A Pilgrim’s Path: Walking the Ghats

The word “Ghat” often puzzles foreign visitors, yet in India, it carries deep cultural and spiritual meaning. A ghat is a stone or earthen embankment with steps leading directly from the land to the sacred waters. Varanasi is home to 84 ghats, beginning with Assi Ghat in the south and ending at Adi Keshav in the north, where the Varuna meets the Ganga. Symbolically, these 84 ghats represent the 12 zodiac signs and the 7 sheaths of the human body, mirroring the 7 layers of the atmosphere—12 multiplied by 7 equals 84.

Among them, five ghats hold special spiritual significance, believed to offer great religious merit to those who visit. Walking along the riverfront or sitting quietly on the steps—listening to tales of the past, watching rituals unfold, or simply admiring the serene flow of Ganga Ji—creates an experience that blends devotion, history, and the timeless soul of Varanasi.