Ganga Dussehra – A Celebration of Nature and Culture
Ganga Dussehra – A Celebration of Nature and Culture
Festivals in Sanatana Dharma represent the ethos of Indian culture. They give us the opportunity to rejoice in the greatness of our ancient traditions and culture. The famous Ganga Dussehra or Gangavtaran festival is the celebration of holy river Ganga’s descent to the earth from heaven. As per legends, after rigorous penance by King Bhagirath, the sacred Ganga River descended on the earth to purge the cursed souls of Bhagirath’s ancestors. Since then, the celestial Ganga River has been liberating living beings. According to Skanda Purana, Mother Ganga also regarded as Goddess Ganga, descended on the earth on Jyeshta Shukla Paksha Dashami which falls on 30th May 2023.
The Festivities of Ganga Dusshera
The 10-day Ganga Dusshera festival is dedicated to Ganga Maa’s descent to the earth. During this period, devotees worship the sacred river by offering prayers and taking dips in its holy waters. Offering alms is one of the main rituals believed to bring happiness to the ancestors during this time. The banks of the Ganges in Rishikesh, Garhmukteshwar, Haridwar, Prayagraj and Varanasi are lit up with thousands of earthen lamps giving them a heavenly look. In addition to this, chants of Ganga aarti reverberating all around create a supreme divine aura that is worth witnessing.
About the Magnificence of Ganga River
With Her arrival, the sacred Ganga River brought the purity of heaven on the earth. The all-embracing, ever forgiving Ganga River, just like a mother, accepts everyone coming to Her refuge and absolves them of all their sins.
Maintaining the Sanctity of Ganga River
Not only the river Ganga, but in fact every single river in our country is also the reason for our rich and prosperous civilization. The vast flora and fauna of this land thrive on their waters. It is thus our responsibility to keep them clean. For the survival of this planet and our very own existence it is important to pay attention to our environment now.
What Needs to Be Learnt from Indian Festivals
The beauty of our festivals lies in the values they teach us. Every festival teaches us how to live life like an ongoing celebration full of festivities amidst chaos in the background. Introducing our progenies to these festivals, their significance and values like purity, charity, jubilation, dedication, and selflessness should be among our various priorities. Festivals are a beautiful way to educate the future generations about the greatness of the Indian culture.
Expressing Gratitude towards the Holy Ganges
The holy Ganga River purifies us and provides us salvation with her perennial pure water. She is the life-giver. She is the benefactor. The Holy Ganges is the form of purity, light, brilliance, and power. She is the Ganga Maa purifying human souls since time immemorial.
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