As places across Maharashtra prepare to welcome the New Year with fireworks, loud music, and late-night parties, Thane is choosing a quieter yet spiritual path. This year, the city will usher in 2026 with devotion,
lamps, chants, and the rhythmic glow of a Banaras-style Ganga Aarti, bringing a slice of the holy ghats to its lakeside shores.
Thane set to host Ganga aarti for NYE
Breaking from its usual celebrations, Thane is hosting a special Ganga Aarti across two iconic spots, Upvan Lake and Masunda (Talao Pali), turning New Year's Eve into a spiritual gathering. Organised by Shri Kaupineshwar Cultural Trust, the initiative aims to reconnect people, especially the youth, with cultural traditions while creating a serene space to reflect on the year gone by.
As reported by Loksatta, the first aarti took place on December 30 at Upvan Lake, while another aarti is set for December 31 at Masunda Lake, between 7 pm and 10 pm. A separate program is also planned at Ahilyadevi Ghat, Talavpali, where traffic restrictions will be in place from 4 pm to 11 pm to manage the crowds.
In an effort to recreate the sacred atmosphere of Varanasi and Haridwar, experienced priests from Varanasi have been invited to lead the rituals. With conch shells, mantra chanting, and traditional aarti lamps, the ceremony promises an immersive devotional experience, replacing loud music with hymns and fireworks with flickering diyas.
Typically, such celebrations are reserved for Gudi Padwa, when Thane witnesses grand processions and Deepotsav around Masunda Lake. But this year, the trust reportedly decided to shift the Ganga Aarti to New Year's Eve, symbolically starting 2026 with gratitude and spiritual grounding.
