London:- The UK capital London witnessed a historic moment on Sunday when ‘Ganga Aarti’ was performed for the first time on the banks of the River Thames. Thousands of people gathered for the traditional ceremony of light and gratitude. The event was organised by Chinmaya Mission UK in collaboration with the annual ‘Totally Thames’ festival as part of the worldwide celebrations marking 75 years of the organisation. Held in London along the lines of the world-famous Aarti performed on the banks of the River Ganga in India, the event symbolised the life-giving flow of nature, knowledge and consciousness.
Brahmacharini Shripriya Chaitanya, Resident Teacher of Chinmaya Mission UK, said, “For generations, people have offered lamps on the banks of the Ganga to express gratitude to the river, nature and all the elements that sustain life. This Ganga Aarti on the River Thames also reflects the same spirit, bringing everyone together in a shared moment of unity, hope and gratitude.” She further said that for the organisation, the River Ganga also symbolises the flow of knowledge, as its founder, Swami Chinmayananda, brought the timeless knowledge of Vedanta from the Himalayas to the everyday lives of people.
Keeping environmental protection in mind, the entire Aarti was performed exclusively on land (on the riverbank), and no material or lamp was floated into the waters of the River Thames. A spokesperson for Chinmaya Mission clarified that, while maintaining the sanctity of the tradition, the lamps were kept on the riverbank to preserve the cleanliness of the river. At the same time, the use of single-use plastic was avoided and special arrangements were made to reduce waste so that the surrounding environment was not harmed.
The event, held with music and chanting against the backdrop of Greenwich’s historic ‘Old Royal Naval College’, was attended by leaders of Hindu organisations, religious figures and members of the South Asian community from across the UK. According to the organisation, the main objective of the Aarti was to remind people of the importance of the natural world and make them responsible for protecting the environment. The Aarti, included for the first time in the ‘Totally Thames’ festival, which has been running since 1997, was already fully booked, leading to speculation that it could become a regular annual event in the coming years as well.