Ghats in Varanasi - The Ultimate destination of Pilgrims
(Part - I)
“Varanasi is one of the most ancient cities of
learning. This was a place where hundreds of enlightened beings lived at a
time. In every street, you had an enlightened being to meet.”
Varanasi or Kashi, which has
been standing the tests of time for over 5,000 years is said to be one of the
oldest inhabited cities in the world. Varanasi, the holy city of India, the
city of Moksha for Hindus since centuries, is known for its fine-quality silks,
'paan' and Benares Hindu University.
Varanasi is the most popular pilgrimage
point for the Hindus. One of the seven holiest cities, Varanasi city is also
one the Shakti Peethas and one of the twelve Jyotir Linga sites in India. In
Hinduism it is believed that those who die and are cremated here get an instant
gateway to liberation from the cycle of births and re-births.
Considered as the abode of Lord Shiva, Varanasi is situated on the banks of
River Ganges, which is believed to have the power of washing away all of one's
sins. Varanasi is symbolized by its ‘Ghats’. There are 87 ‘Ghats’ in the
Varanasi city. Some of them are related to particular deity while others are
simply to bathe. The famous and oldest ghats of all these are the
Dashashwamegha, Manikarnika and Harishchandra Ghat. Some of the ghats are made
there by Hindu rulers such as Ahilya Bai Holkar of Malwa region, Peshwa’s of
Gwalior, Man Singh of Amber, Jai Singh of Jaipur etc.
Some of the famous personalities of Benaras have named the ghats on their own name. Munshi Ghat is
after Hindi poet the Munshi
Premchand, Tulsi ghat is after Hindu
poet the Tulsidas who has written Ramcharitmanas. Many ghats
are associated with the legends in Varanasi like the former Kashi Naresh owns
Shivala or Kali ghat. Another historically important Ghat is Panch-Ganga Ghat.
Panch -Ganga Ghat as its name indicates, is where five rivers are supposed to
meet.
Following are some famous
Ghats in Varanasi according to my view and camera!
Assi Ghat
Assi
is a clay-banked Ghat that stands at the southernmost part of Varanasi where
river Assi meets Ganges. This Ghat is the first when one starts walking from
South towards the Manikarnika. It is mandatory for the pilgrims to bathe at
this Ghat before worshipping of huge ‘Lingam’ under a Peepal tree. Another
‘Lingam’ Asisangameshvara or the "Lord of the Confluence of the Assi River"
has been placed in a small marble temple just off the Assi Ghat. It is a
must-visit.
The
Assi Ghat is also considered one of the five special ghats that pilgrims are
supposed to bathe at in sequence during the ritual route called Panch-tirthi
Yatra.
Harish Chandra Ghat
Harish Chandra Ghat is one of the oldest Ghats of Varanasi. Harish Chandra Ghat
is name after a mythological King Harish Chandra, who once worked at the
cremation ground here for the perseverance of truth and charity.
It is believed that the Gods rewarded him for his resolve, charity and
truthfulness and restored his lost throne and his dead son to him. Harish
Chandra Ghat is one of the two cremation Ghats (the other being Manikarnika
Ghat) and is sometimes referred as Adi Manikarnika (the original creation
ground).
Hindus from distant places bring the dead bodies of their near and dear ones to
the Harish Chandra Ghat for cremation. In Hindu mythology it is believed that
if a person is cremated at the Harish Chandra Ghat, that person gets salvation
or "moksha". The Harish Chandra Ghat was somewhat modernized in late
1980's, when an electric crematorium was opened here.
Tulsi Ghat
Tulsi Ghat is another important Ghat of Varanasi. Tulsi Ghat is named after the
great Hindu poet of the 16th century, Tulsidas. This Ghat is important in the
Hindu mythology. Tulsi Das composed the great Indian epic, Ramcharitmanas at
Varanasi. According to mythology, when the manuscript of Ramcharitmanas fell
into the River Ganga it did not sink and kept floating instead.
It is also believed that the Ramlila (story of Lord Rama's life) was staged
here for the first time and to memorialize this; a temple of Lord Ram was built
on the Tulsi Ghat. Many of the relics of Tulsi Das are preserved at the Tulsi
Ghat. The house in which Tulsidas died has been preserved and his samadhi,
wooden clogs, pillow and the idol of Hanuman, which Tulsi worshipped, are all
still intact here.
Tulsi Ghat is associated with a number of important activities such as bath of
Lolarkkunda (to be blessed with sons and their long life) and the sacred bath
to get rid of leprosy. Tulsi Ghat is also a center of cultural activities.
During Hindu lunar month of Kartika (Oct/Nov), Krishna Lila is staged here with
great fanfare and devotion.
Dasaswamedh Ghat
Dashashwamedh ghat is one of the oldest, most spectacular
and important ghat, located at the bank of the river Gange near to the old Vishwanath Temple in the Kashi. The literal meaning of the
Dashashwamedh is the Ghat (river front) of the ten sacrificed horses (dash
means 10, ashwa means horse, medh means sacrifice).
There are two mythologies about the ghat is that the Lord
Brahma was created the Dashashwamedh ghat in order to welcome the Lord
Shiva, and the second one is the Lord Brahma was sacrificed the ten horses in a
yajna here. The Dashashwamedh ghat was reconstructed by the Bajirao Pesava I in
the year 1740 AD. It was later reconstructed by the Queen of the Indore (the
princess Ahilyabai Holkar) in the year 1774. Historically, it is considered as the
most favorite and main ghat among the Hindu devotees.
The ghat has retained its beauty with the various Hindu
God temples and religious sites. Pilgrims come here to perform a variety of
rituals and religious activities. The evening Aarti of the Gange at this ghat
attracts huge crowd from every corner of the city. Some of the devotees come
here daily in the morning to pay homage to their Lord after having a holy bath
in the Gange water.
Man Mandir Ghat
Maharajah Man Singh
of Jaipur built Man Mandir Ghat
in 1600. Man Mandir Ghat has an Observatory
built by Raja Sawai Jai Singh in 1710, the founder of the city of Jaipur. The
observatory is made up of stone instruments and is very small compared to the
ones in Jaipur or Delhi. It is a little hard to find.
A Siva-linga temple is located near this
ghat, where the linga is immersed in water. The house of the Dom Raja, who is in charge of the cremation grounds, is nearby and
has tigers painted on it. Dom Raja is a hereditary title.
To be continued..............
