Ganga Dushera - everything you need to know

As per Hindu Almanac, The first ten days of the month Jayesha- known as Dashahara, are dedicated to honors the river Ganges decent on the earth. This year the ganga Dushera will be celebrated on 12th June 2019. The puja performed on the last day is considered auspicious of all.
As per legends Ganga is the daughter of the king Himalaya and the goddess Mena.As per epics, Ganga in her anthropomorphic form is shown as a beautiful young woman standing on a crocodile and holding a water pot in her hands. According to the Puranas, the heavenly Ganga flows from Vishnu's toe. King Bhagirath after performing terrible austerities managed to bring down the Ganga to this earth for freeing the ancestor’s souls from sins.
Legend states, Mother Ganga pleased with Bhagirath, asked him to obtain the blessings of lord Shiva. Getting appeased by Bhagirath, Lord Shiva agreed to take the burden of bringing the Ganga on earth. Thus on the tenth day of the bright half of Jyeshta, Mother Ganga began to flow from heaven to the matted hair of Shiva, and from his hair she began to flow on this earth to make soul free from sins.
Thus Dushara stands for Dus meaning ten and hara (defeat of sins). The ten Vedic calculations are Jyeshtha month, Shukla Paksha (bright half), Tenth date, Wednesday, Hasta Nakshatra, Vyatipata yoga, Gar Anand Yoga and Moon in Virgo and Sun in Tauras. These ten yogas signify Ganga’s ability to wash ten sins linked to thoughts (mental), speech (verbal) and actions (organic).
Sins related to actions are anything snatched from others forcibly, indulging in violence and having extra marital affairs. Verbal sins are speaking harsh words, telling a lie, complaining about others and indulging in irrelevant rambling. Mental sins are occupying other’s assets, desiring to harm others and discussions on irrelevant topics. It is believed that if one offers prayers on this day, one attains salvation from these ten sins.
Mother Ganges can be worshiped in ways-various ways
• By chanting her name
• Visiting her banks.
• Touching the Ganges water
• Worshiping Ganges by standing in the ganges river and taking holy dip.
• Carrying clay dug from river water home
As per the ritual taking dips in cold water repeatedly and doing self confession of sins helps in achieving a para sympathetic state of mind and bringing one closer to judge, that none other than your consciousness has ability to forgive.
During these days devotees flock to Rishikesh, Haridwar, Garh-Mukteshwar, Prayag, Varanasi to meditate, have a holy bath and take river clay home to venerate.
In Haridwar, devotees perform the aratis' at twilight with leaf boats laden with flames, flowers and sweets, which are later sailed in river.
The day is considered favorable for charring out various auspicious activities such as to buy valuables, new vehicles, buying or entering new house etc.