Which ghats should I visit in Varanasi?
Start with Dashashwamedh for the evening Ganga Aarti and Assi for sunrise. Observe Manikarnika respectfully. Then see Kedar Ghat's temple, Man Mandir's observatory, Chet Singh's fort, the half-submerged temple at Scindia, and Panchganga for its traditions and Kartik lamps. A sunrise boat ride shows them all.
On this page
Ten ghats worth your time
- Dashashwamedh — the evening Ganga Aarti and the busiest riverfront.
- Assi — the southern end; dawn programme and relaxed evenings.
- Manikarnika — the principal cremation ghat; observe with deep respect, no photographs.
- Kedar — the Kedareshwar temple and South Indian traditions.
- Man Mandir — next to Dashashwamedh; a Rajput palace with an 18th-century observatory.
- Chet Singh — a fort-like ghat linked with Raja Chet Singh of Banaras and his 18th-century conflict with the East India Company.
- Tulsi — associated with Goswami Tulsidas.
- Scindia — the half-submerged Shiva temple.
- Bhonsale — a fortress-like Maratha building.
- Panchganga — the meeting of five rivers in tradition, and Kartik's sky lamps.
How to see them
The easiest way is a sunrise boat from Assi to Panchganga. On foot, walk Assi to Dashashwamedh one day and Dashashwamedh to Panchganga another. In the monsoon many ghats are under water.
Etiquette
Ask before photographing people, never photograph cremations, and agree boat fares first.
Sources and further reading
We link to primary and authoritative sources. External links open in a new tab.
- Ghats in Varanasi (encyclopaedia entry with cited references) (opens in a new tab)
Wikipedia — Reference work, checked September 2026
- Uttar Pradesh Tourism — Varanasi (opens in a new tab)
Department of Tourism, Government of Uttar Pradesh — Government source, checked September 2026
Written and maintained by the KashiVishwanathTemple.net Editorial Team. Last updated . Found an error? Tell us — see our editorial policy.
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