'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. 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.

Source: Times of India September 14, 2026 04:26 UTC