Ganga Dussehra 2023: On the tenth day of the waxing moon in the Hindu calendar month of Jyeshtha, Ganga Dussehra is observed. The festival encompasses ten days, including the nine days of celebration preceding it.
On May 30, 2023, Ganga Dussehra will be observed this year. The Dashami Tithi will commence at 4:19 pm on May 29 and conclude at 5:37 pm on May 30, 2023, according to Drik Panchang.
It is also known as ‘Gangavataran’ and is a significant Hindu festival commemorating the descent of the sacred river Ganga to Earth. On the banks of the Ganges, devotees congregate to pray, perform rituals, and seek blessings from the sacred river.
Ganga Dussehra 2023: Date and Time
Dahsami Tithi Begins – 11:49 AM – May 29, 2023
Dashami Tithi Concludes at 01:07 on 30 May 2023
Hasta Nakshatra Begins -04:29 AM – May 30, 2023
Hasta Nakshatra ends on May 31, 2023 at 6:00 a.m.
Vyatipata Yoga Begins – 08:55 PM – May 30, 2023
Vyatipata Yiga Ends – 08:15 PM – May 31, 2023
History
Ganga Dussehra is dedicated to Goddess Ganga and commemorates the day on which she descended to Earth to fulfil her mission of purifying the cursed spirits of King Bhagiratha’s progenitors.
Before arriving to Earth, Goddess Ganga resided in Lord Brahma’s Kamandal. King Bhagirath desired to purify his progenitors’ spirits and grant them salvation. However, when he approached Lord Brahma for assistance, Brahma directed him to pray instead to Lord Shiva, explaining that transporting the mighty Ganga to Earth was a difficult endeavour.
In response to King Bhagirath’s petitions, Lord Shiva was able to regulate the mighty flow of the Ganges, preventing its destructive descent to Earth. Ganga Dussehra, therefore, represents an important event in Hindu mythology.
Ganga Dussehra 2023: Significance
The religious celebration celebrates the purifying and purging properties of the sacred river. Hindus believe that by immersing themselves in the sacrosanct Ganga waters on this day, they can atone for past transgressions or offences and achieve spiritual enlightenment.
Ganga Dussehra commemorates the role of the river Ganga in the lives of Indians as both a tangible source of life and sustenance and a spiritual symbol of purification and deliverance.
Rituals
Early in the morning, devotees rise, bathe in the Ganges (if possible), don clean clothing, and offer Arghya to God Sun. Offering incense and flowers to the deity, they initiate the puja. They recite sacred mantras dedicated to Goddess Ganga and God Sun and beseech for their own and their family’s well-being.
