Varanasi: Girls to perform Dev Deepawali aarti as chief priest for the first time

Dev Deepawali will be celebrated in Varanasi on November 19. For the first time, girls will be involved in Maha Ganga Aarti as the Chief Priest at Sheetla Ghat. 84 ghats will be illuminated with diyas on Dev Deepawali

Varanasi:Banaras is going to create a history on November 19 . For the first time, girls will participate as chief priest of Maha Aarti of Dev Deepawali. The organisers have decided to rope in the famous Ganga Aarti girls for Maha Ganga Aarti to be held at Sheetla Ghat in Varanasi.

This time on Dev Deepawali, preparations have been made by the administration to illuminate 84 ghats with more than 12 lakh diyas.

Every year girls participate in the aarti representing Riddhi-Siddhi. This year, five girls will be involved as the chief priest, who will represent all the male priests.

Dinesh Maharaj, the director of Gangotri Seva Nidhi, said "Kashi is giving a message to the whole country that there was a time when male priests were given importance in worship but now in the 21st century, girls are performing yagyas thus Ganga Aarti will also be performed".

The girls who have joined as the chief priest said "It is an honour for them. This decision is a big step for girls, the message of women empowerment from Kashi will go to the whole world."

The selected girls have also started taking training as chief priest to attend Maha Ganga Aarti.