Thousands gathered on the bank of River Thames at the Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich, London on Sunday 13 September for Ganga Aarti on the Thames: A Ceremony of Light - the largest Ganga Aarti ever staged in the UK. The atmosphere was pure magic as people chanted Hindu mantras loudly, with periodical chants of “Har Har Mahadev” and “Har Har Gange”.
Organised by Chinmaya Mission UK in partnership with Totally Thames, the landmark event formed part of global celebrations marking 75 years of Chinmaya Mission. It brought a centuries-old Hindu river tradition to the heart of London, uniting spiritual leaders from across Hindu traditions and welcoming people of all backgrounds in a shared spirit of gratitude, togetherness and reverence for nature.
Ganga Aarti is a traditional ceremony in which large multi-tiered lamps are lit and circled ceremonially on the riverbank, accompanied by prayer, music and chanting. Performed for generations on the banks of the River Ganga in India, it expresses reverence and gratitude for nature and all that sustains life.
The occasion drew spiritual leaders and representatives from Anoopam Mission, Arsha Vidya UK, BAPS Swaminarayan, Brahma Kumaris, Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, International Society for Krishna Consciousness, International Vedanta Society UK and Parmarth Niketan to perform the sacred ceremony. Blessings and messages were also received from spiritual leaders from Mata Amritanandamayi Math, Ramakrishna Vedanta Centre, Sanskruti Foundation, Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur and Vishva Hindu Parishad.
At dusk, illuminated ceremonial lamps were offered towards the Thames against the historic backdrop of the Old Royal Naval College. In line with the ceremony’s environmental stewardship, nothing was placed in the river. The afternoon also featured traditional Indian dance performances Including a procession led by Garba, devotional music, interactive exhibitions giving visitors the opportunity to explore the meaning and traditions behind Ganga Aarti. A further 1.1mn viewers joined online from around the world.
The ceremony was also attended by diplomatic and civic guests, including His Excellency P Kumaran, High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom and Lord Krish Raval.
Swami Swaroopananda, Global Head of Chinmaya Mission, said, “For generations, communities have gathered on the banks of the Ganga to offer light in gratitude for the river, for nature and for all that sustains life. To see that same spirit brought to the Thames at this scale, with thousands of people coming together in gratitude, hope and unity, is deeply meaningful. It is a historic moment for the Hindu community in the UK, and a reminder that the values at the heart of our traditions can bring people of all backgrounds together.
“For Chinmaya Mission, the Ganga 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 gathering is a celebration of that legacy – of knowledge, service and gratitude flowing beyond boundaries.”
The sponsors and supporters whose generous contributions helped make this event possible included the Dhamecha Group, Vascroft Foundation, Burnt Oak Builders Merchants, Devji Group, Lifelines, Harmony Health & Wellness and Bell Containers.
