Fire and Water at the Ganges – Human Stories by Dr. Joel M. Hoffman

Tens of thousands of people converge every evening on the Ganges River as it flows through the city of Haridwar, and I was lucky enough to see it.

The primary goal may be a dip in the water of the holy Ganges, but the gathering is an impressive combination of fire and water, of chants and clapping and bells, and of dense crowds of people.

The fire is part of an aarti, a Hindu fire offering to a deity. It reminded me of an ancient sacrifice without the sacrifice, as seen above and here:

A Woman Offers an Aarti in Haridwar on the Banks of the Ganges

The water, of course, is from the famous Ganges River, which according to tradition, was created as the deity Vishnu stepped across the universe. Much of India depends on water from the Ganges for agriculture and for sustenance, so the river is both a literal and figurative life-giving force.

The River Ganges as it Flows Through Haridwar

The chants and clapping and bells, like the crowds, combine people from all walks of life. For all of the attention paid to India’s social divisions in the form of the caste system, here everyone is welcome and everyone is equal.