Ganga Dussehra

River Ganga is revered as Ganga Devi or Ganga Maatha. Ganga Dussehra or Gangavataran marks the day River Ganga descended on the earth on the Dasami tithi. So, the Shukla Paksha Dasami tithi of Jyeshta month is observed as Ganga Dussehra.

Ganga Dussehra Date 2023

Legend of River Ganga 

King Bhagiratha played an important role Ganga's arrival on earth. King Bhagiratha was a popular descendant of King Sagara. It is said that the King had sixty thousand sons (referring to his whole lineage or clan). When Sage Kapila's Tapa was interrupted by someone from the clan of King Sagara, the angered sage cursed that everyone from their clan will be burnt to ashes. The souls of the burnt ones were wandering without liberation since rituals and last rites were not performed. Nephew of the King, Anshuman and his son Dilip prayed to Lord Brahma to release Ganga River onto Earth to purify the souls, but their efforts were futile. King Dilip's son King Bhagiratha performed a sincere Tapas to Lord Brahma and was granted a boon that Ganga would descend down and purify earth. Goddess Ganga flooded the earth will be full on force, sweeping the regions she flew utterly clean of all living beings.

Divine Lord Shiva stopped River Ganga and trapped Her in His matted hair, saving Mother Earth. Later King Bhagiratha requested Lord Shiva to re-release Ganga to cleanse the souls of his ancestors. According to another fable, Rishi Jahnu's ashram was flooded by the mighty river and the frustrated Rishi drank all the water in the river to stop the flow. King Bhagiratha and the Lords requested Rishi Jahnu to release Ganga, upon their request the Rishi released the water through his ears on Shukla paksha Saptami tithi of Vaishaka month. The initial descent of River Ganga on the Dasami Tithi is celebrated as Ganga Dussehra or Gangavataran. 

How to celebrate Ganga Dussehra?

People take a holy dip in the banks of the river Ganges. River Ganga is an ultimate medium of purification and cleansing. Special aartis and offerings are performed on this auspicious day at Ganga riverbanks in cities like Haridwar, Varanasi, Rishikesh, Allahabad and Patna, especially at Dasaswamedh Ghat.

Mantra

Om Namo Gangayai Vishwarupini Narayani Namo Namah
Gange Ch Yamune Chav Godavari Saraswati.
Narmade Sindhu Kaveri Jale Asmin Sannidhim Kuru.
Ganga Vari Manohari Murariacharanchayut.
Tripurarishiraschari Papahari Punatu Ma .
Ganga Gangeti Yo Bruyat, Yozhanam Shatarapi. Muchyte sarvapapebhyo, Vishnuloke se gachti

Benefits

Ganga Dussehra festival dates between 2019 & 2029

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