The Ghats of Varanasi are situated in a crescent shape on the banks of Ganga at a distance of about 7.8 km from Adikeshav Ghat situated at Varuna-Ganga Sangam to Asi Ghat situated at Asi-Ganga Sangam. For the people of Kashi, the Ghats of Ganga are very important from the point of view of tourism as well as religious-spiritual significance. Since all the 84 Ghats are east facing, the first rays of the sun fall on them at sunrise.

Significance: According to mythological sources, out of these 84 Ghats situated on the banks of Ganga, five Ghats are considered very sacred. These are collectively called 'Panchtirth'. These are Asi Ghat, Dashashwamedh Ghat, Manikarnika Ghat, Panchganga Ghat and Adikeshav Ghat. According to a folk tale, the five most sacred water places represent the body parts of the Lord Vishnu. Assi is the face; Dashashwamedh is the chest; Manikarnika is the navel; Panchganga is the thighs; and Adikeshav is the foot.

All these Ghats are related to some mythological, religious or folk tale. Each Ghat has its own special significance, most of the Ghats are used for bathing and worship, while two Ghats (Manikarnika Ghat and Raja Harishchandra Ghat) are used exclusively as cremation sites. Corridor and Namo Ghat are two new famous Ghats renovated by the Central Government.

History: Most of the Ghats of Varanasi were first constructed after 1700 AD during the rule of the Maratha Empire and thereafter all the Ghats were renovated in 1984-89 with the help of Central and State Government. The patrons of Varanasi have been Maratha, Shinde (Scindia), Holkar, Bhonsle and Peshwa families, while many Ghats are privately owned.

All the 84 Ghats of Kashi are as follows:

Assi Ghat, Ganga Mahal Ghat, Reeva Ghat, Tulsi Ghat, Bhadaini Ghat, Janki Ghat, Mata Anandmayi Ghat, Vachchhraj Ghat, Jain Ghat, Nishadraj Ghat, Prabhu Ghat, Panchkota Ghat, Chet Singh Ghat, Niranjani Ghat, Mahanirvani Ghat, Shivala Ghat, Gulariya Ghat, Dandi Ghat, Hanuman Ghat, Karnataka Ghat, Raja Harishchandra Ghat, Lali Ghat, Vijaynagaram Ghat, Kedar Ghat, Chauki Ghat, Kshemeshwar Ghat, Mansarovar Ghat, Narad Ghat, Raja Ghat, Sarveshwar/Khori/Pandey/Babua Pandey Ghat, Digpatiya Ghat, Chausatthi Ghat, Rana Mahal Ghat, Darbhanga Ghat, Munshi Ghat, Ahilyabai Ghat, Sheetla Ghat, Dashashvamedh Ghat, Prayag Ghat, Rajendra Prashad Ghat, Manmandir Ghat, Tripura Bhairavi Ghat, Meer Ghat, Naya/Bauli/Amroha/Umravgiri/Rajrajeshwari/Nepali/Lalita Ghat, Khidki/Jalasen/Jalashayi Ghat, Manikarnika Ghat, Bajirao Ghat, Sindhiya Ghat, Sankatha Ghat, Ganga Mahal Ghat*, Bhonsle Ghat, Naya/Guleriya/Agnishgwar Ghat, Ganesh Ghat, Mehta Ghat, Ram Ghat, Jatar Ghat, Rajgwalior Ghat, Manglagauri/Balaji Ghat, Bindumadhav Ghat, Panchganga Ghat, Durga Ghat, Brahma Ghat, Boondi Parkota Ghat, Adi Sheetla Ghat, Lal/Gopi Govind Ghat, Hanumangari Ghat, Gaay Ghat, Balabai/Badrinarayan Ghat, Trilochan Ghat, Gola Ghat, Nandishwar Ghat, Sakka Ghat, Teliyanala Ghat, Naya/Phuteshwar Ghat, Prahlad Ghat, Nishad Ghat, Rani Ghat, Sri Panchagni Akhara Ghat, Bhaishasur/Sant Ravidas/Raj Ghat, Khidkiya/Govardhan/Namo Ghat, Adikeshav Ghat.

Ghats of Varanasi