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Priests on the Steps
Every evening around sundown, Hindu priests on the ghat at Har Ki Pauri, Haridwar, perform the Ganga Aarti, a ritual venerating the Ganges.
In the ancient Hindu holy city of Haridwar, on the banks of the sacred river Ganga, there is a ghat (set of steps down to the river) that is said to to have been built in the first century BC by the legendary King Vikramaditya. Called Har Ki Pauri, which means the feet of Lord Vishnu (Hari), it is claimed that in the Vedic (ancient period) times, Vishnu left his footprint on a stone wall here.
This is the point at which the Ganges leaves the mountains and enters the plains. According to ancient and medieval Hindu texts, it is also one of the four sacred spots in India where the nectar of immortality (Amrit) fell to earth during a battle between good and evil.
As a consequence, Har ki Pauri is the most sacred Ganges ghat in India. It hosts several special festivals, most notably the Kumbh Mela, which takes place every twelve years (see: Kumbh Mela).
The site is also celebrated for the river itself: according to legend, the Mother Goddess Ganga (Ganga Ma/Mata), with the help of the Hindu God Lord Shiva, came to earth here in the form of a celestial river, the Ganges. Every evening at sundown, priests on the ghats at Har ki Pauri perform the Ganga Aarti, a religious prayer giving thanks to the Goddess.
An aarti is a ritual of light, and always includes jyoti, holy flames. At the Ganga Aarti, the priests perform their chanted prayers with bowls of fire, and tall, flaming candelabras, which they circle clockwise while facing the river. It is a noisy affair, with the priests accompanying their chanted prayers with the ringing of temple bells, and the clashing of cymbals.
The practice is a delight to watch or participate in. The devotees are always happy to be there – making them friendly, welcoming, and willing to be photographed. This was my second evening visit to the ghats of Haridwar with photographer Karl Grobl and local guide DV Singh (see: People After Dark).
Join me for some more environmental portraits from the ghats.
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Sadhu on the Ghat
Pilgrims – including holy men – come to the ghats on the Ganges from all over the country.
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Woman in Green
Many pilgrims travel with loads of belongings – including containers so they can take sacred water away with them.
Offerings
It is customary to make an offering the Ganga Ma; many people buy ready-made floral arrangements which are designed to float away on the waters.
Preparing Offerings
Other people make their own offerings as part of their daily puja (act of worship).
On the Ghat
Shrines, offerings, and religious paraphernalia are everywhere on the steps.
Life on the Ghat
Any time of day, you’ll find people with their feet in the water, and/or floating offerings.
Temples in the Ganges
Pilgrims on the Steps
Religious Paraphernalia
Preparations for the evening’s aarti are well underway.
Blessings
Ingredients for an Offering
Making your own offering to the Mother can involve a complex mixture of foods, oils, spice and flowers.
Local Police
The police presence is friendly – but watchful.
Raja Birla Tower
Looking toward the clock tower from one of the bridges across the river, we can see how the crowd has gathered across the water from the ghat at Har Ki Pauri.
Priests on the Steps
I find a spot amid the throng, and watch the priests chant their mantras across the water.
Young Mum
People of all ages are arriving at the vantage point.
Making Offerings
Milk is one of the many offerings made to Ganga Ma; cow milk is seen as purifying and sustaining.
A Girl in the Crowd
I spend much of my time checking out the crowd around me; …
Smiling Girl
… I love the smiles I meet.
Fire and Flowers
The aarti continues across the water, with chanting and offerings.
Young Woman with her Family
Eyes in the Crowd
Everyone joins in the traditional song venerating the Mother Ganges, “Om Jai Gange Mata”, throwing their hands in the air with gusto on the chorus: “Jay Ganga, Qui Jay!”
Priests with Lamps
The light from the enormous tiered candelabras is not enough to cut through the descending darkness.
Filming
Everywhere you go these days, you will find people recording events on their mobile phones.
Prayers in the Dark
The skies darken further, and the aarti draws to a close.
The Flame
Dotted around the ghats, aarti flames are kept burning.
Sharing the Flame
The faithful hover their down-turned hands over the flame and then reverently touch them to their eyes and face; this imbues the devotee with blessings from Ganga Ma.
Keeper of the Flame
The mood is happy and light-hearted.
Like other visitors to the waterfront, I bought a small float with a diya (candle) surrounded by flowers that I could send down the river to light the darkness.
The whole ceremony is joyous and uplifting, and I walked back to my hotel with refrains from the Ganga Aarti song running around my head.
Until next time,
🎶 Om Jai Gange Mata 🎶
Pictures: 19November2013
