Aarti, a devotional ritual, is a fire offering. It is performed by lighting a lamp. In India, River Ganges or Ganga is considered to be a holy river by the Hindus. River Ganga flows through several important and holy cities such as Varanasi, Rishikesh, and Haridwar in North India. In Varanasi, the aarti is performed at Dashashwamedh ghat by priests (pandits) wearing traditional clothes. Ganga Aarti is performed facing the holy river and circling diyas or brass lamps in the clockwise direction. It is a magnificent ceremony and if you are a religiously oriented person you should not miss it at any cost.
When Is Ganga Aarti Performed
The aarti ceremony at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Varanasi is held every day in the evening at sunset. During the winter season, it starts at 6:00 pm and in summer it is performed at 7:00 pm. The duration of the aarti is about 45 minutes. It is strongly recommended that you reach the location at least half an hour early in order to view the whole ceremony from a vantage point. Usually, a large number of people gather to witness the Ganga aarti. As such, Varanasi should be a must-go-to destination when you are on pilgrimage tourism in India.
How to Reach Dashashwamedh Ghat
The streets in Varanasi city are narrow. Therefore, you have to either use a motorbike or hire an auto rickshaw. Dashashwamedh Ghat would be a couple of miles or kilometers away from where you are put up in Varanasi. If you like to walk it up, that is possible too. It could take you anywhere from 30 minutes to 60 minutes. You can witness the aarti from the shore for free. If you want to view it from a boat, you will have to pay a small fee.
What Happens During Ganga Aarti
Generally, the aarti is performed by you priests that are pursuing their Vedas and Upanishads studies. They will be led by a senior priest from Gangotri Seva Samithi. The priests chant mantras and blow the conch shell as they offer aarti to River Ganga.
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