Ganga Saptami

GANGA SAPTAMI

Ganga Saptami is a Hindu festival celebrated mostly in Northern parts of India. This day is Ganga Pujan or Ganga Jayanti. It is believed that on this day the day the holy river Ganga descended onto the earth. This day falls on the seventh day of the Shukla Paksha in Vaisakha month. Ganga Saptami is a Hindu Festival. It is celebrated in northern parts of india, it is also know as ganga pujan or Ganga jayanti. it is believed that on this day river Ganga was Descended to the earth. It is celebrated in the honour of Goddess Ganga. Ganga Saptami falls on the seventh day of Shukla Paksha in Vaishaka or Baisakh month. On Ganga Saptami on the places where River ganga passes like Triven sangam in Allahabad, Rishikesh special puja and prayers is done.

On this day Devotees take a dip in the Holy River Ganga, Before the sunrise. It is very Auspicious to worship Goddess Ganga on this day. On Ganga Saptami, the ceremony of ‘deepadan’ that is donating a ‘deep’ is very fortunate. Huge fairs are also organised near the bank of the river. Reciting ‘Ganga Sahasranam Strotram’ and ‘Gayatri Mantra’ is considered to be very Favourable on this day.

Important Timings On Ganga Saptami

HISTORY OF THE FESTIVAL

Once upon a time there lived a king called Sagara who ruled the kingdom of Kosala. He belonged to the surya Dynasty and performed hundred aswamedha yagnas. Once he completes the Yagna, he would become the king of ‘swarglok‘.
Contrary, Indra the king of heaven did not want this to happen. Also Indra hid the sacrificial horse of the yagna in the ashram of sage kapila. But, King Sagara found the horse and mistook the culprit as Sage Kapila. So, the sage got angry for their mistake. Therefore, he  cursed all of them and burnt to ashes.

After long time many kings died in the same dynasty because of the curse and one among was the king Bhagiratha. King Bhagiratha performed tapasya to get rid of the curse and the sins of his fore father’s. And only Sacred river Ganga can do this. And so, After doing tapasya for thousand of years finally he pleased the Lord Bramha. the Lord Bramha promised him that Goddess ganga will come to the earth. But the flow of the Ganga would destroy the earth. Lord bramha also asked him to please Lord Shiva who can control the flow of the river. So, again the Bhagiratha did Tapasya and pleased Lord Shiva to do it. Thus, the Ganga came to earth due to King Bhagirath’s efforts. So, we reffer it as Bhagirathi.

During the course of her flow, she washed out sage Jahnu ashram. Then the raged sage drank the whole water. When Bhagiratha pleaded the sage, he released her through his ear. This day is  Jahnu Saptami. Later the Ganga came to know as Jahnvi the Daughter of saint Jahnu. She flowed to the Sage Kapil’s Ashram over the Ashes of 60,000 Princes and all attained Moksha.