Yamuna

Ultimately derived from the Sanskrit yama meaning "twin", Yamuna is the name of both an Indian river and of a Hindu goddess. As such, this name is significant in Hindu tradition, in which Yamuna (also known as Yami), is the sister of Yama, the god of death, a a personification of the river.

Melodic and intriguing, Yamuna is associated with a purification of the mind. The river itself is considered a river of heaven, brought to earth by the Seven Sages, and legend suggests that bathing in its sacred waters can free someone from the torments of death.

It is therefore a site of pilgrimage, though recent years have seen it labelled one of the most polluted rivers in the world. Largescale clean-up efforts have since been underway.

A popular choice in India, it is rarely heard elsewhere.

Pronounced yuh-MOO-nuh.