Ganga Mahal Ghat

Ganga Mahal Ghat
Vital Information for Visitors
Address:

Ganga Mahal Ghat, Sonarpura, Bengali Tola, Varanasi, UP

Open & Close:

Open on all days – 24X7

Entry Fee:

No entry fee

Duration:

30 minutes

Significance:

Architure & Ganga Mahal Palace

Diversity is hallmark of Indian cities. Each city of India has something unique in terms of tradition and culture and so does the oldest city of the country, Varanasi. Varanasi is in fact one of the oldest living cities of the whole world. The old world or vintage charm of the city is still alive for everyone to absorb. Apart from being the oldest city, Varanasi, formerly known as Banaras, is also one of the seven holy cities of India. It is a sacred city for the Hindus who hold a strong belief that a person who dies in the soil of Varanasi attains salvation and goes straight to the heaven. Also, one who is not so fortunate to die in Varanasi, his / her relatives bring the ashes to immerse in the holiest River Ganga. The ghats of Varanasi are also considered sacred because religious rituals & last rites are carried out here. Ghats or river-fronts in Varanasi are essential part of the life of the people of Varanasi because different religious ceremonies are carried out hereupon. The majestic splendor of the ghats is unique. Diversified activities related to the Ganges are the main feature of the ghat. Devout Hindus from across the globe keep coming to Varanasi to perform religious puja. Sages and monks gather daily on the ghats of Varanasi and perform several religious rites and spiritual practices. During dawn hours, viewing the saint community taking holy dip in and worshipping the sacred River Ganga, considered as ‘mother’ & goddess, is certainly a fascinating sight. The globe trotters from around the world visit Varanasi to experience innumerable exotic aspects of Hindu religion and culture. They kind of create a hippie aura throughout the city.

Ganga Mahal Ghat, located adjacent to famous Assi Ghat, was built in 1830 AD by Narayana dynasty. It’s a prominent ghat in terms of being venue of cultural and religious activities. Earlier this ghat was merely an extended version of Assi Ghat but now, with a segregating small stone wall, demarcates it as a different ghat. Hence, it is very close to Assi Ghat and situated on north side of it. King of Kashi Prabhu Narayan Singh built a large palace on the banks of the holy river Ganga and named it as Ganga Mahal because the palace is near Ganga and facing the sacred river. The palace is an example of an amalgam of Rajput and local architectural styles. The stone-steps leading from the palace to the holy river were therefore called Ganga Mahal Ghat. The palace now houses a design studio of Hemang Agarwal on ground floor. Along with this design studio, there is also an Indo Swedish Study Centre that is organised by the Karlstad University. Basically, the upper floors are used by them.

The Ganga Mahal Ghat, in addition to its cultural significance, is famous for beautiful carvings and entire architecture. The depiction of the carvings is of the Rajputs. The flight of the steps of Ganga Mahal Ghat takes one to the five temples at the top. This place offers a very pleasant view of the holy river and riverfronts of Varanasi. It is 6 km from the Varanasi railway junction. Reaching the ghat is quite easy. The entry to the ghats of Varanasi city is free for everyone. Ganga Mahal Ghat welcomes anyone and everyone to experience its vibe. Ganga Mahal Palace & Ghat are preserved and maintained by the Maharani Trust of Benares State.

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