Ghats
River Fronts of Varanasi
A ghat is a series of steps leading down to the river, used by bathers and pilgrims, and riverside Varanasi consists of a long sequence of ghats.The best option for viewing the ghats is from the boat ride on the river. Hindus consider it auspicious to die in Varanasi, so some ghats are known as burning ghats, where bodies are cremated (in full view) before their ashes are placed in the Ganges. Each of the hundred ghats, big and small, is marked by a lingam, and occupies its own special place in the religious geography of the city. Some have crumbled over the years; others continue to thrive, with early-morning bathers, brahmin priests offering puja, and people practicing meditation and yoga. Hindus regard the Ganges as amrita, the elixir of life, which brings purity to the living and salvation to the dead; skeptical outsiders tend to focus on all-persuasive and extreme lack of hygiene. Ashes to the dead, emissions from open drains and the leftovers from religious rites float by the devout as they go about their bathing and ceremonial cleansing. For the casual visitor, however the easiest way to see the city is to follow a south-north sequence either by boat or on foot.
Trips that visit Ghats
- North India and Nepal TourDay 10: In Varanasi 14 days
- Hilltops and Village Tour of NepalDay 7: Drive from Bandipur to Kathmandu 8 days
- Classic Nepal TourDay 2: In Kathmandu (World Heritage Sites Tour) 8 days
- Highlights of NepalDay 2: In Kathmandu Valley 10 days
- Everest View Walking Tour with Comfort LodgesDay 2: In Kathmandu 10 days
- India Nepal & Bhutan OdysseyDay 5: Fly to Varanasi 17 days
- Hornbill Festival of NagalandDay 1: Arrival in Guwahati 7 days
- Tilicho Lake TrekDay 2: In Kathmandu 16 days
Near Ghats
More to see around Uttar Pradesh.
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Aarti at Varanasi
This is particularly interesting to see in Varanasi where elaborate Ganga Aarti at Dasaswamedh ghat is held every evening, just after sunset.
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Sight
Agra Fort
The great Mughal Emperor Akbar commissioned the construction of the Agra Fort in 1565, A.D. although additions were made till the time of his grandson Shah Jehan.
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Sight
Allahabad
Allahabad is an inscrutable place and the ideal way to untie its ambiguity is by exploring it on a walking trip among its narrow alleys and bustling streets.
