Ganga Dussehra 2016
The descent of the Ganga — snan and daan on Jyeshtha Shukla Dashami.
Muhurat & timings
Kashi/IST · astronomically computed- Sankalp (sunrise)05:07
- Sunset18:49
- Fasting window (tithi)05:02 → 2016-06-15 · 07:31
- Parana (tithi ends)07:312016-06-15
Festival days follow the classical attribution rules — udaya (sunrise), pradosha (evening), nishita (midnight), madhyahna or aparahna vyapini as each festival prescribes — computed for Kashi/Varanasi (IST). Regional observance can differ by a day in some years.
Read the Ganga Dussehra puja vidhi, vrat rules and kathaGanga Dussehra — Frequently Asked Questions
When is Ganga Dussehra?
On the Shukla Dashami of Jyeshtha, in the peak of summer just before the monsoon. It usually falls a day before Nirjala Ekadashi. This year's date is shown above.
Why is it called Dussehra?
From dasha-hara — 'the remover of ten' — because a bath in the Ganga on this day is held to wash away ten kinds of sin (three of the body, four of speech, three of the mind). It is unrelated to the autumn Dussehra of Vijayadashami.
Why is everything offered in tens?
For the ten sins the Ganga carries away: ten dips, ten lamps, ten flowers and ten of each offering are made, and dana of ten items is given.
What if I cannot reach the Ganga?
A bath in any sacred river or, failing that, adding Ganga-jal to the home bath water and worshipping the river with remembrance is accepted; the tradition holds even the remembrance of Ganga to be purifying.
Other major festivals in 2016
- Makar Sankranti — 15 January 2016
- Vasant Panchami — 13 February 2016
- Maha Shivaratri — 7 March 2016
- Holika Dahan — 22 March 2016
- Holi — 24 March 2016
- Chaitra Navratri begins — 8 April 2016
- Ram Navami — 15 April 2016
- Akshaya Tritiya — 9 May 2016
- Jagannath Rath Yatra — 6 July 2016
- Guru Purnima — 19 July 2016
- Nag Panchami — 7 August 2016
- Raksha Bandhan — 18 August 2016
- Krishna Janmashtami — 24 August 2016
- Hartalika Teej — 4 September 2016
- Ganesh Chaturthi — 5 September 2016
- Anant Chaturdashi — 15 September 2016
- Pitru Paksha begins — 17 September 2016
- Sharad Navratri begins — 1 October 2016
- Durga Ashtami — 9 October 2016
- Maha Navami — 10 October 2016
- Dussehra / Vijayadashami — 11 October 2016
- Karwa Chauth — 19 October 2016
- Dhanteras — 28 October 2016
- Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) — 29 October 2016
- Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) — 30 October 2016
- Govardhan Puja — 31 October 2016
- Bhai Dooj — 1 November 2016
- Chhath Puja — 6 November 2016
- Kartik Purnima (Dev Deepawali) — 14 November 2016
- Guru Nanak Jayanti — 14 November 2016
- Hindu Festivals 2016 →