Thousands of devotees thronged the ghats of the River Ganga and temples across Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday, 26 May, marking Ganga Dussehra 2025 with holy dips, Vedic rituals, and elaborate religious ceremonies. The festival, which commemorates the descent of the Ganga to Earth, drew some of the largest crowds of the year at sacred sites in Varanasi and Prayagraj.

Grand Celebrations at Varanasi Ghats

At Devi Ahilyabai Ghat in Varanasi, a grand religious programme was organised under the leadership of BJP MLA Neelkanth Tiwari. Under the guidance of Acharya Udit Narayan Mishra, 51 young priests performed the milk abhishek of Maa Ganga using 21 litres of milk, conducted Shodashopachar worship, and performed the Ganga Aarti, according to Programme Coordinator Dr Pawan Shukla. Conch blowing ceremonies and Vedic chants accompanied the rituals throughout the morning.

A special aarti and abhishek were also conducted at the ghats of the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham during the early morning hours. The idol of Maa Ganga installed within the temple complex was worshipped with full rituals. Large crowds subsequently visited the Kashi Vishwanath Temple to offer prayers to Baba Kashi Vishwanath and Maa Ganga.

What the Government Said: Namami Gange and Modi's Devotion

BJP MLA Neelkanth Tiwari spoke to reporters at the event, invoking Prime Minister Narendra Modi's personal reverence for the river. 'Prime Minister Narendra Modi has deep devotion and reverence for Maa Ganga and regards her as a mother. He himself once said that Maa Ganga had called him. With the same spirit, schemes like Namami Gange were launched for the cleaning and rejuvenation of the Ganga,' Tiwari said. The Namami Gange programme, the Centre's flagship river-rejuvenation initiative, has been a recurring reference point in political messaging around the festival in recent years.

Prayagraj Observances: Hanuman Temple and Nau Tapa

In Prayagraj, massive crowds gathered at the famous Hanuman Temple on the occasion of the fourth Bada Mangal of Jyeshtha, which coincided with Ganga Dussehra this year. Mahant Balveer Giri Maharaj said the convergence of festivals made the period especially significant. 'This sacred period holds great spiritual significance, and the worship of Lord Hanuman during this time makes it even more special. At present, the festival of Ganga Dussehra and the period of Nau Tapa are also being observed. Special prayers are being offered to Lord Hanuman, who, as the son of Pawan Dev, is believed to provide coolness and relief during intense heat,' he said.

A devotee at the site reflected on the mythology underlying the occasion: 'Today is Ganga Dussehra. It was on this very day that Bhagirathi brought Mother Ganga to Earth, and after descending to Earth, Maa Ganga blessed and uplifted humanity.' According to religious belief, bathing and worshipping on Ganga Dussehra is considered to bestow spiritual purification and liberation on devotees.

Significance of Ganga Dussehra

Ganga Dussehra falls on the Dashami tithi of the Shukla Paksha in the month of Jyeshtha and marks the mythological descent of the Ganga from the heavens. This year, the festival's overlap with the fourth Bada Mangal and the Nau Tapa period — a nine-day stretch of intense summer heat — drew additional religious observances at temples across the state. Uttar Pradesh, home to several of the Ganga's most revered ghats, consistently records the highest footfall on this occasion.