HH Param Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji and Pujya Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswatiji inaugurated a new Ganga Aarti at Srirampuram, New Kolkata Ghat last night, alongside Shri Amar Sarraf, Ajay Kumar, Archana Sarraf, and the entire Sarraf family; Ms. Ganga Nandini Tripathi; Acharya Deepak Sharma; Acharya Dilipji and Rishikumars of Parmarth Niketan; along with over 5000 devotees in attendance.  Pujya Swamiji gave special blessings to the whole family for this divine work.

Pujya Swamiji said: “Today is a historic day in the land of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Swami Vivekananda ji, the land of music, art, culture and spirituality. Today, we are all having the privilege of performing aarti. Since ancient times, rivers have been taking care of us like a mother. So many civilizations have developed on the banks of rivers, so many lives and communities flourish on the banks of rivers. Every day the water of rivers exists not only for human beings, but to quench the thirst of the entire earth. The holy banks of rivers give relaxation, peace and positivity.

“Rivers grant us peace by celebrating humanity in their huge hearts, so we must not give plastic garbage and filth to them in return. In 1997, Parmarth Niketan started a grand and divine Aarti on the banks of the Ganges to worship the presence of God in the form of a river. All so that all communities around the world can pledge and work to save the rivers. The day we fully understand the importance of rivers is the day that the rivers themselves will become clean and pure.

In Rishikesh, the Aarti spurs devotees to carry the message of service to humanity, of peace, and of protection of the environment to the world. Today, the Aarti must be started on every bank and every ghat because this message should be broadcast to the world from the banks of every river. The same message that will be disseminated through the aarti which has started in Kolkata from today.