Priests deliver religious discourse to save Ganga in Varanasi

Varanasi , June 23 (ANI): Priests delivered religious discourse on the banks of the Ganges here on Saturday to spread awareness among the masses about restoring the sanctity of the river and urged the government to take steps to cleanse it.

Over 1008 priests performed 'Ganga Lahari' for the clean River Ganga campaign to highlight the deteriorating condition of the sacred river.

Priests lamented over the failure of both, the state and the central governments, to initiate steps to purify the river.

"We would like to send the message across the world that the Ganges is our mother. In order to expose the deteriorating condition of the river at the hands of the Central and state governments, we have organised this event to urge people to join hands in saving the holy river," Radhe Shyam, a priest, said.

The saints noted that due to ignorance, the river was drying up at a rapid pace.

"The priests have performed 'Ganga Lahari' in order to purify the holy river. This discourse was performed about three hundred years ago by Pandit Jagannath and today the river is on the verge of disappearance," Kanhaiya Lal, a priest, said.

Scores of non-governmental and social organisations are coming forward to show solidarity for the genuine cause of clean River Ganga campaign. (ANI)