Ganga Mata Aarti (गंगा माता की आरती)
Daily at Haridwar, Varanasi, Rishikesh ghats; also performed on Ganga Dussehra, Kartik Purnima
About this Aarti
Ganga Mata Aarti is the sacred prayer sung at Haridwar, Varanasi, and Rishikesh Ghats, honoring Mother Ganga as the purifier of souls.
Daily at Haridwar, Varanasi, Rishikesh ghats; also performed on Ganga Dussehra, Kartik Purnima
Significance & Importance
Mother Ganga, worshipped through the aarti 'Om Jai Gange Mata,' is the holiest river in Hinduism — believed to flow from Vishnu's feet through Shiva's matted locks. Drawn to earth by King Bhagiratha's penance to liberate King Sagara's sixty thousand sons, she is revered as a living bridge between heaven, earth, and the realm of ancestors.
The verse 'Putra Sagar Ke Taare' places this founding myth at the hymn's heart: Ganga's descent was an act of supreme compassion. Her waters — 'Chandra Si Jot' (luminous as the moon) — carry purifying grace, and bathing in them or keeping them at home is central to Hindu devotion across the subcontinent.
Ganga flows from Gangotri (Gaumukh) through Haridwar, Rishikesh, Prayag, and Varanasi — among Hinduism's greatest tirthas. The evening Ganga Aarti at Haridwar's Har Ki Pauri and at Varanasi's Dashashwamedh Ghat, performed with large brass lamps in synchronized arcs, is among the most spectacular devotional sights in the Hindu world.
Ganga Dussehra, marking her descent on Jyeshtha Shukla Dashami, and the Kumbh Mela at Prayag's Triveni Sangam — where Ganga meets Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati — draw the world's largest sacred gatherings. Devotees turn to this aarti for purification of heart, relief from sin, and the hope of liberation for themselves and their ancestors.
English Transliteration
Om Jai Gange Mata, Shri Jai Gange Mata.
Jo Nar Tumko Dhyata, Manwanchhit Phal Paata.
Om Jai Gange Mata.
Chandra Si Jot Tumhari, Jal Nirmal Aata.
Sharan Pade Jo Teri, So Nar Tar Jaata.
Om Jai Gange Mata.
Putra Sagar Ke Taare, Sab Jag Ko Gyaata.
Kripa Drishti Tumhari, Tribhuvan Sukh Daata.
Om Jai Gange Mata.
Ek Baar Jo Prani, Sharan Teri Aata.
Yam Ke Doot Use, Chhoo Bhi Nahin Paata.
Om Jai Gange Mata.
Haridwar, Prayag, Kashi, Paap Sab Naashe.
Maatu Gange Tumhari, Jai-Jai Ho Aashe.
Om Jai Gange Mata.Verse-by-Verse Meaning
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Om Jai Gange Mata, Shri Jai Gange Mata. Jo Nar Tumko Dhyata, Manwanchhit Phal Paata.
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Glory to you, Mother Ganga; glory to revered Mother Ganga. Whoever meditates upon you attains the fruit of their heart's desire.
Om Jai Gange Mata.
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(refrain, repeated)
Chandra Si Jot Tumhari, Jal Nirmal Aata. Sharan Pade Jo Teri, So Nar Tar Jaata.
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Your radiance is cool and bright like the moon, and your waters flow utterly pure. Whoever takes refuge in you is carried across (the ocean of worldly existence).
Om Jai Gange Mata.
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(refrain)
Putra Sagar Ke Taare, Sab Jag Ko Gyaata. Kripa Drishti Tumhari, Tribhuvan Sukh Daata.
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You liberated the (sixty thousand) sons of King Sagar — the whole world knows this. Your glance of grace bestows happiness upon all three worlds.
Om Jai Gange Mata.
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(refrain)
Ek Baar Jo Prani, Sharan Teri Aata. Yam Ke Doot Use, Chhoo Bhi Nahin Paata.
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Any being who comes into your refuge even once — the messengers of Yama (death) cannot so much as touch them (such a one is freed from the fear of death).
Om Jai Gange Mata.
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(refrain)
Haridwar, Prayag, Kashi, Paap Sab Naashe. Maatu Gange Tumhari, Jai-Jai Ho Aashe.
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Haridwar, Prayag and Kashi (your sacred pilgrimage seats) destroy all sins. O Mother Ganga, may your glory be sung forever — this is the (devotees') heartfelt hope.
Om Jai Gange Mata.
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(refrain)
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Frequently Asked Questions
When should the Ganga Mata Aarti be recited?
Daily at Haridwar, Varanasi, Rishikesh ghats; also performed on Ganga Dussehra, Kartik Purnima
What are the benefits of reciting the Ganga Mata Aarti?
Reciting the Ganga Mata Aarti with devotion is traditionally believed to invoke the grace of Ganga Mata, steady the mind, dispel negativity, and create an auspicious, sattvic atmosphere at home. It is offered as an act of bhakti (loving devotion) rather than for any guaranteed material result.
Where can I read the complete Ganga Mata Aarti lyrics?
VedKosh provides the complete Ganga Mata Aarti lyrics dedicated to Ganga Mata (गंगा माता) in both Hindi and English (with transliteration for regional readers), along with its meaning and a printable/downloadable version.