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Witness the sunset mingle with devotion at Varanasi whilst the Ganga Aarti is performed.
What Is It?
Varanasi, one of the oldest living cities in the world, known for its mesmerizing Ganga Aarti; is a place that belongs on your bucket list. The Aarti performed at the Dashashwamedh Ghat attracts a huge audience from different parts of the world, who come to witness the Holy Ganges being worshiped. The Aarti starts after the sunset at around 6:30 pm in the summer season (7:00 pm in the winter season) and is a forty-five minute long soulful ritual.
The Aarti, a highly choreographed ceremony, is performed on a stage by a group of young pandits. Chanting of hymns and blowing of the conch shell marks the start of the Aarti. After which, the pandits dressed in saffron colored attire praise the lord by waving the large flaming lamps in a thoroughly synchronized manner. The Varanasi Ganga Aarti is meticulously ended by the priest pouring holy water in the sacred river whilst chanting the hymns.
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You can witness the Aarti from the steps, the boats or the roof of the Ganga Sewa Nidhi office. The location gets pretty crowded hence we would recommend you to get to the Kashi Vishwanath temple well in advance.
The whole of forty-five minutes is an amalgamation of chants, claps, devotion, and a sense of calmness.