When Is Ganga Dussehra 2024? Know Date, Time Puja Vidhi, Significance And Wishes To Celebrate This Day

By Oneindia Staff

Updated: Saturday, June 15, 2024, 19:39 [IST]

Ganga Dussehra, also known as Gangavtaran, is a significant Hindu festival. It celebrates the descent of the holy River Ganga from heaven to earth. The festival spans ten days and holds great religious importance.

The key significance of Ganga Dussehra is the cleansing of the soul. Devotees take a holy dip in the sacred river Ganga to wash away their sins. The festival stands for ten auspicious Vedic calculations. These signify the river's ability to cleanse ten sins associated with thoughts, speech, and actions. Let us know more about this auspicious day.

Ganga Dussehra 2024 Celebrations and Significance

Ganga Dussehra 2024: Date And Time

Ganga Dussehra on Sunday, 16 June 2024. Dashami Tithi will begin at 02:32 am on 15 June 2024 and Dashami Tithi will end at 04:43 am on 16 June 2024. Hasta Nakshatra begins at 08:14 am on 15 June 2024 and Hasta Nakshatra will end at 11:13 am on 16 June 2024. Vyatipata Yoga begins 07:08 pm on 14 June 2024. Vyatipata Yoga will end 08:11 am on 15 June 2024.

Ganga Dussehra 2024 Puja Vidhi, Rituals

During the ten-day-long festival, devotees take a dip in the holy water of river Ganga. This act is believed to cleanse one's sins and purify the soul. Major celebrations occur in cities like Haridwar, Varanasi, Allahabad, and Rishikesh, where the river holds special significance.

The deities associated with Ganga Dussehra are Goddess Ganga and Lord Shiva. They hold significant importance in Hindu mythology and are revered during this festival.

Elaborate Ganga Aarti ceremonies are held at various ghats, where priests perform rituals to honor the river. Devotees offer flowers, lamps, and prayers, seeking blessings for themselves and their families.

Devotees also recite hymns and scriptures dedicated to Ganga, such as the Ganga Sahasranam, which extols her virtues and divine powers. These recitations are believed to bring peace, prosperity, and spiritual upliftment.

They wear traditional attire during Ganga Dussehra. The food consumed during this festival is Satvik food, which aligns with the purity and sanctity of the occasion.

Ganga Dussehra 2024: Legend

The Curse of the Sagara Sons
King Sagara, an ancestor of Bhagiratha, had 60,000 sons. These sons were cursed by the sage Kapila to turn into ashes due to their arrogance and disrespect. The only way to liberate their souls was to immerse their ashes in the holy waters of the Ganga, which was in heaven at the time.

Bhagiratha's Tapasya
Determined to bring salvation to his ancestors, King Bhagiratha undertook severe penance (tapasya) to please the gods. His unwavering devotion finally pleased Brahma, the creator, who agreed to send Ganga to Earth. However, there was a catch: Ganga's descent would be so powerful that it could destroy the Earth.

Shiva's Intervention
To mitigate this, Bhagiratha prayed to Lord Shiva to help. Shiva agreed to catch Ganga in his matted locks to soften her fall. When Ganga descended, Shiva caught her in his hair, allowing the waters to flow gently to Earth. Bhagiratha then led the river to the spot where his ancestors' ashes lay, thus liberating their souls. This event marks the origin of the river Ganga on Earth, celebrated as Ganga Dussehra.

Ganga Dussehra 2024 Celebrations

The Ganga Dussehra festival is celebrated for ten days in places where the river Ganga flows. The festivities start on Amavasya and end on Dashami tithi. A special aarti takes place on the ghats of river Ganga in popular pilgrimage destinations like Haridwar and Rishikesh.