Ganga Dussehra Festival, Uttarakhand

In a country like India, where agriculture is one of the major occupations, rivers have always been revered and celebrated. Lives and livelihoods depend on the ebb and flow of their waters. Thus, we have festivals like Aadi Perukku and Ganga Dussehra, which celebrate the Kaveri and Ganga rivers respectively. Rivers are also regarded as goddesses and mothers. In the South, Amman is a river goddess, and in the North, Ganga is known as Ganga Devi (goddess) or Ganga Mai (mother). Goddesses bestow blessings like wealth and abundance, while mothers create and nurture life. Rivers, too, fulfill these roles. Celebrated in Uttarakhand, Ganga Dussehra (also called the Dasar Festival) is a major Hindu festival held in the month of Jyeshtha (May–June). It is a 10-day celebration dedicated to the worship of the Ganga River. According to Hindu mythology, Ganga descended to earth from heaven on this day. The festival begins on the night of Amavasya and ends on Dashami Tithi (the 10th day of the lunar calendar). On this day, Aarti is performed on the riverbanks in Haridwar and Rishikesh, which are important pilgrimage destinations. Ganga Dussehra is a time to purify the soul by bathing in the Ganga, the holiest of India’s rivers. After bathing, people meditate on the riverbanks. In the evening, they float earthen lamps (diyas) in the river and sing devotional songs. On the same day, people also worship the Yamuna River and take a dip in its waters. In 2025, Ganga Dussehra falls on June 5. It is also known as Gangavataran, meaning "descent of Ganga." Usually, Ganga Dussehra is celebrated one day before Nirjala Ekadashi, although the two sometimes fall on the same day. Legend behind Ganga Dussehra The festival honors Goddess Ganga, and people believe that she came down to earth from heaven to liberate the souls of King Bhagiratha’s ancestors, who were under a curse. Before coming to Earth, Ganga resided in the kamandalu (water vessel) of Lord Brahma. King Sagara had 60,000 sons. During an Ashwamedha Yagna, the sacrificial horse went missing, and they discovered it tied near the ashram of Sage Kapila, where it had been placed by Lord Indra. The noise made by the princes disturbed the sage during his deep meditation. Angered, Sage Kapila burned them to ashes with a curse. Only the holy water of the Ganga could give them Moksha (liberation). Despite prayers and penance by many of Sagara’s descendants, the souls of the 60,000 sons continued to wander. Eventually, King Bhagiratha performed rigorous penance and pleased Brahma, who agreed to send Ganga to Earth.

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However, Ganga’s powerful descent threatened to destroy the Earth. So Brahma requested Lord Shiva to catch her in his matted hair, which he did, softening her impact and allowing her to flow gently as a life-giving river. Ganga then descended in seven streams and washed away the ashes of Bhagiratha’s ancestors, granting them salvation. Thus, Ganga Dussehra marks the day she descended from heaven to Earth. The river is also known as Bhagirathi, in honor of Bhagiratha’s penance. Celebrations and Rituals Haridwar, Prayagraj (Allahabad), and Varanasi attract massive crowds during the festival. The Ganga originates in Gangotri, in the snow-clad Himalayas, flows through the plains of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, and finally merges with the Bay of Bengal. It meets the Yamuna and Saraswati rivers at Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj, considered one of the holiest places in India. Where Is Ganga Dussehra Celebrated? Ganga Dussehra is an important festival in states like Bihar, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. The Ganges River flows in all these places. The main locations where the festival is celebrated are Haridwar, Varanasi, Rishikesh, Patna, Prayagraj, and Garhmukteshwar. Devotees flock to the banks of the river and perform the ritual of Aarti (a ritual involving the circular movement of a lit lamp before a deity). Rituals of Ganga Dussehra Devotees visit sacred cities like Prayagraj, Rishikesh, Varanasi, and Haridwar to meditate and take a holy dip in the river. Many perform Pitru Pooja (ancestral rites). During evening Aarti, leaf boats carrying lit lamps and flowers are floated on the river. It is customary to offer ten types of flowers, fruits, or betel leaves and to take ten dips in the river, representing the cleansing of ten sins. Significance of Ganga Dussehra The festival is based on ten auspicious Vedic calculations that symbolize Ganga’s power to remove ten types of sins—committed through thoughts, words, and deeds. These include Shukla Paksha, Jyeshtha month, Hasta Nakshatra, the tenth day, Siddha Yoga, Gar-Anand Yoga, the Moon in Virgo, and Sun in Taurus. Offering prayers on this occasion is believed to bring salvation. It is also considered an auspicious day to purchase valuables, vehicles, or property. Devotees also recite the Ganga Stotra while standing in the river, which is said to eliminate sins. The Sanskrit word "Dasha" means ten, and "Hara" means to destroy. Therefore, bathing in the Ganges during this ten-day period is believed to cleanse ten sins—or even ten lifetimes of sins. Honoring the Yamuna On Ganga Dussehra, devotees also worship the Yamuna River. Kite-flying events are a notable part of the celebrations. People take a holy dip in places like Mathura, Vrindavan, and Bateshwar, where the Yamuna flows. Devotees offer watermelon and cucumber to the river and distribute summer drinks like lassi, sharbat, and shikanji (a traditional lemonade).

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