Thousands of devotees gathered at the ghats of the Ganga and temples across Uttar Pradesh to mark the occasion of Ganga Dussehra, offering prayers, taking holy dips and participating in religious ceremonies.
In Varanasi, elaborate celebrations were organised at Devi Ahilyabai Ghat, where devotees took part in Vedic rituals, conch-blowing ceremonies and the milk abhishek of Maa Ganga. Large crowds were seen offering prayers and taking ritual baths in the river on the auspicious occasion.
According to the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust, special religious programmes were organised as part of the celebrations. A special aarti and abhishek of Maa Ganga were performed at the ghats of Kashi Vishwanath Temple during the early morning hours. The idol of Maa Ganga installed within the temple complex was worshipped amid Vedic chants and rituals.
BJP MLA Neelkanth Tiwari highlighted initiatives undertaken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the cleaning and rejuvenation of the Ganga river.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has deep devotion and reverence for Maa Ganga and regards her as a mother. He himself once said that Maa Ganga had called him. With the same spirit, schemes like Namami Gange were launched for the cleaning and rejuvenation of the Ganga,” Tiwari said.
Devotees also visited the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in large numbers to offer prayers to Baba Kashi Vishwanath and Maa Ganga. According to religious beliefs, bathing and worshipping on Ganga Dussehra is considered spiritually significant and is believed to bring purification and liberation.
Programme coordinator Dr Pawan Shukla said that under the leadership of Neelkanth Tiwari and the guidance of Acharya Udit Narayan Mishra, 51 young priests performed the milk abhishek of Maa Ganga using 21 litres of milk, followed by Shodashopachar worship and Ganga Aarti at Devi Ahilyabai Ghat.
Meanwhile, in Prayagraj, large crowds gathered at the famous Hanuman Temple on the fourth Bada Mangal of the Jyeshtha month. Devotees offered prayers and sought the blessings of Lord Hanuman amid the ongoing observance of Ganga Dussehra.
A devotee in Prayagraj said, “Today is Ganga Dussehra. It was on this very day that Bhagirathi brought Mother Ganga to Earth, and after descending to Earth, Maa Ganga blessed and uplifted humanity.”
Mahant Balveer Giri Maharaj said the period held special spiritual significance and that prayers to Lord Hanuman during this time were believed to provide relief from the intense summer heat.
“At present, the festival of Ganga Dussehra and the period of Nau Tapa are also being observed. Special prayers are being offered to Lord Hanuman, who, as the son of Pawan Dev, is believed to provide coolness and relief during intense heat,” he said.
(IANS Inputs)
