Ganga Dussehra 2018
The descent of the Ganga — snan and daan on Jyeshtha Shukla Dashami.
Muhurat & timings
Kashi/IST · astronomically computed- Sankalp (sunrise)05:08
- Sunset18:51
- Fasting window (tithi)03:17 → 2018-06-23 · 03:18
- Parana (tithi ends)03:182018-06-23
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 2018
- Makar Sankranti — 14 January 2018
- Vasant Panchami — 22 January 2018
- Maha Shivaratri — 14 February 2018
- Holika Dahan — 1 March 2018
- Holi — 2 March 2018
- Chaitra Navratri begins — 18 March 2018
- Ram Navami — 25 March 2018
- Akshaya Tritiya — 18 April 2018
- Jagannath Rath Yatra — 14 July 2018
- Guru Purnima — 27 July 2018
- Nag Panchami — 15 August 2018
- Raksha Bandhan — 26 August 2018
- Krishna Janmashtami — 2 September 2018
- Hartalika Teej — 12 September 2018
- Ganesh Chaturthi — 13 September 2018
- Anant Chaturdashi — 24 September 2018
- Pitru Paksha begins — 26 September 2018
- Sharad Navratri begins — 10 October 2018
- Durga Ashtami — 17 October 2018
- Maha Navami — 18 October 2018
- Dussehra / Vijayadashami — 19 October 2018
- Karwa Chauth — 27 October 2018
- Dhanteras — 5 November 2018
- Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) — 6 November 2018
- Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) — 7 November 2018
- Govardhan Puja — 8 November 2018
- Bhai Dooj — 9 November 2018
- Chhath Puja — 13 November 2018
- Kartik Purnima (Dev Deepawali) — 23 November 2018
- Guru Nanak Jayanti — 23 November 2018
- Hindu Festivals 2018 →