Ganga Puja

Bengali

Also known as: Ganga Dussehra

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2026 Bengali Date

Ganga Puja

About Ganga Puja

Ganga Puja is celebrated to honour the sacred River Ganges, considered the most holy river in Hinduism. In Bengal, the Ganges (known as the Hooghly or Bhagirathi) holds immense spiritual significance and is integral to daily life and worship.

The festival is observed on various occasions throughout the year, with major celebrations during Ganga Dussehra in Jyeshtha month (May-June) when devotees take holy dips in the river to cleanse their sins.

Devotees offer prayers, flowers, and diyas (earthen lamps) to the river goddess, seeking her blessings for purification and spiritual liberation. The evening aarti at ghats along the Hooghly is a spectacular sight.

In Bengal, the Ganges is worshipped as Mother Ganga, and special rituals are performed during purnima (full moon) days when devotees gather at riverbanks for communal prayers and offerings.

Vrat Vidhi & Fasting Rules

Devotees observe a fast and perform holy bathing rituals in the river.

Step-by-Step Fasting Procedures:

Wake before sunrise and visit the river for a holy dip.
Offer prayers and flowers to the river goddess.
Perform the evening aarti at the riverbank.
Break the fast after the puja with traditional food.

Parana (Breaking Fast) Note: The fast is broken after the river puja with prasad and a vegetarian meal.

Puja Samagri & Ritual Steps

Essential Puja Samagri:

Flowers and garlandsEarthen lamps and camphorSandalwood paste and kumkumFruits and sweetsGangajal (holy water) in a vessel

Puja Procedure:

Take a holy dip in the river before sunrise.
Offer flowers, sandalwood paste, and prayers to the river goddess.
Light earthen lamps and float them on the water.
Perform the evening aarti with camphor and incense.
Distribute prasad among devotees.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What is the significance of Ganga Puja?

Ganga Puja honours the sacred River Ganges, believed to wash away sins and grant spiritual liberation. The river is worshipped as a goddess who descended from heaven to earth.

Q: When is Ganga Puja observed?

Ganga Puja is observed on various occasions, with major celebrations during Ganga Dussehra in Jyeshtha month and on full moon days throughout the year.

Note: All timings are represented in 24-hour notation in local time of the selected location with DST adjustment (if applicable).

Hours which are past midnight are suffixed with next day date. In Panchang, a day starts and ends with local sunrise.