, but India Post may have the advantage of cheaper pricing.

“I used to get several requests that with a vast network of post offices can we get Ganga water. I have directed Department of Posts to utilise e-commerce platform and make arrangement for providing pure Gangajal from Haridwar and Rishikesh to people,” India’s telecom minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said a few months ago, adding that the step was being taken to address “cultural needs”.

India’s 180-year-old postal department has been trying to reverse its losses by tapping into its large network of 155,000 post offices and 460,000 employees for e-commerce partnerships and deliveries.

“If a postman can deliver mobile phones, sarees, jewellery and apparel, then why not Ganga water?” Prasad asked.

Over 400 e-commerce companies, including the likes of Amazon and Flipkart, have tied up with India Post to make deliveries in rural areas, where over 90% of its post offices are located.

  commerce, development, Ganges, India, Kolkata, post