By Girish Kumar Dubey
Hundreds of devotees took a holy dip in the sacred River Ganges on Saturday (June 11) to mark the occasion of Ganga Dussehra festival on which the river is worshipped as a mother and a goddess.
Devotees thronged the banks of the Ganges at Allahabad and Varanasi cities in India's northern Uttar Pradesh state since early in the morning to offer prayers and perform rituals.
According to myth, the Ganges descended to earth from heaven on this day, and taking a dip in its waters leads to devotees escaping the cycle of rebirth and attaining salvation.
"The River Ganges descended on earth on this day. Taking holy dip in the confluence of rivers (Ganges, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati) in itself is very holy, but on this occasion when River Ganges descended, the dip is even more holier and devotees taking dip are ensured of getting salvation," said Krishna Tiwari, a devotee.
"The festival of River Ganges is celebrated with great fervor. At the confluence of rivers we performed several rituals and prayers. Several programmes have been organised to celebrate this occasion," said Rajan Mishra, a priest.
Regarded as a celestial river originating in heaven, legend holds that the Ganges was gifted to mankind in answer to the great penance undertaken by King Bhagirath, after whom the river is also called Bhagirathi.
Hundreds of devotees take a holy dip in the sacred Ganges river in northern India to mark the occasion of the Ganga Dussehra festival in which the river is worshipped as a mother and a goddess.
ALLAHABAD, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA (JUNE 11, 2011) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC)
1. THE RIVER GANGES
2. DEVOTEES GATHERED AT THE BANKS OF RIVER GANGES TO OFFER THEIR PRAYERS
3. DEVOTEES BATHING IN THE RIVER
4. A DEVOTEE TAKING HOLY DIP
5. A DEVOTEE OFFERING HIS PRAYERS TO RIVER GANGES
6. A PRIEST PERFORMING 'AARTI' (OFFERING OF LAMPS)
7. ANOTHER PRIEST PERFORMING AARTI
6. PRIESTS CHANTING HYMNS
7. A DEVOTEE CLAPPING HIS HANDS WHILE CHANTING HYMNS
8. (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) KRISHNA TIWARI, A DEVOTEE, SAYING:
"The River Ganges descended on earth on this day. Taking holy dip in the confluence of rivers (Ganges, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati) in itself is very holy, but on this occasion when River Ganges descended, the dip is even more holier and devotees taking dip are ensured of getting salvation."
9. A DEVOTEE SWEEPING THE BANKS OF THE RIVER
10. A DEVOTEE CARRYING A POT OF WATER OF THE GANGES ON HIS HEAD
11. (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) RAJAN MISHRA, A PRIEST, SAYING:
"The festival of River Ganges is celebrated with great fervor. At the confluence of rivers we performed several rituals and prayers. Several programmes have been organised to celebrate this occasion."
VARANASI, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA (JUNE 11, 2011) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC)
12. DEVOTEES GATHERED AT THE BANKS OF RIVER GANGES
13. DEVOTEES STANDING AT THE BANKS
14. MEN TAKING HOLY DIP
15. A WOMAN TAKING HOLY DIP
16. DEVOTEES WADING IN RIVER GANGES
17. AN OLD WOMAN TAKING HOLY DIP
18. A MAN PRAYING
19. WOMEN OFFERING PRAYERS WHILE STANDING IN THE RIVER
20. A WOMAN OFFERING HER PRAYERS TO RIVER GANGES
21. WATER FLOWING OUT FROM A POT IN DIRECTION OF THE RISING SUN
22. HUNDREDS OF DEVOTEES AT THE BANKS OF RIVER GANGES
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