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Time of India

'Jai Ganga Maiya': UP Police officer's video of praying to flooded Ganga at his doorstep in Prayagraj goes viral

An Uttar Pradesh police officer, Chandradeep Nishad, garnered attention for worshipping floodwater that entered his Prayagraj home, viewing it as a blessing from the Ganga. His videos of offering prayers and swimming in the water went viral, sparking mixed reactions. While some praised his devotion, others criticized the state's flood preparedness amidst forecasts of increased rainfall across Uttar Pradesh. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Rainfall likely to intensify across UP A police officer in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj has drawn widespread attention online after offering prayers to floodwater that entered his home, describing it as a divine blessing. Videos shared by the officer have since gone viral, generating both praise and criticism. Chandradeep Nishad , who serves as a PSO to a High Court judge and identifies himself online as a national swimmer and UP Police swimming champion, posted two videos on Instagram . In the clips, he is seen treating the floodwater in and around his home as a holy manifestation of the Ganga in uniform, Nishad is shown pouring milk and sprinkling rose petals on the water while chanting, 'Jai Ganga Maiya ki' (Hail Mother Ganga ). In one of the videos, he wrote, 'Mother Ganga arrived at our house while leaving for duty this morning. Got blessings by worshipping Maa Ganga at my doorstep. Hail Mother Ganga.'Another clip shows the water level inside his house rising above the waist. Nishad is seen swimming in the murky water and repeatedly chanting, 'Jai Ganga Maiya.' At one point, he says, 'Thousands of devotees come to you (Ganga), but you yourself came to bless me.'The videos have prompted a range of reactions on social media. While many appreciated his devotion and humour in the face of adversity, others criticised the state of flood preparedness in Uttar Instagram user wrote, 'Failure of UP government… no proper drainage system.' Another took a sarcastic tone: 'If there is power in your devotion and in Mother Ganga, then she should never leave your home. We pray to Mother Ganga that she always remains in your house like this, so that you and your entire family may be truly blessed.'Supportive comments also surfaced. 'There must have been a lot of damage to the house, but if the heart is pure, then everything is fine,' said one user. Another added, 'If the mind is pure, then even a small vessel holds the Ganga,' referencing a Hindi saying, 'Man changa toh kathuti me Ganga.'The viral moment comes amid forecasts of increased rainfall across Uttar Pradesh in the coming weeks. According to the Hindustan Times, climate models under the Monsoon Mission suggest that most regions in the state are expected to receive normal to above-normal rainfall in August and Kumar Singh, a senior scientist at the Lucknow Meteorological Office, said, 'At present, western and southern Uttar Pradesh may witness below-normal temperatures in August, whereas eastern UP is likely to record normal to above-normal temperatures.'Low-lying areas, particularly those near the Bihar border, remain vulnerable to further flooding as rainfall activity intensifies.