About Ganga Mahotsav
Ganga Mahotsav is one of the great festivals in the country of India. This festival is celebrated annually for 5 days in Varanasi, the country’s cultural capital. Ganga Mahotsav, being one of the cultural extravaganzas in the nation, serves as a platform for varied cultural activities.
Organized by Mahotsav Samiti, this festival promotes and showcases cultural tourism. The Ganga Mahotsav is celebrated at Dr. Rajendra Prasad Ghat on the banks of the holy river Ganga in Varanasi. This five days long festival is a vibrant platform which brings together India's finest culture with an extensive range of art, craft and cuisine on display at a single place.
Date of Ganga Mahotsav: 25th-28th November 2012.
Meaning of Ganga Mahotsav
This festival is named after the river Ganga owing to the fact that this is celebrated to offer homage to the holy river. Since the festival has been given a huge form so as to promote the culture and tradition of the country, it is named as “Mahotsav”, which mean “the great festival”.
Objective of Ganga Mahotsav
Apart from encouraging worldwide tourism, this festival is celebrated to promote handicrafts of the nation as well as varied other aspects. As Varanasi possesses a rich cultural heritage and exclusive oriental knowledge, the main purpose behind celebrating this festival on a huge level and with great enthusiasm is to promote those unique branches of knowledge and culture.
Being a product of multi-faceted tourism, this Ganga Festival aims at uniting the art and culture of the country with the varied global communities. Every year, this festival of Varanasi attracts lakhs of people, which provides an open platform to the Indian handicrafts as well as the different streams of culture prevalent in the country.
When is Ganga Mahotsav celebrated?
The Ganga Mahotsav is celebrated mainly during the months of October and November. The dates vary according to the lunar calendar of India. It starts on the occasion of “Prabodhini Ekadasi” and ends on the occasion of “Kartik Poornima”, which is a full moon day.
The below mentioned table shows the days and dates of Ganga Mahotsav from the year 2010 to 2015:
| Year | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 17th November, 2010 (Wednesday) | 20th November, 2010 (Saturday) |
| 2011 | 6th November, 2011 (Sunday) | 9th November, 2011 (Wednesday) |
| 2012 | 25th November, 2012 (Sunday) | 28th November, 2012 (Wednesday) |
| 2013 | 13th November, 2013 (Wednesday) | 16th November, 2013 (Saturday) |
| 2014 | 3rd November, 2014 (Monday) | 5th November, 2014 (Wednesday) |
| 2015 | 22nd November, 2015 (Sunday) | 24th November, 2015 (Tuesday) |
FAQs about Ganga Mahotsav
What is the venue for Ganga Mahotsav?
The venue for this much awaited Indian festival is Dr. Rajendra Prasad Ghat, which is located by the side of the Ganga River in Varanasi.
How to reach the festival venue?
Varanasi, being one of the oldest cities of India, is being well connected to the other parts of the country as well as the world by road, rail and airways.
Which is the nearest airport to the destination?
To reach the venue of Ganga Mahotsav by air, one needs to book their ticket till Babatpur Airport, which is located at a distance of 22 km from the city.
Which railway station is close to this venue?
Mughal Sarai Railway Station and Varanasi Railway Station are two of the railway stations located within proximity of the venue of the Mahotsav.
Where to stay to experience the festival?
The city has got many hotels to stay in during this festival. Some mid-range and budget hotels in Varanasi are - Hotel Surya, Hotel Buddha, Rashmi Guest House, Hotel Haifa & Restaurant, etc.
Last Updated on : 16/09/2013
Festivals in India
