Celebrated in Uttarakhand, Ganga Dussehra (additionally known as the Dasar Pageant) is a significant Hindu festival held within the month of Jyeshtha (Might–June). It’s a 10-day celebration devoted to the worship of the Ganga River. Based on Hindu mythology, Ganga descended to earth from heaven on at the present time. The competition begins on the night time of Amavasya and ends on Dashami Tithi (the tenth day of the lunar calendar). On at the present time, Aarti is carried out on the riverbanks in Haridwar and Rishikesh, that are vital pilgrimage locations.
Ganga Dussehra is a time to purify the soul by bathing within the Ganga, the holiest of India’s rivers. After bathing, individuals meditate on the riverbanks. Within the night, they float earthen lamps (diyas) within the river and sing devotional songs.
On the identical day, individuals additionally worship the Yamuna River and take a dip in its waters.
In 2025, Ganga Dussehra falls on June 5. It is usually often known as Gangavataran, that means “descent of Ganga.” Normally, Ganga Dussehra is well known in the future earlier than Nirjala Ekadashi, though the 2 generally fall on the identical day.
Legend behind Ganga Dussehra
The competition honors Goddess Ganga, and other people imagine that she got here all the way down to earth from heaven to liberate the souls of King Bhagiratha’s ancestors, who had been beneath a curse. Earlier than coming to Earth, Ganga resided within the kamandalu (water vessel) of Lord Brahma.
King Sagara had 60,000 sons. Throughout an Ashwamedha Yagna, the sacrificial horse went lacking, they usually found it tied close to the ashram of Sage Kapila, the place it had been positioned by Lord Indra. The noise made by the princes disturbed the sage throughout his deep meditation. Angered, Sage Kapila burned them to ashes with a curse. Solely the holy water of the Ganga might give them Moksha (liberation). Regardless of prayers and penance by a lot of Sagara’s descendants, the souls of the 60,000 sons continued to wander. Finally, King Bhagiratha carried out rigorous penance and happy Brahma, who agreed to ship Ganga to Earth.
Nonetheless, Ganga’s highly effective descent threatened to destroy the Earth. So Brahma requested Lord Shiva to catch her in his matted hair, which he did, softening her impression and permitting her to move gently as a life-giving river.
Ganga then descended in seven streams and washed away the ashes of Bhagiratha’s ancestors, granting them salvation. Thus, Ganga Dussehra marks the day she descended from heaven to Earth. The river is also called Bhagirathi, in honor of Bhagiratha’s penance.
Celebrations and Rituals
Haridwar, Prayagraj (Allahabad), and Varanasi entice large crowds through the competition. The Ganga originates in Gangotri, within the snow-clad Himalayas, flows by means of the plains of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, and eventually merges with the Bay of Bengal. It meets the Yamuna and Saraswati rivers at Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj, thought of one of many holiest locations in India.
The place Is Ganga Dussehra Celebrated?
Ganga Dussehra is a vital competition in states like Bihar, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. The Ganges River flows in all these locations. The primary places the place the competition is well known are Haridwar, Varanasi, Rishikesh, Patna, Prayagraj, and Garhmukteshwar. Devotees flock to the banks of the river and carry out the ritual of Aarti (a ritual involving the round motion of a lit lamp earlier than a deity).
Rituals of Ganga Dussehra
Devotees go to sacred cities like Prayagraj, Rishikesh, Varanasi, and Haridwar to meditate and take a holy dip within the river. Many carry out Pitru Pooja (ancestral rites). Throughout night Aarti, leaf boats carrying lit lamps and flowers are floated on the river. It’s customary to supply ten sorts of flowers, fruits, or betel leaves and to take ten dips within the river, representing the cleaning of ten sins.
Significance of Ganga Dussehra
The competition relies on ten auspicious Vedic calculations that symbolize Ganga’s energy to take away ten sorts of sins—dedicated by means of ideas, phrases, and deeds. These embody Shukla pakshaJyeshtha Month, Hasta Nakshatra, The Tenth Day, Siddha Yoga, Gar-Anand Yoga, The Moon in Virgo, and Solar in Taurus.
Providing prayers on this event is believed to carry salvation. It is usually thought of an auspicious day to buy valuables, automobiles, or property. Devotees additionally recite the Ganga Stotra whereas standing within the river, which is alleged to get rid of sins.
The Sanskrit phrase “Dasha” means ten, and “Hara” means to destroy. Due to this fact, bathing within the Ganges throughout this ten-day interval is believed to cleanse ten sins—and even ten lifetimes of sins.
Honoring the Yamuna
On Ganga Dussehra, devotees additionally worship the Yamuna River. Kite-flying occasions are a notable a part of the celebrations. Individuals take a holy dip in locations like Mathura, Vrindavan, and Bateshwar, the place the Yamuna flows. Devotees supply watermelon and cucumber to the river and distribute summer time drinks like lassi, sharbat, and shikanji (a conventional lemonade).