The banks of the River Thames in London witnessed a historic sight on Sunday as the first-ever Ganga Aarti was performed, drawing thousands of people for a ceremony of light, gratitude and unity.

Chinmaya Mission UK, in collaboration with the annual Totally Thames Festival, organised ‘Ganga Aarti on the Thames: A Celebration of Lights’ as part of its global celebrations marking 75 years. The ceremony sought to recreate the spirit of the world-famous Aarti performed along the banks of the River Ganges in India.

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Ceremony To Recreate Ganga Aarti Spirit In London

The ceremony sought to recreate the spirit of the renowned Aarti performed along the banks of the River Ganges in India. In London, the ritual represented the life-giving flow of nature, knowledge and consciousness.

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"For generations, communities have gathered on the banks of Ganga to offer light in gratitude for the river, for nature and for all that sustains life," PTI quoted Brahmacharini Sripriya Chaitanya, Resident Teacher at Chinmaya Mission UK.

She said, "Ganga Aarti on the Thames carries that same spirit, bringing people together in a shared moment of gratitude, hope and unity." Chaitanya explained that for Chinmaya Mission, the river Ganga also symbolises the flow of knowledge.

He said, "Our founder Swami Chinmayananda dedicated his life to bringing the eternal wisdom of Vedanta from the Himalayas to the everyday lives of people. As we celebrate 75 years of Chinmaya Mission, this event also celebrates that legacy – a legacy of knowledge, service, and gratitude that flows beyond borders."

Way To Express Gratitude To Mother Ganga

For Chinmaya Mission, the ceremony also highlighted the importance of respecting nature.

"Reverence for nature is not simply an additional theme of Ganga Aarti. The ceremony itself is an expression of gratitude towards Mother Ganga, honoured in Hindu tradition as sacred, life-giving and sustaining," said a Chinmaya Mission spokesperson. 

The ceremony was conducted entirely on land, with nothing thrown, floated or released into the River Thames.

"The traditional lamps will be placed on the riverbank instead of being floated in the water, so that we can respect tradition and not cause any harm to the River Thames. This principle will apply throughout the event," a spokesperson said.

The event was intended to serve as a major gathering for the British Hindu and South Asian community while also bringing together people from different backgrounds to express gratitude towards and respect for nature.

What Is Chinmaya Mission?

Chinmaya Mission (CM) is a global spiritual organisation founded in 1951, dedicated to inner transformation through the guidance of the divine wisdom of Vedanta. Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda's Vision inspired the organisation. 

Chinmaya Mission currently has over 350 centres around the world, holding spiritual, educational, service and cultural programmes. In the UK, Chinmaya Mission UK runs education programmes for children, teenagers, adults, young families and seniors. 

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Totally Thames, a trust-led event, has been celebrating the River Thames with arts, education, environmental activities and heritage events since 1997. 

The first Ganga Aarti was part of this year's Totally Thames programme, with tickets for the event selling out. There is now hope that the ceremony will become an annual event.

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