Ganga Dussehra

About

Ganga Dussehra honours the river Ganga and the story of her descent from heaven to earth. It falls on Jyeshtha Shukla Dashami, the tenth day of the bright half of the month of Jyeshtha. This date is the same in both Purnimanta and Amanta calendars, since it is in the Shukla paksha.

Devotees bathe in the Ganga or another sacred river, offer lamps and flowers, and give charity. At Haridwar, Prayagraj, Varanasi and Rishikesh the riverbanks fill with worshippers and the evening aarti (lamp ceremony) is especially moving. Despite the name, it is unrelated to Dussehra of Ashwin month. Dashahara here is explained in tradition as "removing ten sins" (dasha = ten, hara = removing), meaning faults of body, speech and mind.

Significance and stories

The best-known story is that of King Bhagiratha. His ancestors, the sons of King Sagara, were burned to ashes by the sage Kapila. Only the waters of the heavenly Ganga could release their souls. Bhagiratha performed long penance to bring her down. Because her force would have shattered the earth, Lord Shiva caught her in his matted locks and released her gently. The river then flowed behind Bhagiratha to reach the ashes.

For this reason the Ganga is called Bhagirathi and she is honoured as a mother who purifies and sustains. Ganga Dussehra is also linked in tradition with Hasta nakshatra and certain yogas, which add to the sanctity of the day. Some texts describe benefits for the bather. Treat these as inspiration for sincerity rather than guarantees.

How to observe (puja vidhi)

1. Rise early. If you can reach the Ganga or another holy river, take a bath there with a prayer to the river.
2. Take a sankalpa to honour the Ganga and perform the day's offerings.
3. Offer water, flowers, rice and a lamp to the river or to an image of Ganga.
4. Chant the Ganga mantra or a hymn such as the Ganga Stotram. Ask a priest or elder to guide pronunciation.
5. Offer ten of each item in many traditions: ten flowers, ten lamps, ten fruits.
6. Float diyas in a leaf cup in a flowing river where this is permitted and safe.
7. Give charity: food, water, clothes, sattu or fruits. Traditionally ten items are given.
8. Share prasad with family and visitors.

Puja items (samagri)

• Gangajal (holy water from the Ganga), or water from any holy source
• Flowers, especially white ones, and tulsi leaves
• Rice, sandalwood paste, roli, incense
• Ghee or oil lamp, clay diyas
• Fruits, sweets, sattu, jaggery water
• Image or photo of Goddess Ganga

Fasting and food

Many people keep a light fast or eat only satvik food (simple vegetarian food without onion and garlic). Sattu drinks, fruit, cooling sherbets and mango dishes are common because the season is hot. Offering water and cool drinks to passers-by is a traditional charity of this day. People with health conditions, pregnant or nursing women, children and the elderly should follow their doctor's advice and may keep a lighter fast.

Regional customs

In Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh the day sees mass baths and evening aarti at the ghats. In Bihar, West Bengal and Odisha, the Ganga is worshipped with processions and offerings, and in parts of Bengal Ganga worship is also tied to rivers like the Hooghly. Serving cool drinks and sattu to passers-by is a common act of charity in many places. Customs vary; follow your family's tradition.

Celebrating in the USA

Most families will not be near the Ganga, but a small bowl of Gangajal, kept from a pilgrimage or a temple, is often saved for such days. Add a few drops to your bath water or sprinkle it around the home. Set a small diya before a picture of Ganga and read a stotra. Many temples hold a puja and an evening aarti, and some arrange for a symbolic river offering. Public waters in the USA have rules about what may be placed in them, so avoid floating flowers, leaf cups or lamps in lakes or rivers unless there is an organised and permitted event. Instead, use a bowl or tub and offer the water to a plant afterward.