Adrayee Kunkun
Anyone living in India or anyone who calls himself an Indian is bound to
have heard about Banaras Hindu University. It is in this land of Banaras
Hindu University lies the various Ghats called the Banaras Ghats. There are
hundreds of them, sprawling over acres of lands of Banaras.
Banaras, one of the sacred cities of Hindus stretches along the crescent of
River
Ganges, its
waterfront dominated by long flights of stone ghats, where thousands of
pilgrims come for their daily ritual ablutions. Also known as the City of
Lights, Banaras is supposed to be founded by Lord Shiva –
Varanasi or
Banaras is one of the oldest living cities of World. It is also one of the
oldest pilgrims of India. Each year it attracts thousands of devotees,
students, pilgrimers who come here and stay for long periods. It is supposed
one who dies in Varanasi attains Moksha.
Varanasi is all about the Ghats, chain of stone steps. Some of the famous
Ghats are Asi Ghat, Kedara Ghat, Chauki Ghat, Chaumsathi Ghat, Dashaswamedh
ghat, manikarnika Ghat, scindia ghat.
The Asi Ghat is the confluence of Asi and Ganges. Near this Ghat is the
Tulsi Ghat, named in the honour of Tuli Das who lived nearby in the
sixteenth century. Just a few steps from here are the Shivala Ghat and the
Hanuman Ghat. From here if you go towards North, then there is the Kedara
Ghat. In this Ghat, you will find Kedareshvara lingam, an outcrop of black
rock shot through twith a vein of white. Myhtologically it is realted to
Kedarnath in
Himalayas.
The Chauki Ghat is distinguished by an enormous tree which shelters small
stones shrines to Nagasm water snake deites. Near to it is the
Mansarovar Ghat named after the
pilgrim in Tibet. Just a few steps from here is the Chamusathi Ghat from
where the steps lead to the small temple of Chaumsathi (64) Yoginis ( lady
preists).
Dashaswammedh Ghat is the second and the busiest of the five thirthas in
the Panchatirthi Yatra. Its one of the most popular one with pilgrimers
hoarding even in the rainy season. There is a Brahmeshvara lingam here.
Manikarnika Ghat is the Varanasis Cremation Ground. Though such Ghats are
usually at one corner of the but as the entire city of Varanasi is known as
Mahashamshana , the Great Cremation Ground for the corpse of the entire
Universe, this Ghat has a place in the heart of the city.
Bordering Manikarnika Ghat is the Scindia Ghat, It has a tilting Shiva
Temple which is partly submerged in river water as a result of the Ghats
weight which was constructed 150 years ago.
Apart from the Ghats are the three famous places of Varanasi – The
Durga Temple, Benaras Hindu University and the Ramnagar
Fort.
These three too can be visited by anyone who visits this holy place callled
Benaras – the City of Ghats.
