Manikarnika Ghat

মণিকর্ণিকা ঘাট

After breakfast chek out and drop to airport for 1050 am flight.Early morning Subahe banaras at Assi ghat from 0600Am-0800am.After breakfast chek out and drop to airport for 1050 am flight.

When you visit this ghat you realize the truth of life which is death. No matter how many goals we set in our life, the ultimate goal of life will be death. Here you will see cremation of unclaimed bodies who do not have anyone to cry for them on one side and on the other hand you see cremation of a body with a line of people crying loudly, you see body of a 90 year old and a body of a 9 year old burning next to each other in a way as if it is telling you that the only thing certain in life is its uncertainty. It is not only the smoke coming out of the fire that will make your tears fall, it is your inner soul which will cry and say to you that please promise me that we still have a lot of time to live and to do things which we always wanted to do, things which we are afraid of doing, things which we are planning to do but do not have time for it like having that small road trip with your better half or group of school/college friends, giving some surprise to your parents or just telling them how much you love them, quitting your job for a business, startup or to follow your passion.Do we really have time to postpone or plan things for future?

There is a legend associated with Manikarnika Ghat. It is said that at some point of time Lord Shiva was moving with his devotees. In order to avoid this her consort Goddess Parvati hid her earrings and asked him to find it. Since then Lord Shiva ia trying to find that ring at Manikarnika Ghat (Manikarnika means earning). Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi was born as Manikarnika in Varanasi taking the name from this ghat.

These two ghats are used exclusively for cremation. Hindu devotees believe that they will go to heaven if they die here in Varanasi. Old men and women visit Varanasi and wait for their judgement day. Cremation is an important activity here in Varanasi and hence separate ghats.