Devotees observe first-ever Ganga Aarti held on River Thames in UK

Thousands gathered on the banks of the River Thames on Sunday for the firstever Ganga Aarti a ceremony of light and thanksgiving in LondonGanga Aarti on the Thames A Ceremony of Light was organised by Chinmaya Mission UK in collaboration with the annual Totally Thames festival as part of the global celebrations marking 75 years of the charity Recreating ethos of the worldfamous aarti by the River Ganges in India the event in London was conceived as a symbol of the lifegiving flow of nature knowledge and consciousnessFor 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 said Brahmacharini Shripriya Chaitanya Resident Teacher of Chinmaya Mission UKGanga Aarti on the Thames carries that same spirit bringing people together in a shared moment of gratitude hope and unity she saidChaitanya explained that for the Chinmaya Mission the River Ganges also symbolises the flow of knowledgeOur founder Swami Chinmayananda dedicated his life to bringing the timeless wisdom of Vedanta one of the great philosophical traditions of Hinduism from the Himalayas into peoples everyday lives As we mark 75 years of Chinmaya Mission this event is also a celebration of that legacy of knowledge service and gratitude flowing beyond boundaries she saidThe aarti a traditional Hindu ceremony of gratitude involving large multitiered oil lamps prayer music and chanting is an expression of reverence for the river and wider gratitude for Mother NatureReverence 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 lifegiving and sustaining said a Chinmaya Mission spokespersonThe aarti by the Thames took place entirely on land with nothing from the ceremony placed poured or released into the ThamesThe ceremonial lamps will remain on the riverbank rather than being floated on the water allowing us to honour the spirit of the tradition while ensuring the Thames remains undisturbed That same principle extends across the event with measures to minimise waste reduce singleuse plastics and ensure the site and surrounding environment are treated responsibly the spokesperson saidAccompanied by music and chanting against the backdrop of the historic Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich the event brought together senior spiritual leaders and representatives from Hindu organisations and communities across the UKIt was intended as a wider celebration for the British Hindu and South Asian community and an invitation to people of all backgrounds to come together in gratitude and reverence for natureAt its heart Ganga Aarti reminds us not to take the natural world for granted Gratitude towards nature should be expressed not only through prayer but through the care and responsibility with which we treat the environment around us Chinmaya Mission UK saidChinmaya Mission is a global movement founded in 1951 dedicated to inner transformation and spiritual awakening rooted in the timeless wisdom of Vedanta and inspired by the vision of Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda Today the Mission has more than 350 locations worldwide supporting communities through spiritual education cultural programmes academic institutions and service initiatives In the UK Chinmaya Mission UK offers programmes for every stage of life from children and teenagers to young adults families and senior citizensTotally Thames organised by a trust is a festival to celebrate the River Thames through arts events environmental initiatives heritage and education programmes since 1997 The sellout firstever Ganga Aarti event as part of its programme this year is likely to lead to a more regular feature annuallyThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever