The sacred and the purest of all, the river Ganges is where life originates and even comes to an end. For more than a thousand years, the mother Ganga has been accepting all Her children in Her laps and wading away all our sins. Acquiring special importance in all the Vedas and Puranas, the cold waters of river Ganga are blessed. This is why not only the Indians but also the tourists come to take a bath in this river. Continue reading further to know all about our mother, Mother Ganga.
The Heavenly Origin
As per Hindu Mythology, Lord Vishnu originated the river. It happened in His incarnation as a dwarf Brahmin when He took two steps to cross the world. People say that He accidentally created a small hole in the universe’s wall in His second step. After this incident, some water from the river Mandakini spilled out. And the river started flowing in the heavens. Lord Vishnu permitted the Ganges river to descend toward the earth for one of his devotees, Bhagiratha.
However, another problem that emerged was that if the holy river immediately falls on Earth, then it could lead to destruction everywhere. This time, Lord Shiva came to the rescue. He gently lowered the Goddess in His hair slowly. And in this way and it took about a thousand years for the river to descend to the Earth. Since then, mother Ganga has been warding off the sins of the people and purifying them.
The physical origins of the Ganges
Apart from the Puranic stories, Bhagirathi is the source of the river. It has its origin in the Himalayas. Originating from Gaumukh in the Himalayas, the river Bhagirathi is a huge river ranging over seventy-five square miles. The Bhagirathi merges with another river Alaknanda at Devprayag, and this is where the name Ganga ensues.
The Ganges in the Art
Often addressed as Mother, The goddess is depicted in Hindu art dressed up in a white saree and riding on a crocodile. There are many temples of mother Ganga in the Holy city of Haridwar and Varanasi. In her human form, The Goddess Ganga is seen along with Her sister Yamuna.
Significance of the Ganges in Hindu Mythology
The river is often associated with the Trimurti Or the three Gods- Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Shiva. Lord Brahma used to keep the water of this holy river in His Kamandal and used it for the creation of the universe. Lord Vishnu washed His divine feet in this river during the Trivikrama Avtar. You might have surely looked at Lord Shiva’s idol at least once in your life. The river Ganga flows from His long black hair.
Apart from this, even Lord Krishna mentioned, “I am peepal among all trees, Shark among all fishes, and Ganga among all the rivers.” The river Ganga contains miraculous and extraordinary powers. The river’s water can cleanse all the sins of an individual who even takes a dip in it. The tale also describes Ganga as Mother Parvati’s sister and Lord Shiva’s Consort. Moreover, the various Puranas describe Her as the mother of Bhishma. In addition, this sacred river is highly significant in the epic Mahabharata as well.
The significance of Ganga Jal in Pujas
The holy waters of the Ganges are also inseparable from the traditional pujas. The water of the cosmic river Ganga has numerous potentials to ward off all the evils of a person in the Kaliyug. A dip in this sacred river is sufficient to remove many births’ sins. In addition, the water also has germicidal properties and creates a positive arena. Hence, Ganga Jal is the ideal water for Pujas.
You may also want to read: Love Horoscope: Know What 2023 Brings For You
Ganga Dussehra
The auspicious day is here. Every year, Dussehra is observed in India to celebrate Ganga’s descent into the earth. The day is celebrated with a whole lot of grandeur and pomp all over the country. Also known as Ganga Avataran day, Dussehra is celebrated one day before Nirjala Ekadashi. However, for some years, both days fall together.
History:
According to Hindu mythology, King Bhagirath prayed to Lord Brahma to purify the soul of his ancestors and allow them to attain salvation. But Lord Brahma replied saying that the King needs to pray to Lord Shiva as it is difficult for him to bring Ganga to the earth because of the rage flow. Then, king Bhagirath prayed to Lord Shiva. Content with his prayers, Shiva controlled the flow of Ganga and brought her to the earth so that destruction was not done and people could thrive around it. Dussehra is celebrated on the day Ganga was brought to the earth.
Rituals:
On this day, devotees start the auspicious day by dipping in the river’s waters. It is believed that a Ganga bath and donating money to the charity box helps in seeking the blessings of the goddess and cleanses the soul of any kind of sin. Devotees from all over the country, flock to the ghats of Prayagraj/Allahabad, Garhmukteshwar, Haridwar, Rishikesh, and Varanasi on Ganga Dussehra to take a dip in Ganga and start the day by offering puja to the goddess.
