London, Sep 14: Thousands gathered on the banks of the River Thames on Sunday for the first-ever Ganga aarti, a ceremony of light and thanksgiving in London.
'Ganga 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 the ethos of the world-famous aarti by the River Ganges in India, the event in London was concieved as a symbol of the life-giving flow of nature, knowledge and consciousness.
"The whole idea was that we come together, remembering that spirit of Mother Ganga, the spiritual flow of tradition, culture, knowledge and here, which is the very centre of London, that we can invoke Mother Ganga in the Thames and remember her and her divinity and beauty," Swami Swaroopananda, Global Head, Chinmaya Mission UK, told PTI.
"When we have a common altar of devotion, dedication, we all leave aside our differences and come together to express what lies deep in our heart, and that is the spirit of oneness, spirit of love, spirit of harmony which Guru Dev Swami Chinmayananda, inspired by Mother Ganga, brought as the knowledge from the heights of the Himalayas.
"(He) dedicated his entire life to spread this knowledge of Vedanta, which teaches us that there is only one indivisible truth in you, in me, in everyone, beyond all differences and all distinctions,” he said.
Swami Swaroopananda, who went on to lead the aarti on the banks of the Thames in Greenwich, highlighted the charity’s various programs across the field of education and rural development, including through dedicated sewa in the UK.
“For generations, communities have gathered on the banks of the 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 UK.
"Ganga aarti on the Thames carries that same spirit – bringing people together in a shared moment of gratitude, hope and unity," she said.
Chaitanya explained that for the Chinmaya Mission, the River Ganges also symbolises the flow of knowledge.
"Our 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 people’s 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 said.
The aarti, a traditional Hindu ceremony of gratitude involving large multi-tiered oil lamps accompanied by prayer, music and chanting, is an expression of reverence for the river and wider gratitude for Mother 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 aarti by the Thames took place entirely on land, with nothing from the ceremony placed, poured or released into the Thames.
“The 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 single-use plastics and ensure the site and surrounding environment are treated responsibly," the spokesperson said.
Accompanied 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 UK.
It 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 nature.
“At 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 said.
Chinmaya 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 citizens.
Totally Thames, organised by a trust, is a festival aimed at celebrating the River Thames through arts events, environmental initiatives, heritage and education programmes since 1997.
The sell-out first-ever Ganga aarti event as part of its programme this year is likely to lead to a more regular feature annually.
