Ganga Dussehra Puja Vidhi · गंगा दशहरा पूजा विधि

How Ganga Dussehra is kept: the early bath in the Ganga or with Ganga jal, worship of Ganga with offerings counted in tens, worship of Shiva, gifts of cooling things, and lamps and aarti at dusk, as the published guides describe it.

How the puja is done

When

Ganga Dussehra falls on Jyeshtha Shukla Dashami, the day the Ganga is said to have descended to earth, after Bhagiratha's penance, in the Hasta nakshatra. In a year with an adhik Jyeshtha it falls in the adhik month. See the Ganga Dussehra page for the date.

The bath

Bathe early in the morning in the Ganga or another holy river.
If you cannot reach a river, add Ganga jal to your bathing water at home.
Many recite a Ganga stotra while bathing or standing in the water.

The puja

Worship Mother Ganga. A custom many guides give is that the items of the puja, and of the gifts after it, are counted in tens, after the ten sins the day removes.
A mantra often used: "Om namah Shivayai Narayanyai Dashaharayai Gangayai namah".
Worship Shiva too, since the Ganga came down through his matted hair.

Daan (giving)

This is the height of summer, so gifts of cooling things are traditional: pots of water, fans, umbrellas, clothes, food and cool drinks such as sherbet.

Evening

Offer lamps on the river (deep daan) and join or perform the Ganga aarti; see Ganga Aarti.

Customs differ by region and community: follow your family's way where it differs.

These steps are written in our own words; each appears in at least two of the published sources linked below, and steps found in only one source are left out. Puja customs differ by family, region and tradition; your family priest or family custom comes first.

About this text

Ganga Dussehra celebrates the descent of the Ganga to earth. "Dashahara" means "remover of the ten": bathing in the Ganga on this day is said to wash away ten kinds of sin, of body, speech and mind. This page gives the observance as the published guides listed below describe it. Customs differ by region and community: follow your family's way where it differs.