Few takers for old tradition of Ganga Dussehra

Ganga Dussehra, the day when river Ganga is believed to have emerged on the earth, is marked with an important age-old tradition of immersing decorated 'Gudda-Gudia' into the river.

Ganga Dussehra, the day when river Ganga is believed to have emerged on the earth, is marked with an important age-old tradition of immersing decorated 'Gudda-Gudia' into the river.

HT Image

But unfortunately, this age-old tradition has almost vanished and today very few takers of this tradition have remained in this capital.

With an aim to revive this lost tradition, Anil Jail, patron of social organisation Sankalp, organised a small function at Parvatipuri Colony in Gurubag-Luxa area of the city where little girls decorated cloth-made dolls and performed marriage amid Vedic rituals and marriage songs.

These dolls would be immersed in the river on Ganga Dussehra Day to mark the festival.

'Basic aim behind organising such function was to revive the lost traditions and customs and also to introduce the younger generation with these rich Indian cultural traditions', Jain said while talking to HT on Sunday.

He said in today's era of information technology the old cultural traditions are being replaced by westernised occasions and the younger generations better remember the significance of Fathers' Day, Valentines' Day.

Kishori Raman Dubey alias 'Babu Maharaj' founder of Gangotri Sewa Samiti said 'this tradition of performing marriage of decorated dolls and then immersing in river Ganga on Ganga Dussehra day has almost vanished from this cultural city'.

Residing in the city for past many generations, he said earlier a lot many of women and girls use to sit on the banks of Ganga and immerse decorated dolls after performing their marriage as part of age-old Indian tradition that has today became restricted to only few.

Meanwhile, Gangotri Sewa Samiti would organise Ganga Dussehra Mahotsav at Dashashwamedh Ghat on Monday. As many as 11 Brahmin Batuks would perform the maha aarti of the goddess Ganga in the evening.