There are 88 ghats along the Varanasi riverfront, stretching over 7km of Ganga bank. Most tourists see three. Here is what you need to know about the others.
The ghats are not interchangeable. Each has a character, a history, a specific function. Some are for bathing, some for cremation, some for washing clothes, some for wrestling. Understanding this geography means the difference between a tourist outing and an actual encounter with the city.
Dashashwamedh Ghat — the beginning
Most people start here, at the most central and most photographed ghat. The evening aarti at sunset brings thousands of spectators. It is spectacular. It is also the starting point for everything else, not the destination.
Manikarnika Ghat — the cremation ground
This is the most sacred ghat in Varanasi. Bodies are cremated here around the clock, every day of the year. The smoke from the funeral pyres is permanent. Photography is not permitted — and the community of doms (cremation workers) will ask you to donate if you approach. This is legitimate; the work they do is considered spiritually polluting in the caste system, and they are compensated by donations. If you give, give directly to the dom overseeing the cremations, not to touts.
Tulsi Ghat — the wrestlers
The akhara (wrestling gymnasium) at Tulsi Ghat opens at 5am. Young men train in mud pits according to a tradition that predates the Mughals. You can watch from the ghat steps. No cameras without permission.
Assi Ghat — the neighbourhood
The southernmost ghat worth visiting, and the one that feels most like a living neighbourhood rather than a tourist attraction. The morning puja at the Shiva lingam under the peepal tree is intimate. The chai stalls along the ghat serve students from BHU and local sadhus in equal measure.
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