Ganga Dussehra 2022: Why devotees throng Ganga ghats on this special day

Ganga Dussehra, a major festival in India held to celebrate Goddess Ganga’s descent on earth, is being observed with a lot of grandeur and fervour all around the country today (June 9).

The ghats of the Ganga at Prayagraj/Allahabad, Garhmukteshwar, Haridwar, Rishikesh and Varanasi on Ganga Dussehra were overflowing with devotees taking a dip in the waters. Also known as Ganga Avataran day, Ganga Dussehra falls one day before Nirjala Ekadashi, however, some of the time, both the days fall together. This time, the date for Ganga Dussehra 2022 fell on June 9.

According to the Hindu calendar, this year, Dashami Tithi will start at 8.21 pm on June 9 and will end at 7.25 am on June 10.

The rituals observed on this holy day

This auspicious day begins with the devotees taking a dip in the waters of the Ganges. The bath in the Ganges combined with donations to charity are meant to help the devotee to get the blessings of the goddess and cleanse the soul of sins. The devotees also take part in the Ganga aarti.

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The significance of this special day is that the sacred Ganga holds the potential to purify the ten sins which are related to actions, speech, and thoughts. It is believed that when the devotees worship Goddess Ganga on this day they get relieved from their present and past sins and attain salvation.

It is mostly celebrated in the states of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal, and especially in places like Rishikesh, Haridwar, Varanasi, Patna, Garhmukteshwar and Prayagraj. Devotees also perform Pitra Tarpan for their deceased forefathers and for their salvation on the day of Ganga Dussehra.

What Hindu mythology says 

King Bhagirath prayed to Lord Brahma asking for the souls of his ancestors to be purified and to allow them to attain salvation. But Lord Brahma told him that he needs to pray to Lord Shiva for that. This is because it would be difficult for Lord Brahma to contain Ganga’s unbridled flow down to the earth. So, king Bhagirath prayed to Lord Shiva, who was happy  with his prayers, and controlled the flow of Ganga and brought her gently down to the earth to avoid any destruction.

Ganga Dussehra is celebrated on the day Ganga was brought to the earth.

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