According to Hindu Shastras river Ganga is imagined as a Goddess, who originated from Himalayas and then took shelter on the locks of Lord Shiva. King Bhagiratha rescued Ganga and brought her to the earth. The Ganga aarti is still performed in the places like Hardwar, Rishikesh, Varanasi etc, where innumerable lighted `Diya` or lamps are floated on the waves of river Ganga.

The Ganga aarti is sung as follows-
Arti ganga maiya, man jai sursari maiya
Bhav-varidhi-uddharini atihi sudradh naiya, man Jai....
Hari pada-padam-prasuta vimal varidhara,
Brahmadeva Bhagirathi shuchi punyagara, man Jai
Shankar-jata-viharini, hanoi trya tapa,
Sagar-putra-gana-tarini harani sakal papai man Jai...
Ganga Ganga jo jana uchcharat mukha son,
Dur desh man sthit bhi turat tarat sukh son, man Jai...
Mrit ki asthi tanik tuv jal dhara pavai,
So jan pavan hokar param dham javai, man Jai
Tav tatvasi taruvar, jal thal char prani
Pakshi-pashu-patang gati pavai nirvani, man Jai
Matu, daya mai kijai dinan par daya
Prabhu pad padma milakar Hari lijai maya, man Jai

The prayer is offered to the Goddess Ganga, the divine mother with the wave of festal lamp before her. The Ganga delivers us from the cycle of transmigration and the ocean of this world as if she is the steady boat.

Ganga is born out of lotus feet of Vishnu and is famous as a stream of unpolluted water. She is sacred and repository of all virtues , who is Brahma as streaming, flowing form and was brought to earth by Bhagiratha.

Lord Shiva`s locks are the favorite roaming place for Ganga. She is the destroyer of all three kinds of afflictions- physical, mental and providential. She is who delivers the sons of Sagara and amends all sins.

The person who chants her name even from a long distance is instantaneously rewarded with great comfort and pleasure and attains rescue as well. Just a few drops of Ganga`s holy stream sanctify the bones of dead, Who go straight to heaven after touching them.

The countless creature that lives in water or on land, the innumerable birds, cattle, insects as well as the trees growing on the bank of river Ganga are all entitled to salvation by their association with Ganga.