Historic first: ‘Ganga aarti’ performed on River Thames in London
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Historic first: ‘Ganga aarti’ performed on River Thames in London")
‘Ganga aarti’ on River Thames in London Photograph: (Credit: X/PTI)
Thousands gathered at Greenwich along the River Thames in London for the historic first-ever Ganga Aarti in the UK, organised by Chinmaya Mission UK and Totally Thames.
Thousands gathered along the banks of the River Thames on Sunday (Sep 13), to witness the first-ever Ganga Aarti held in the United Kingdom. Set against the backdrop of the historic Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, the ceremony brought the traditional Indian riverside ritual of light, prayer, and thanksgiving to the heart of London. Titled "Ganga Aarti on the Thames: A Ceremony of Light," the landmark event was organised by Chinmaya Mission UK in collaboration with the annual Totally Thames festival. The gathering formed part of global celebrations marking the 75th anniversary of Chinmaya Mission, a global spiritual organisation founded in 1951 to promote Vedantic wisdom and community service.
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Recreating the spiritual atmosphere of the iconic evening aartis performed along the River Ganges in Varanasi, Haridwar, and Rishikesh, priests and devotees led synchronised chants, music, and the waving of large multi-tiered brass oil lamps. The organisers conceived the ceremony as a symbol of the continuous, life-giving flow of nature, knowledge, and consciousness.
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Leadership from Chinmaya Mission emphasised that the Ganges represents both physical sustenance and the transmission of spiritual knowledge. Swami Swaroopananda, Global Head of Chinmaya Mission, joined local spiritual leaders, UK Hindu organisation representatives, and members of the broader South Asian diaspora for the proceedings.
In order to protect the local ecosystem, organisers conducted the ritual strictly on land. No oil lamps, flowers, offerings, or ritual materials were released into the river waters. Single-use plastics were banned across the venue to align the traditional reverence for sacred rivers with contemporary ecological responsibility.
The sold-out gathering drew attendees from diverse cultural backgrounds.
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Following its successful debut within the month-long Totally Thames festival program, organisers expect the ceremony to become an annual feature on London’s cultural calendar.
