The River Ganga is personified as a goddess Maa Ganga and is believed to provide happiness, prosperity, salvation, mental peace, and deliverance (Moksha) to its devotees. “Shodasa Upacahar” is a complete process of performing the rituals of Ganga Pooja. Upachar means service; there are 16 up chars to be executed for worship. It is usually rendered with Vedic chantings.
All these 16 steps are symbolic representations of the various forms of expressing reverence like offering the deity a golden throne to be seated, washing feet, washing hands, offering water to drink, ceremonial bathing with sacred waters, offering new clothes, etc.
Ganga Pooja of Maa Ganga is a special ritual in which many kinds of material like Milk, Honey, Fruits, etc are offered to the Goddess. Ganga Pooja is performed by devotees for fulfilling their desires. The ritual is believed to bring happiness and prosperity to the family and business.
Ganga Pooja means prayer for River Ganga. Prayers are dedicated to gods and goddesses. River Ganga is not just a river in India, It is a Divine Mother. River Ganga gives life in the form of water. The same water also removes sins when you take a dip in its holy water. River Ganga also gives liberation to souls. It’s not just a river but the whole culture itself.
Historically millions of people are living on the bank of the river Ganga. For agriculture, her water is still precious for India. River Ganga is considered a goddess which was originally living in heaven. Saint Bhagirath made a long meditation to give liberation to his ancestors (reduced to ashes due to the curse of sage Kapil). He was blessed with Ganga by gods. Lord Shiva held her to reduce her mighty flow.
The worship of Maa Ganga is one of the most important rituals in Hinduism. Each evening, thousands of devotees gather at the banks of the Ganga at Haridwar and Rishikesh to witness the spectacle known as the ‘Ganga Aarti’, which pays homage to the greatness of this river. Bathing in or offering worship to Devi Ganga can purify the souls of the devotees.
It can absolve their sins, turn them into good, virtuous individuals and ultimately help them liberation of the soul (Moksha), in the afterlife. The waters of the Ganges are said to be magical and can even cure diseases, ailments, and other illnesses.