विस्तार है अपार प्रजा दोनों पार करे हाहाकार निशब्द सदा
ओ गंगा तुम… ओ गंगा बहती हो क्यों

I remembered these wonderful lines from a Bhupen Hazarika song as I walked towards Dashashwamedh Ghat to witness Ganga Aarti. I am an agnostic … but the whole atmosphere around the ghats was charged with the feeling of devotion and togetherness. Caste, race, nationality, religion nothing stopped people from participating in this experience. Though it is now a bit of a commercialised ritual… it was still fascinating and performers put in lot of energy and their own devotion into the Ganga Aarti …