Ganga Aarti means worship of holy river Ganga, considered as mother and goddess. The prayers done during worship are dedicated to goddesses and gods. The fact is that the Ganga is not just a river, it is a divine mother as it gives life in the form of water. When the pilgrims take a dip in its holy water, it removes all their sins. The ashes of pyres of the dead body of a Hindu are thrown in the Ganga to ensure liberation of the soul, called Moksha, from the cycle of death and rebirth. Liberation granting (Moksh Daini) aspect of Ganga is prevalent since king & saint Bhagirath brought Mother Ganga on earth to liberate his ancestors.
Ganga Aarti at Haridwar in Uttarakhand is a kind of thanksgiving to River Ganga. The Ganga Aarti at Haridwar had been started by Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya at Har Ki Pauri in the 1910s. Recently Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya was awarded as Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award by the Government of India. Moreover, his name is given to the small island in front of Har Ki Pauri Ghat.
Furthermore, the Ganga Aarti is organized twice in a day, once in the early morning during the sunrise and another under the rays of sunset (evening). In other words, the commencement timing of morning and evening Aarti performance depends upon the sunrise and sunset at Haridwar. While in Haridwar, the pilgrims are recommended to be present at Hai-Ki-Pauri at least 45 mins before for morning Ganga Aarti and 75 minutes before the evening Ganga Aarti to see it completely. So central to Haridwar tourism is the Ganga Arti that most of Haridwar tour packages ensure a visit to Har Ki Pauri ghat at the the time of Ganga Arti. Hence, while in Haridwar, it is recommended to must have a visit to Hari-ki Pauri to indulge in religious ceremony.