London hosts first Ganga Aarti on Thames, blending faith and eco-care
Thousands of people gathered on the banks of the River Thames in London on Sunday for the first-ever Ganga Aarti, a ceremony of light and thanksgiving organised by Chinmaya Mission UK in collaboration with the annual Totally Thames festival.
Held as part of global celebrations marking 75 years of the charity, the event recreated the ethos of the well-known aarti performed on the banks of the River Ganges in India. It was conceived as a symbol of the life-giving flow of nature, knowledge and consciousness, and was open to the British Hindu and South Asian community as well as people from all backgrounds.
"For generations, communities have gathered on the banks of 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 said 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, 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," a Chinmaya Mission spokesperson said.
The ceremony on the Thames took place entirely on land, with nothing from the event placed, poured or released into the river. "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.
Set against the backdrop of the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, the event featured music and chanting and brought together senior spiritual leaders and representatives from Hindu organisations and communities across the UK. Chinmaya Mission UK said, "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." Founded in 1951, Chinmaya Mission is a global movement rooted in Vedanta, with more than 350 locations worldwide. Totally Thames, organised by a trust since 1997, celebrates the River Thames through arts, environmental, heritage and education programmes.
The first Ganga Aarti on the Thames was a sell-out event and is likely to become a regular annual feature, bringing together faith, gratitude and care for nature on the banks of the London river.
