Ganga Dussehra- Honoring the Sacred Descent of Goddess Ganga

Ganga Dussehra is a significant Hindu festival to honor the Goddess Ganga, the embodiment of the holy river Ganges. It falls on the tenth day (Dashami) of the waxing moon (Shukla Paksha) in the Hindu month of Jyeshtha. According to the Gregorian calendar, it falls in the month of either May or June. This year, we are celebrating the revered occasion of Ganga Dussehra on ‘16th June ‘24.’

As per “Drik Panchang”, the “tithi” for “Ganga Dussehra” in the year ‘24 is as follows:

Ganga Dussehra on Sunday, 16 June ‘24

• Dashami Tithi Begins - 02:32 AM on 16 June ‘24
• Dashami Tithi Ends - 04:43 AM on 17 June ‘24

Rituals & Observances of “Ganga Dussehra”:

In the Sanskrit language, "Dasha" means "ten" & "Hara" means "destroy." Hence this auspicious day of Ganga Dussehra is believed to rid the person of ten lifetimes of sins. That's why, the devotees visit the holy places where the River Ganga is considered to be the holiest such as Haridwar, Varanasi, Rishikesh, Allahabad (now Prayagraj), Patna & Garhmukteshwar on this occasion to purify themselves. It is believed that taking a dip in the holy waters of the Ganges can wash away sins, heal physical ailments and bring spiritual purification.

During the festival, the devotees also perform Puja to seek divine blessings of the river (ganga maa). 'Ganga Aarti' performed at the banks of Ganga is a magnificent and pious ritual for people all around the world and marks a memorable experience altogether for the viewers. It is usually performed at sunset and is a spectacular sight to behold. During the aarti, priests dressed in traditional attire light up lamps, incense, and other offerings and perform a series of rituals accompanied by the chanting of hymns and devotional songs. The lamps are placed on large trays made of brass and are lit with cotton wicks soaked in ghee, which symbolizes the removal of darkness and the spread of light. Recitation of Ganga Stotra is also done which is a way to connect with the divine and seek blessings from the goddess Ganga.

People also perform 'Pitra Puja' for their ancestors on Ganga Dussehra.

On the same day, River Yamuna is also worshipped at many places & people visit places like Mathura, Vrindavan & Bateshwar to take a holy dip in the river. The offerings of watermelon and cucumber are also made to Devi Yamuna. The drinks like lassi, sharbat and shikanji are also distributed. Kite-flying events can also be observed on this day.

The celebrations of Ganga Dussehra last for ten days, including the nine days preceding this virtuous occasion.

This revered festival of Ganga Dussehra is also favourable for buying valuables, new vehicles, buying or entering a new house.

This day of Ganga Dussehra is also known by the name "Gangavataran'' meaning "descent of the river Ganga." As it is believed that the holy river Ganges descended from heaven to the earth on this day.

Legend behind “Ganga Dussehra”:

According to Hindu Shastras, there is an interesting story behind Maa Ganga descending from heaven to the earth:

Once, Lord Vishnu was measuring the Universe in his Vamana Avatar. To reach the end point of the universe, he stretched his left foot. On reaching the final point, he pressed his big toe's nail, out of which the Divine River Ganga arose & flowed to the universe. As Ganga first touched the lotus feet of Lord Vishnu, she is known as "Bhagavat-Padi" or "VishnuPadi." From there, Ganga reached Brahma's abode (Brahma Lok). And before coming to the earth, she used to live in heaven so as to bring the purity of heaven to the earth.

The story further relates to King Sagara. One day, his sons disrupted the deep meditation of a sage namely Rishi Kapila. As a result, he cursed them to be burnt into ashes. After death, the souls of King Sagara's sons started wandering as ghosts.
King Sagara knew that only the holy water of Ganga could help them get redemption from this curse. The nephew of the Sagara's sons namely Anshuman prayed his whole life to let Lord Brahma descend the River Ganga to the earth. Later on, Anshuman's son- Dilip also did the same for his entire life. But they failed and could not liberate their ancestors from this curse.
Years later, King Bhagiratha (Son of Dilip) took this task in his hands and prayed to Lord Brahma with heartedly devotion. He also performed many penances. Satisfied with Bhagiratha's prayers, Lord Brahma agreed & descended Maa Ganga from heaven to the earth. However, it turned out to be a destructive force as River Ganga started flowing with unstoppable velocity & became a placid life-living river. At that time, Lord Brahma asked Lord Shiva to hold her in his matted locks. On Lord Brahma’s request, the divine Lord Shiva slowed down the flow of Ganga.
As Ganga flowed from the matted locks of Lord Shiva, a crocodile emerged from the waters and attempted to drag her into the depths of the river. In response, Ganga sat on the crocodile and tamed it, symbolizing her triumph over the dangers of water.
After that, she reached the earth to cleanse the souls of Bhagiratha's ancestors.

Significance of Ganga Maa in Hindu Dharma:

Ganga is also considered a life-giving river, and her descent on earth is believed to provide water to the earth and help nourish all living beings.

As Ganga is related to Raja Bhagiratha, she's also known as "Bhagirathi."

"Bhagirathi" finds its mention in the great epic of Mahabharata as well. There, she was the wife of Raja Shantanu & the mother of Bhishma.

In Rigveda also, there's a description of "Bhagirathi" (River Ganga). One of the most well-known hymns in the Rigveda that mentions Ganga is the "Nadistuti Sukta," which is a hymn of praise to the rivers. In this hymn, the river Ganges is celebrated as one of the greatest and most sacred of all rivers. The hymn describes how Ganga flows down from the mountains, carrying with her the blessings of the gods and the power to purify and heal.

There is one more divine hymn (prayer) related to Maa Ganga, i.e., "Ganga Chalisa." Apart from being a great way to connect with the Goddess Ganga, the prayer is known to cleanse the mind of negative thoughts and emotions and helps in attaining a state of inner peace and purity. Hence, the devotees of Maa Ganga believe in reading Ganga Chalisa on the divine occasion of Ganga Dussehra. It brings success and prosperity in all areas of life, removes all obstacles and hindrances, has a healing effect on the body & the mind, and helps in fostering spiritual growth as well.

So let us also devote ourselves to the divine feet of Maa Ganga this Ganga Dussehra & pray for her blessings.

|| Har Har Gange ||

|| Shubh Ganga Dussehra ||