What is a ghat?

A ghat is a stepped approach to a river or other body of water. In Varanasi the term also identifies named sections of the riverfront, each with its own architectural character, patronage, religious associations and patterns of use. The ghats should therefore not be treated as interchangeable scenery.

A riverfront built over time

The waterfront’s sacred associations are ancient, but its present architecture accumulated over centuries. Stone steps, palatial buildings, temples, rest houses and other structures were constructed, enlarged and rebuilt under many patrons. Much of the monumental riverfront visible today reflects early-modern and later building campaigns.

Sacred and civic functions

Bathing, prayer, offerings, festivals, teaching, commerce, laundry, conversation, exercise, boat traffic and rest all occur on the ghats. Some ghats are particularly associated with temples or pilgrimage routes, while Manikarnika and Harishchandra are especially associated with cremation.

Named places in the archive

Kedar, Karnataka State, Rana Mahal, Munshi, Dashashwamedh and Man Mandir are among the ghats represented in the archive. Preserving those names matters because each photograph belongs to a specific place, not simply to a generalized idea of “the Ganges steps.”

Living heritage

The documentary value of the ghats lies in the interaction of built form and repeated human use. Their heritage is not only architectural. It is continually produced by residents, workers, worshippers, pilgrims and visitors who use the riverfront for different purposes throughout the day and across generations.