Ganga Arti, Haridwar

The city wakes up to attend this pre-dawn arti, in which the Ganga is worshipped with lamps and flowers. The devout take a bath in the chilled waters of the Ganga that has just melted from the glacier a hundred+ km away.

Prayers are offered with hymns and all things pure and beautiful.

Desi Ghee lamps, flowers and a pure mind.

This Ganga Arti makes me choke up.

It reminds me of my life-changing experiences and connection with Banaras where I first witnessed the larger-than-life Ganga arti.

The purity with which people pray affects me deeply and in addition to flowers and flame, I offer tears that have no reason to be except to be a part of humanity that is surrendering and connecting to the universe in that moment.

Here is a video of that arti: