Ganga Dussehra 2024

“Prithiviya Apo Rasah” meaning, the water is the essence of earth. As mentioned in Chhandogya Upanishad, Ganga is the most sacred and divine of all the rivers in India making her the most auspicious and celebrated for her existence. In Hinduism, Ganga Mata (personification of the river Ganga), is a motherly figure who has been associated as the Goddess of Purity & Forgiveness. Devotees immerse ashes of their kin which brings their souls closer to Moksha, it is also said that taking a dip in Ganga River with a pure mind can help you receive forgiveness for all your sins. Festivals like Ganga Jayanti & Ganga Dussehra in her honor at several special places which lie along the banks of river Ganga like Gangotri, Haridwar, Prayaraj & Varanasi.

Meaning of Ganga Dussehra or Jeth ka Dussehra:

Ganga Dussehra, also known as Ganga Gangavatara or “Jeth Ka Dussehra”, falls on Sunday, June 16, 2024. Ganga Dussehra is sometimes called 'Jeth ka Dussehra' because it usually happens during the Hindu month of Jyeshtha, which is known as 'Jeth' in some places. So, it's like saying it's the Dussehra that falls in the month of Jyeshtha. It is a festival celebrated in honor of the river Ganga (Ganges). On this day, Mother Ganga descended to the earth to rid the souls of King Bhagirath’s forefathers of a curse. It is different from Ganga Jayanti, which is celebrated to mark her rebirth. It is said that Mother Ganga lived in heavenly abodes, constantly pleasing the gods and other divine personalities. The earth was purified and attained heavenly status after Ganga descended.

Why is Ganga Dussehra celebrated?

Ganga in India is considered a goddess and revered as Ganga Devi or Ganga Maa. This festival is also known as Gangavataran. Ganga Dussehra is celebrated on the tenth day of the Shukla Paksha (waxing Moon) of the Jyestha month, as per the Hindu calendar, which generally falls in the month of May-June. It is celebrated over ten days, with Ganga Dussehra being the last day. It is most popularly celebrated in the states of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal, with famous cities like Rishikesh, Haridwar, Varanasi, Patna, Garhmukteshwar and Prayagraj observing this festival with enthusiasm, as these cities are situated on the banks of Ganga. This festival also pays homage to the flowing water of the Ganga, which has made a rich contribution to agricultural irrigation. The water of Ganga is considered perennially pure and ever-forgiving. The pure and sacred water of River Ganga is the 'Holy Water' which is sprinkled in all auspicious religious occasions/ pujas. Goddess Ganga's mount or vahana is the Makara or Crocodile.

On Ganga Dussehra, the devotees take a dip in the sacred river, which is considered to absolve all sins or 'paap', purifying the individual and it is also said that physical ailments are washed away in the waters of Ganga. In fact, bathing in Ganga every ten days of this festival is said to abolish sins of ten lifetimes and give salvation. On the Ghats or banks of these places, elaborate “aartis” are performed in front of the idol of Ganga Devi and the flowing water of the river, with thousands of devotees gathering to participate in this ritualistic worship of Goddess Ganga.

At Haridwar, the vehemence and spirit of Ganga Dussehra is especially mentionable as it attracts tourists from across and other countries that come to see and experience this celebration on the banks of Ganga. The divinely beautiful sight of lit Diyas, which are floated by devotees to honor Goddess Ganga, seek her blessing and pray for the fulfilment of wishes, is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

The famous Dashashwamedh Ghat in Varanasi too celebrates Ganga Dussehra with fanfare and many rituals, including taking 10 dips in Ganga and the floating Diyas in the serene waters of the river.

Ganga Dussehra Tithi & Muhurat (Date & Time):

Ganga Dussehra on Sunday, June 16, 2024

Dashami Tithi Begins - 02:32 AM on Jun 16, 2024

Dashami Tithi Ends - 04:43 AM on Jun 17, 2024

Hasta Nakshatra Begins - 08:14 AM on Jun 15, 2024

Hasta Nakshatra Ends - 11:13 AM on Jun 16, 2024

Vyatipata Yoga Begins - 07:08 PM on Jun 14, 2024

Vyatipata Yoga Ends - 08:11 PM on Jun 15, 2024

(Hasta Nakshatra: The Hasta Nakshatra falls between degrees 10 and 23:20 in the Virgo zodiac sign. Hasta Nakshatra has power from the Sun, ruled by the moon. Hasta Nakshatra is the best of both worlds—strength and sensitivity.)

(Vyatipata, the 17th Nitya Yoga, ruled by Rudra, is considered highly malefic. Its influence signifies disaster or calamity, making it inauspicious for starting anything new. This phenomenon occurs when the combined positions of the Sun and the Moon reach half a circle, which equals 180° or 6 signs in astrology.)

Legend (Story) of Ganga:

The Legend of Ganga's birth comes from the Bhagavata Purana, which states that when Bhagwan Vishnu in his Vamana avatar was measuring the Universe, he stretched his left foot to reach the endpoint of the Universe. At the endpoint of the Universe, he pressed the nail of his big toe to make a hole, from which sprung the Divine Brahm-water, the Causal Ocean, which then flowed to the Universe as the River Ganga. Ganga is also known as Bhagavat-Padi or Vishnupadi because it first touched the Lotus feet of Bhagwan Vishnu. Ganga reached and found its home in Bhagwan Brahma's abode, Brahmaloka/ Brahmaputra, before her final descent on earth.

King Bhagiratha was instrumental in Ganga's avatar to Earth. The story says that Bhagiratha was a descendant of King Sagara, who magically created sixty thousand sons and were burnt to ashes by Sage Kapila, whose rigorous meditation was disrupted by King Sagara's sons. The souls of Sagara's sons were wandering like ghosts as there were no final rites which could be performed for them.

The nephew of the sons of Sagar, called Anshuman, and later his son Dilip prayed all through their life so that Brahma would let River Ganga descend on Earth to purify the souls of Sagar's sons and liberate them, but they failed. Years later, King Bhagiratha, son of Dilip, took on this task and, through his prayers, managed to convince Brahma to let Ganga come down to Earth.

However, Ganga felt insulted and, with her full force, intending to sweep the Earth away, fell on Lord Shiva's head. The Divine Lord Shiva trapped her in his hair, which stopped her flow and Bhumi Maa (Mother Earth) was saved. Later Bhagiratha requested Bhagwan Shiva to release Ganga so that she could cleanse the souls of his ancestors.

Ganga In Mahabharata and Rig Veda

The great epic Mahabharata mentions Ganga/ Goddess Ganga.

She was the wife of Shantanu and the loving mother of one of the main characters of the epic, the patriarch and heroic warrior, Bhishma. The narration of Mahabharata describes Goddess Ganga taking her human form, rising from the river and being a mother crying inconsolably over the body of her son Bhishma, when he is fatally wounded in the great battle of Kurukshetra.

Ganga is also mentioned in the Rigveda, which is considered an ancient Hindu text and considered the holiest of all. In the Nadi-Stuti of the Rigveda, while mentioning the rivers which flow from the east to west of our country, Ganga is mentioned. However, it is not very clear whether that refers to river Ganga.

What To Do on Ganga Dussehra?

The prime duty of a devotee on this day is to take a dip and bathe in River Ganga. If it is not possible to visit the Ganga River, one can sprinkle some drips of Ganga Jal (holy waters of the river) over the head while taking bath.

You can purchase Ganga Jal from Rudra Centre by clicking on the link:

Buy Now Ganga Jal

Given are the steps to follow for Ganga Dussehra:

• First, get up early in the morning before sunrise and take a bath. You can chant the following mantra while bathing:
  'Ganga Cha Yamuna Chaiva Godavari Saraswati,
  Narmada Sindhu Kaveri Jalesmin Sannidhim Kuru'
• “In this water, I invoke the presence of divine waters from the rivers Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Saraswati, Narmada, Sindhu and Kaveri. These rivers are considered”
• It is better if you can visit Varanasi and behold Ganga Aarti. It is the most auspicious activity as good as performing the aarti itself.
• One can perform a Vedic puja at a Shiva temple in Haridwar. Ganga flows through the head of Shiva. Worshipping Shiva on this day is extremely beneficial.
• You can also wear a Gangal Jal locket. It is worn for keeping purity in mind and body. Check this beautiful Ganga Jal locket here. It satisfies the inner self when one listens to Gangaa Chalisa on this day. Ganga Chalisa is a collection of hymns glorifying Mother Ganga

Significance (Importance) of Ganga Dussehra/Jeth ka Dussehra:

Dussehra symbolizes ten auspicious Vedic calculations that demonstrate Ganga's power to cleanse ten sins associated with thoughts, actions, and speech.

These calculations include the Jyeshtha month, Shukla Paksha, Tenth day, Thursday, Hasta Nakshatra, Siddha Yoga, Gar-Anand Yoga, and the Moon in Virgo and the Sun in Taurus. Offering prayers on this day is believed to lead to salvation.

It's also considered favorable for purchasing valuable items, new vehicles, or property. Reciting the Ganga Stotra while standing in the Ganges is said to absolve all sins.

Taking a dip in the river on Ganga Dussehra is believed to purify the devotee and alleviate physical ailments. In Sanskrit, 'Dasha' means ten and 'Hara' means destroy; hence, bathing in the river during these ten days is thought to cleanse one of ten sins or, alternatively, sins accumulated over ten lifetimes.

Puja Vidhi of Ganga Dussehra:

• Morning Rituals: Begin the day with traditional rituals on the (ghats) riverbanks to worship Maa Ganga.
• Offering Puja: Offer ten favorite items to Goddess Ganga, including flowers, Prasada (Bhoga), leaf boats filled with flames and milk, etc. Also, donate ten edible items to the needy.
• Fasting: Observe a fast for at least ten hours, abstaining from food and water as a mark of devotion to Goddess Ganges.
• Chanting: Chant specific songs and mantras while performing Aartis with bells and conches on the Ghat to invoke the blessings of the divine.
• Symbolic Gestures: Set up ten bamboo or wooden sticks in the river or water stream, symbolizing the ten incarnations of Bhagwan Vishnu, showcasing reverence for the Ganges.

These rituals aim to purify devotees and seek blessings from the divine Goddess Ganga for Moksha or Salvation.

You can choose to perform Ganga Mata Chalisa Paath from our team of Karmakandi Pandits curated by Sakhashree Neeta

Book Ganga Chalisa Paath

Fasting Rituals (Vrat Vidhi) for Ganga Dusshera:

• Fasting Hours: Devotees should fast for at least ten hours straight, without eating or drinking anything during that time.
• Spiritual Connection: Fasting shows devotion and respect for the holy river Ganga. It's like a way of cleansing oneself, both physically and spiritually, to connect more deeply with the festival's significance.
• Prayer and Reflection: While fasting, folks spend time praying, meditating, and chanting special mantras dedicated to Maa Ganga. It's a time for inner reflection and seeking blessings for inner purification and spiritual growth.
• Sacrifice and Dedication: Fasting is seen as a form of sacrifice, showing dedication to the festival's spiritual essence. It's a way of showing readiness to endure discomfort for the sake of spiritual fulfillment.
• Breaking the Fast: After completing the fasting period, people usually break their fasts with simple (Satvik), pure foods, often as offerings in prayers to honor the sanctity of the occasion.

By fasting during Ganga Dussehra, people aim to purify themselves spiritually and seek blessings from Ganga Maa.