'A ceremony of light': First-ever Ganga Aarti held on River Thames in London - video

Ganga Aarti on the Thames. (Photo credit: PTI)

Thousands of people gathered on the banks of the River Thames on Sunday for the first-ever Ganga Aarti in London, a traditional Hindu ceremony of light and thanksgiving.Titled “Ganga Aarti on the Thames: A Ceremony of Light”, the event was organised by Chinmaya Mission UK in collaboration with the annual Totally Thames festival.

It was part of global celebrations marking the 75th anniversary of Chinmaya Mission.The ceremony recreated the spirit of the world-famous Ganga Aarti held along the River Ganges in India. Organisers described it as a symbol of the life-giving flow of nature, knowledge and consciousness.“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, according to PTI.“Ganga Aarti on the Thames carries that same spirit, bringing people together in a shared moment of gratitude, hope and unity,” she added.

The traditional ceremony involved large, multi-tiered oil lamps, prayers, music and chanting. It was held against the backdrop of the historic Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich and brought together spiritual leaders, representatives of Hindu organisations and members of South Asian communities from across the UK.

Chaitanya said the River Ganges also symbolised the flow of knowledge for Chinmaya Mission. “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, PTI reported.The ceremony took place entirely on land, with no material from the event placed, poured or released into the River Thames.Chinmaya Mission UK said the event was intended as a celebration for the British Hindu and wider South Asian communities, while also inviting people of all backgrounds to reflect on gratitude and respect for nature.“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,” the organisation said.Chinmaya Mission, founded in 1951, is a global movement focused on spiritual education, inner transformation and the teachings of Vedanta. It has more than 350 centres worldwide and runs cultural, educational and service initiatives. The first Ganga Aarti event, which was sold out, is expected to pave the way for it to become a more regular annual feature of the festival.