GHATS IN VARANASI & SARNATH

On the west bank of the Ganges in Varanasi—symbolically linked with the setting sun and the realm of death—stretch the city’s 84 ghats, the center of its religious and cultural life. Here, pilgrims bathe, priests perform rituals, and cremations take place at Manikarnika and Harishchandra, the two ghats dedicated exclusively to last rites. Each year, an estimated 25,000 to 30,000 cremations occur along the riverfront, accompanied by prayers, hymns, and mantras recited by Hindu priests. Across the water, the east bank is a sandy expanse often submerged during the monsoon. Associated with the rising sun, it symbolizes rebirth and new beginnings in Hindu belief. A local legend warns that dying on the eastern bank may lead to rebirth as a donkey—a notion famously challenged by the poet‑saint Kabir. While Varanasi is revered as a place where death can bring liberation from the cycle of reincarnation, this particular belief remains a regional folk tale rather than a core doctrine.

India’s Holiest City At Varanasi, Hindu pilgrims come to pray and to die along the sacred Ganges River, The city has 84 ghats. Most of the ghats are bathing and puja ceremonial ghats

Manikarnika and Harishchandra Ghats are used exclusively for cremation in Varanasi, hindus believe that Shiva, the god of destruction and re-creation, has made his home here since the beginning of time

Lal Ghat & Gopreksheshvara Temple created in 1812 by the king of Tijara, Rajasthan, this ghat and temple attract devout Hindus for sacred baths and worship, Varanasi, India

1.) Ratneshwar Mahadev Mandir is one of the most photographed temples in the holy city of Varanasi built in 1825,

2.) it leans significantly towards the back side, and its generally below the water much of the year,

3.) except for a few months during the summer, Varanasi, India

Darbhanga Ghat, built in 1900 is primarily dedicated to various religious rituals related to last rite of cremation, It is believed that a human's soul attains moksha, and hence breaks the cycle of rebirth when cremated here, Varanasi, India

Manikarnika Ghat - Manikarnika Mahashamshan Ghat, Varanasi, India

Dhobi ghat, laundry at Ganga (Ganges) river, workers wash the laundry by beating them on rocks, and then dry them on clothes lines, Varanasi, India

Raj Ghat, Also known as Peshwa Ghat, built in 1807 by the Peshwa ruler of Pune. Presently the Annapurna Math and adjoining palace have become the place of cultural performances organized by Hotel Clarks for the foreign tourists, Varanasi, India

Assi is the biggest southernmost Ghat in Varanasi, it hosts Subah-e-Banaras, a cultural and spiritual event, in the mornings, it is known for being a place where long-term foreign students, researchers, and tourists live.

Bhonsale Ghat, built in 1780 by the Maratha King Bhonsale of Nagpur, Lakshminarayan Temple, Yameshwar Temple and Yamaditya Temple are the major shrines on this ghat, Varanasi, India

Dasasvamedha Ghat, on the Sacred River Ganges, Varanasi, India

Panchganga Ghat, holds immense spiritual significance for Hindus, as bathing here is believed to cleanse the soul and lead to moksha, Varanasi, India

Manikarnika Ghat, one of the holiest cremation grounds among the sacred riverfronts, Varanasi, India

1.) Photo of the east bank of the Ganges in Varanasi shows it empty and barren.

2.) A superstition exists that dying on the eastern bank of the Ganges River could lead to rebirth as a donkey.

3.) The eastern bank of the Ganges does not have any well-known ghats but it serves for holy dips.

SARNATH (DEER PARK)

Sarnath lies about 10 kilometers northeast of Varanasi, near the confluence of the Ganges and Varuna rivers in Uttar Pradesh. According to Buddhist tradition, it was here—at the Deer Park outside Varanasi—that Gautama Buddha delivered his first teaching around 528 BCE, shortly after attaining enlightenment at Bodh Gaya. This moment, known as the Dharmachakra Pravartana or “Turning of the Wheel of the Dharma,” marks the formal beginning of the Buddha’s public ministry and the foundation of the Buddhist community.

Chaukhandi Stupa, built in the 7th century, and the octagonal tower on top was commissioned by emperor Akbar in 1567, the stupa marks the place where it is believed Lord Buddha and his first disciples met, Sarnath

Carved into a rock pillar The Teachings of Lord Buddha at Sarnath

Dhamek Stupa built in the 5th century AD, Sarnath, India, the stupa marks the precise location where the Lord Buddha preached his first discourse to his first five disciples, Sarnath

Ruins of ancient Sarnath from the 5th century, BC. where the Lord Buddha preached his first discourse, Sarnath

Tibetan Buddhist Monastery in Sarnath, a peaceful traditional Monastery that is a safe and bright space located close to the main market area in Sarnath, it was constructed in 1955, Sarnath

Mulagandhakuti Vihara Temple, a modern Buddhist temple and monastery built in the 1930s by the Sri Lankan Mahabodhi Society, Sarnath

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