This unique name for the river comes from two terms: Ban (arrow) and Ganga (the Ganges). It is believed that while on her way to the Holy Cave, Mata Vaishno Devi created this water body by piercing the earth with an arrow. The other story says the Mata washed her hair here and hence the name was Bal (hair in Hindi) Ganga. Irrespective of the story one believes in, one can witness many devotees taking a dip in this pious river.

This Banganga River has water all through the year except when there is an acute shortfall of rain or snow during the monsoon. Devotees like to bathe in it as they consider it sacred. For their convenience there are multiple ghats especially the newly created ones that are comparatively more spacious and have proper arrangements compared to the earlier ones.