River Thames hosts first-ever Ganga Aarti ceremony in London

Thousands of people gathered at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich for the first-ever Ganga Aarti held on the River Thames in London. Organized by Chinmaya Mission UK in collaboration with the Totally Thames festival, the event served as part of the global celebrations marking the 75th anniversary of the charity.

The ceremony of light and thanksgiving recreated the ethos of the traditional ritual performed on the banks of the Ganges in India. It featured multi-tiered oil lamps, devotional music, chanting, and prayers. To protect the local environment, organizers ensured that no lamps or ritual materials were released into the Thames river itself.

Participants included Swami Chidanand Saraswati and Sadhvi Bhagwati Saraswati, who are known for their work with the Ganga Aarti in Rishikesh. The event was described by organizers as a symbol of the life-giving flow of nature, knowledge, and consciousness, intended to bring communities together in a shared moment of gratitude and unity.