GANGA DASHAHARA
June 8, 2014
http://www.shivamandir.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/GANGA-DASHAHARA.pdf
"Ganga Dashahara is celebrated every year between May and June. Hindus celebrate this festival very significantly because Ganga fell down on this day from heaven to earth. According to the Hindu alendar Ganga Dashahara or dashami is celebrated (on tenth day of the month) in waxing moon of the month of Jyestha.
"Devotees take holy baths during this festival of Ganga Dashahara at the Varanasi Ghats. On this day devotees gather at the banks of the river Ganges and take a soak in the Holy water of the Ganges in order to get rid of the ten sins (dasha means ten and hara means to destroy).
"One who cannot travel to the river Ganges, can take a bath at his home by mixing some amount of Gange Jal to the normal water, he will achieve the same benefit. At this occasion, devotees keep a fast for all day and they do not drink water for full day, In the evening they take a bath and break their fast (by taking only fruit) after moon arises. After the bath they offer jal and agarbatti to the Ganges and then break their fast.
"Ganga Dashahara 2014 would be celebrated by the people on Sunday, on the 8th of June.
"Religious and Cultural Beliefs and Significance
"Woman in India offer floating lamps in the sacred water of the river Ganges. Hindus take baths in the Holy water and wash out their sins. They also offer flowers as well as rose petals with the clay diyas filled with oil or ghee lit with wicks. They bring holy water of Ganges to their home for other puja purposes. The Ganges is the incarnation of all holy waters in Hinduism. Ganges has been an emblem of purity in India for culture and civilization for a long time.
"History of Avatarana or Descent of the Ganges
"According to the Ramayana, Mahabharata and several Puranas, the history of Avatarana of Gange begins with a clever king Kapila. It is considered that Kapila was doing intense meditation but bothered by the sixty thousand sons of the King Sagara. Then Kapila burned them with his irritated stare and diminished them to ashes, and send them out to the netherworld. They could get their salvation only by the holy water of Ganga. That time Ganges was in heaven. The great offspring of those sons was the King Bhagiratha who was much worried to renovate his ancestors. He had done a great Tap for years to bring Gange on the earth.
"Finally he granted the reward of Ganga’s fall to earth from heaven. Ganga gave him a Vardan that she agreed to go to earth but her tumultuous and forceful water flow will definitely destroy the earth. Bhagiratha convinces Lord Shiva on his habitat Mount Kailash to control the flow of Ganga to earth by the coils of his matted hair. Lord Shiva agreed with Bhagiratha for Ganga to descend. She then led Bhagiratha down to earth at Haridwar, flowing together with the Yamuna at Prayag and Kashi and finally meeting the Ganga Sagar, ocean. In this way Bhagiratha became successful in saving the life of his ancestors."
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My first view of the Ganga was on October 14, 2012 as I taxied through Rishikesh on my way to Guptkashi. Little did I know, I would have an amazing, mystical Rebirthing experience during a Chaat (Sun) Festival on November 19, 2012 in the Ganga on the ghats at Varanasi. I saw Her again in Kolkata (Calcutta) from the Yogananda Yogoda Satsanga Math Ashram in Dakshineswar. A few pics of Mother Ganga follow the playlist. ~ Shellie
EnJOY!
1 - OM Namah Shivaya - Krishna Das (Extended Version_HQ Audio) 9:55
2 - GANGES or GANGA - A COMPLETE Documentary: [MUST WATCH] 49:07
3 - Om Namah Shivaya With Shiva Manasa Pooja [Shri Yogi Hari] 10:33
Playlist url
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLACmwZPBGZMeomEl4txkAgETPWhVKKpYV
This is the view of the Ganga from the terrace outside my room at the Ganesha Inn Hotel in Rishikesh, October 14, 2012. Little did I know that I would experience a powerful rebirthing in the Ganga in Varanasi approximately one month later.
My Rebirth in the Ganga in Varanasi at a Chaat Festival on Assi Ghat, November 19, 2012.
The Ganga as seen at the Serampore Roy Ghat in Kolkata (Calcutta) where Paramhansa Yogananda and Swami Sri Yukteshwar sat and talked.
