Varanasi’s ghats

The stepped banks (ghats) lie in a crescent shape along the Ganga River in Varanasi. These spring into action as early as 4 am and are buzzing with activity until late night. Hiring a boat to ride along the river is a good way to see all the action - morning ablutions, people praying the two burning ghats (photography not allowed even from the boat) and the bright umbrella dotted platforms where priests hold small ceremonies for pilgrims. Old havelis and palaces lie on the fringes of the river, ensuring a stunning landscape of unique architecture along the entire stretch. These are often used as backdrops for Bollywood movies or homes, since most of the royalty has abandoned these. The most spectacular spectacle at the ghats is the Ganga aarti that is held every evening between 6.15 and 7.15 pm on five ghats. Of these, the Dashashwamedh Ghat aarti is the oldest and the most famous one. Five to seven priests perform the daily ceremony with large fire lit lamps, bells and conchs, as hundreds converge towards the ghat in the evening.