London Hosts First Ganga Aarti on Thames, Blending Hindu Tradition With Eco-Care

Thousands of people gathered along the River Thames in London on Sunday for the first-ever Ganga Aarti held on the riverbank. Organised by Chinmaya Mission UK in partnership with the Totally Thames festival, the event brought a traditional Hindu ceremony of prayer, light and gratitude to the British capital.

The ceremony was part of global celebrations marking 75 years of Chinmaya Mission. Inspired by the aarti traditionally performed along the Ganges in India, the event aimed to highlight gratitude for nature, life and the flow of knowledge while bringing together the British Hindu and wider South Asian communities as well as people from different backgrounds.

The traditional ceremony featured prayers, chanting, music and large multi-tiered oil lamps. Organisers said the event also carried an environmental message, emphasising responsibility towards rivers and the natural world.

Particular attention was given to protecting the Thames. The ceremony was conducted entirely on land, with lamps kept on the riverbank rather than being floated in the water. Organisers also introduced measures to reduce waste and limit the use of single-use plastics.

Held against the backdrop of the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, the gathering included spiritual leaders and representatives from Hindu organisations and communities across the UK.

Chinmaya Mission, founded in 1951, is a global movement rooted in Vedanta and has more than 350 locations worldwide. Totally Thames has been celebrating the River Thames through arts, environmental, heritage and educational programmes since 1997.

The event was sold out and could become an annual feature, combining Hindu spiritual traditions with a message of environmental awareness and care for nature.