The Spirtual River Lime - "Ganga Dhaaraa"

Ganga Dhaaraa Teerath (also spelt tirath) also known as pilgrimage  to the river represents an ancient tradition in Hinduism. Man, God and Nature are not separate. Water is life and human life has depended upon this element since the beginning of time. Villages, towns and even cities have been birthed at the river's edge, dependent on the water's flow. The teerath is about the leap in the journey of life from physical to spiritual and it is natural that such worship should occur in the river which is the provider of all life.
In Trinidad this festival happens every year in June by at Marianne river, Blanchisseuse, North coast.
Families congregate at the entrance of the river, down makeshift stairs built with bamboo lathes, mud and in some places covered with planks of wood, waiting to pay respects to the water before going on. A mantra is said which calls the Goddess to the head of the river and offerings of flowers and small coins are also made before entering the water.
Two murtis have been created from raw materials from the riverbed which are pressed, kneaded and shaped by hand before baking and painting for the festival  Lord Ganesh and Goddess Ganga. 

At the entrance of the river a Lord Ganesh murti sits in the running water. The first chant in the festival is dedicated to Lord Ganesh, for he is the symbol of peace, the remover of all obstacles and the embodiment of intellect. At the festival's end, the Goddess Ganga's murti would be put back into the riverbed where nature would once again claim it. The Ganesh murti would likewise be returned in a separate ceremony. At the mandir, a yellow sutra is tied around the wrist which is a raksha sutra, a thread of protection. Once this is done, devotees proceed into the river, treading the cool flow in an assortment of water-shoes, sneakers and slippers. A few even walk barefooted across the rocky riverbed. While some are dressed in white, many more were predominantly in yellow, the colour representative of the Goddess Ganga. A bell dangles over the middle of the river, suspended on a long rope which hangs across the river. This is rung by devotees to announce their arrival to this sacred place
The river is a source that serves to renew the spirit with laughter, the company of friends, family and community.

Comments

  1. Unknown25 July 2017 at 16:20

    This festival is one that I look forward to every year. The atmosphere is just filled with peace and serenity as you give thanks to the Mother for all that she has done.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Unknown26 July 2017 at 12:55

      Thanks, this year was my first and it really is memorable

      Delete
  2. Unknown25 July 2017 at 20:23

    Wonderful festival

    ReplyDelete

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