Ganga Dussehra 2020
The descent of the Ganga — snan and daan on Jyeshtha Shukla Dashami.
Muhurat & timings
Kashi/IST · astronomically computed- Sankalp (sunrise)05:07
- Sunset18:44
- Fasting window (tithi)2020-05-31 · 17:41 → 15:00
- Parana (tithi ends)15:00
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 2020
- Makar Sankranti — 15 January 2020
- Vasant Panchami — 30 January 2020
- Maha Shivaratri — 21 February 2020
- Holika Dahan — 9 March 2020
- Holi — 10 March 2020
- Chaitra Navratri begins — 25 March 2020
- Ram Navami — 2 April 2020
- Akshaya Tritiya — 26 April 2020
- Jagannath Rath Yatra — 23 June 2020
- Guru Purnima — 5 July 2020
- Nag Panchami — 25 July 2020
- Raksha Bandhan — 3 August 2020
- Krishna Janmashtami — 11 August 2020
- Hartalika Teej — 21 August 2020
- Ganesh Chaturthi — 22 August 2020
- Anant Chaturdashi — 1 September 2020
- Pitru Paksha begins — 2 October 2020
- Sharad Navratri begins — 17 October 2020
- Durga Ashtami — 24 October 2020
- Maha Navami — 25 October 2020
- Dussehra / Vijayadashami — 25 October 2020
- Karwa Chauth — 4 November 2020
- Dhanteras — 13 November 2020
- Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) — 14 November 2020
- Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) — 14 November 2020
- Govardhan Puja — 16 November 2020
- Bhai Dooj — 16 November 2020
- Chhath Puja — 20 November 2020
- Kartik Purnima (Dev Deepawali) — 30 November 2020
- Guru Nanak Jayanti — 30 November 2020
- Hindu Festivals 2020 →