5 Important Ghats of Kashi One Must Have Bath Into

Five Tirthas of Kashi that one must bathe in are Assi Ghat, Dashashwamedha Ghat, Manikarnika Ghat, Panchaganga Ghat, and Adi Keshava Ghat. These are the most important pilgrimage sites every Sanatani should visit and take a holy dip.

According to tradition, one must take a bath in these five ghats in a specific order on a single day to help attain salvation or moksha. In Hinduism, taking a bath in these tirthas has profound significance. Situated along the banks of the river Ganges, each ghat represents a divine part of Lord Vishnu.

Assi Ghat: It is the foremost and most significant ghat for the pilgrims who undertake Pancha Tirtha yatra in Kashi. It is located at the confluence of the River Ganga and the Assi River. Being the starting point for the Pancha Tirtha snana in Varanasi, it represents the head region of Lord Vishnu.

The word ‘Assi’ means ‘sword’, it is the place where Durga Devi, after the fierce battle between demon Shumbha and Nishumbha, threw the sword into the river.

Hence, the river came to be known as the Assi River.

It is also the sacred site where the famous poet Tulsidas finished his epic composition Ramacharitamanas, in the native language Awadhi.

Banaras Hindu University is located close to Assi Ghat, thus it not only attracts pilgrims, but also scholars, students from all over the globe.

Dashashwamedha Ghat: It is the most significant ghat located on the banks of the river Ganga in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. This ghat is very famous for the mesmerizing Ganga aarti, which takes place after dusk. The aarti that begins at 7 PM lasts for nearly 45 minutes. During winter, the aarti begins at 6 PM.

It is considered second among the Pancha Tirtha Yatra, and it represents the chest region of Lord Vishnu.

According to ancient puranas, Lord Brahma performed 10 Ashwamedha Yajna, hence the ghat got its name as Dashashwamedha Ghat.

The most attractive feature of this ghat is the boat ride. You must never miss this exciting and wonderful opportunity once you visit this place.

Manikarnika Ghat: It is the sacred ghat located on the banks of the river Ganga, which is famous for performing cremation of dead bodies.

Among the sequence of Pancha Tirtha Yatra, it is considered the third in the sequence. Also, this ghat represents the navel region of Lord Maha Vishnu.

One can gain immense punya if one takes a holy dip in the waters of the River Ganga. According to the Puranas, it was the place dug by Lord Shiva in search of the earring or Manikarnika that fell into the ground from the ear of Parvati Devi. Hence, the ghat came to be known as Manikarnika Ghat.

According to Hinduism, death is not considered the end of life; rather, it is considered the gateway to attain liberation or moksha. Also, it traverses the soul from one body to another to clear the karmic debt.

Pancha Ganga Ghat: It is one of the most significant ghats in Varanasi, known for the confluence of 5 rivers: Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati, Kirana, and Dhutapapa. Since it is located at the confluence of five rivers, it got its name Pancha ganga. It is also known as Bindu Madhava Ghat, since it is located near Bindu Madhava Temple.

It is a renowned ghat for performing your prayers, offering, taking a holy dip, and also a place to celebrate significant festivals and rituals.

Adi Keshava Ghat: It is one of the ancient ghats of Kashi. Besides this ghat, there is a famous Adi Keshava Perumal temple. It is located at the confluence of two rivers: Varuna and Ganga. Among all the crowded ghats, it is the only ghat where one can find peace with less number of devotees.