New Millennium – Varanasi On the eve of the new millennium, Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswati (Founder of Ganga Action) organized and led a huge function on Dashashwamed Ghat in Varanasi, graced by the presence of H.H. the Dalai Lama, Pujya Dada Vasvani and many other revered saints, dignitaries and celebrities, including Anuradha Paudwal. The theme of the event was to herald in a new year, a new century and a new millennium in which we have malas in one hand and brooms in the other! Pujya Swamiji emphasized the need to clean, protect and preserve the waters and the banks of Mother Ganga. The next morning, January 1, 2000, Pujya Swamiji led a massive clean-up program on the ghats of Varanasi.
In further effort to prevent people from using the banks of Mother Ganga as their toilets and trash can, Pujya Swamiji inspired the people of Varanasi to organize daily aarti ceremonies on Dashashwamed ghat. He formed the “Ganga Seva Nidhi” and continued to sponsor it for many years until it became self-sufficient.
View photos from this Sangam Aarti, and other Aartis GAP has conducted >>
View photos from the clean-up, and all of GAP’s clean-ups >>