Ganga Dussehra is a festival celebrated to honor Ganga Maiya or the river Ganga. This year the festivity will happen on 20th June 2021, Sunday. As per the legend, on this day, Ganga was descended to Earth by Lord Shiva. The legend is related to King Bhagirath as he was the main entity who, with severe austerity, made it possible to descend Ganga on Earth; that is why Ganga is also known as “Bhagirathi.”

The arrival of Ganga made the whole Earth heavenly and pious. It is considered that Ganga purifies a soul, and whoever takes a bath in it attains salvation. All the sins of a person get washed off once he touches the pure water of Ganga; such a powerful river Ganga is.

People celebrate Ganga Dussera for the arrival of Maa Ganga on Earth. The day happens on the tenth day of the Shukla Paksha in the Jyestha month if we see according to the Hindu calendar. In some states of India, such as Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal.The festivity is more famous, particularly in the cities like Rishikesh, Haridwar, Varanasi, Patna, Garhmukteshwar, and Prayagraj.

Ganga’s water is sacred, and even scientists claim that. It is observed that unlike any kind of water, Ganga’s water doesn’t spoil, and it can be stored for years; such magical properties the water holds. River Ganga is considered Goddess-like as a major part of it is used for irrigation; thus, Ganga water is life-giving on Earth. It is the most sacred water that is brought on every auspicious occasion. It holds such power that once sprinkled, it makes the place pure and free of negative energy.

Ganga Dussehra is an occasion on which devotees receive immense blessings of Maa Ganga by having a holy dip in her water. It is believed that a person gets rid of all his physical ailments by taking a dip in Ganga water. If one takes a bath in the Ganges for ten days, it even has the power to wash off one’s sins completely that one can be free of the cycle of life and death.

There are many ghats or banks where Ganga flows, there are temples by all these ghats where Ganga is worshiped, and thousands of devotees gather to dip in Ganga. It is believed that Ganga Maiya herself calls the devotees who are lucky enough to take a dip into it.

In Haridwar, Ganga festivity is celebrated with such grand gestures, and it is very popular there. Even devotees from outside of India and foreign tourists visit Haridwar on such occasions and get blessed by Ganga Maiya. The whole site looks mesmerizing; the water is lit with the floating Diyas. Devotees float a Diya with their wish that they seek to be fulfilled. Varanasi is another spot that receives maximum devotees of Ganga who come to enjoy the fanfare, take dips in the sacred water, and float the diyas.

How to Celebrate Ganga Dussehra?

• Devotees wake up early in the morning to take a dip in the Ganga river. If you don’t have any Ganga ghat nearby, you can also sprinkle some drops of Ganga Jal. Sprinkle it over your head while taking a bath with normal water.

While bathing, you can also chant the following mantra and unlock more benefits of the day:

“Ganga Cha Yamuna Chaiva Godavari Saraswati,
Narmada Sindhu Kaveri Jalesmin Sannidhim Kuru”

The meaning of the mantra is, “In this water, I invoke the presence of divine waters from the rivers Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Saraswati, Narmada, Sindhu and Kaveri.”

• Devotees should visit Varanasi or such a site where Ganga Dussehra is celebrated. They should behold Ganga arti or participate in it.
• It is also considered heavenly benefitting from performing a Vedic puja in Haridwar or any Ganga Ghat. Lord Shiva is worshipped in the Puja, who is the lord of river Ganga as Ganga remains in his Jatas.
• There are Ganga Jal lockets as well, which you can wear, and it makes your mind calm and body pure.
• One can also chant Gangaa Chalisa on this day as it provides ultimate peace to the one who chants.