Ganga water never decomposes

Balai-devi dasi : During a short visit to Boston in 1971, Prabhupada gave the devotees a gift for their altar. Brahmananda had asked Prabhupada why he always applied his Vaishnava tilaka by using water from an old jar. Prabhupada replied, "I will give it to you. It is Ganga water and never decomposes." Brahmananda thankfully accepted the jar of water. "Thank you, Srila Prabhupada. We will get a silver container for it." "No," said Prabhupada. "Put it on the altar as it is." So the devotees placed the jar, which was clearly labeled "Maxwell House Coffee," on the altar alongside the Radha-Krishna Deities and all the other standard paraphernalia. Sometimes visitors to the temple would ask about the significance of the Maxwell House jar on the worshipable altar, and the devotees would proudly and gladly explain that it was a gift from Srila Prabhupada.