Dasashwamedh Ghat

As you come out of the Kashi Vishwanth Gali (Lane or Alley), you are welcomed by a sweet breeze coming from the nearby ever flowing Ganges. While you are walking towards Dasashwamedh Ghat, you smell famous Alu-Kachori and Jalebi, a must taste item to enjoy the local flavor. An immortal experience!  The ghats……literally “flight of steps” but more like theatres of life are the heart of Varanasi: The artists sitting on the stairs making their paintings, drawings; pandas performing the rituals with the pilgrims under the typical picturesque Kashi umbrellas, children flying kites, cows being fed by the freshly bathed devotees, holy bells ringing from the rows of temples, prayers/ aarti being played on loud speakers, some nuts showing their skills…..its all enchanting.

Dasashwamedh Ghat is the most happening ghat in Banaras. Here you can lose your whole day in pandas doing their professional routines. Touching the stairs is the ever flowing Ganga where a large number of small boats with boatmen are lined up and near the stairs the devotees-men women, children ….take a dip to purify not only the bodies but the life. Up the stairs there are  Pandas sitting under the colorful umbrellas performing rituals with the devotees, children selling flowers, ear cleaners and barbers serving their customers ….in the evening the famous Aarti to the Ganga is organized here A spectacular sight adored for its purity, synchronized priests’ rituals with heavily lighted lamps in their hands with the prayers being sung for the mother Ganga over the speakers, the flood lights, the bhajan singing, and the hypnotic clanging of the multiple bells provide an experience of lifetime..

Dashashwamedh ghat is one of the oldest, most spectacular and important ghat, located at the bank of the river Ganges near the old Kashi Vishwanath Temple.  The literal meaning of the Dashashwamedh is the Ghat (river front) of ten sacrificed horses (dash means 10, ashwa means horse, medh means sacrifice).

There are two mythologies about the ghat: (i) that the Lord Brahma created the  Dashashwamedh Ghat in order to welcome Lord Shiva, and (ii) that the Lord Brahma sacrificed the ten horses in a yajna here. The Dashashwamedh ghat was reconstructed by the Bajirao Pesava I, a Maratha Ruler, in the year 1740 AD. It was later reconstructed by the Queen of the Indore (the princess Ahilyabai Holkar) in the year 1774.

It is also believed that the ten horse sacrifice was done by the Bhara Shiva Naga rulers in the second century. This ghat is famous for the Agni Pooja which is held here daily in the evening by a group of the priest who are dedicated to the Lord Shiva, River Ganges, Surya, Agni as well as the whole universe. Tourists can see the excellent and colorful riverfront view. A group of sadhus can be seen performing religious activities at this ghat.

It is great to see the real attraction of this ghat in the evening when Gange aarti is held here. This ghat has become the religious spot for the devotees and pilgrims for years and tourists as well. Historically, it is considered as the most favorite and main ghat among the Hindu devotees. Near the Dashashwamedh ghat, there are various religious temples as well as tourists’ destinations.

Significance

At the great festivals, Hindu devotees come in huge number because of the different religious significance of the ghat. 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. 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.

One can be full of spiritual thoughts if he spends some time at this ghat. Some people are used of the daily meditation in the early morning at the ghat because of the beautiful environment, safe atmosphere, cool and fresh air. Spending some time here makes the one feel like sitting in the heaven. The sun rising and sun set scene in the morning and evening respectively are the awesome scenes which provides the special color to the Gange water.

Ganga Aarti at Dasashwamedh Ghat