Assi Ghat: The Biggest Ghat To Be Visited in Varanasi
If you are planning to visit Varanasi this vacation, you must already have planned the must — see places there.
The Assi Ghat, best known as the refuge of tourists, foreign students, and researchers, should definitely be in that list. It is a popular place for recreational activities and to observe rituals during festivals. The significance of the Ghat during festivals becomes obvious if you compare the number of visitors. While it is 300 to 350 people every hour on a normal day, the number shoots up to 2500 every hour during festivals.
The Assi Ghat is huge, and can accommodate more than 22000 people at one go during important Hindu, Buddhist and Jain festivals.
Location of Assi Ghatin varanasi and and how to reach
The Assi Ghatis located at the southernmost end of Varanasi, at the confluence of the rivers Assi and Ganga. It can be easily accessible by private and public vehicles from any hotel a Varanasi.
The importance of this venerated Ghat is heightened because pilgrims, mainly Hindus, from all over the country come here to salvage themselves from all sins and wrongs by taking a dip in the river here and praying in front of the enormous Shiva-lingam that is found underneath a peepal tree nearby. There is also a small marble temple nearby, called the Asisangameshwar, that has a lingam which is also a popular spot for worship.
The importance of the Ghat also increases manifold as Sant Tulsidas, the famous exponent of Hindi literature composed the poem Ramcharitmanas while sitting at the Assi Ghat.
Significance of the Assi Ghat
The Assi Ghat finds mention and reference in many old Hindu literary works. The books as old as the Matsya Purana, Kashi Khanda, Padma Purana, Kurma Purana bear the name of this Ghat, making its historical importance absolutely unquestionable.
The mythological significance of the Ghat is also quite prominent as it is associated with the sword that DeviDurga used to slay the demon-brothers Shumbha and Nishumbha. There are a lot of good Varanasi India hotel around the Ghat where you may put up to enjoy the full glory of the Ghat from the morning till the evening.
The place receives the maximum number of pilgrims during the months of March/ April as well as January and February, when they come to take a dip in the holy river on the auspicious occasions of Sankranti.
Whether you visit Varanasi for your religious belief or just as a tourist or a knowledge — hungry researcher, Assi Ghat can be a great store — house of the Indian history and mythology.