Riverside ghats and old buildings of Varanasi seen across the Ganges in soft morning haze

Religious site · Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh

Varanasi Ghats and the Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh

Riverside steps of the ancient city on the Ganga, with the evening fire ritual at Dashashwamedh Ghat

Ambient sound · similar settingGently lapping water

Photo: Martijn Vonk (@vonkm737) / Unsplash

Discover Varanasi Ghats and the Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh

Varanasi meets its river along a curve of ghats, the broad flights of stone steps that run down to the Ganga. From first light, the riverfront fills with bathers, priests under bamboo umbrellas, boatmen, students and pilgrims, while the facades of temples and old mansions glow above the water.

The heart of the riverfront is Dashashwamedh Ghat, close to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. Each evening at dusk, a team of young priests in kurta and dhoti stands on raised platforms and offers the Ganga Aarti, swinging multi-tiered brass lamps in unison to the sound of bells, conches and cymbals. Visitors watch from the steps or from boats moored just offshore, and many float a small leaf-cup lamp on the current. A sunrise boat ride along the ghats and the evening aarti together make the classic Varanasi day.

Don’t miss

01The evening Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat, performed at dusk on raised platforms facing the river
02A sunrise rowing-boat ride past the riverfront temples and palaces
03Floating a leaf-cup diya (oil lamp) on the Ganga during the aarti
04Manikarnika Ghat, the principal cremation ghat, viewed respectfully from a boat
05Kashi Vishwanath Temple, a short walk from Dashashwamedh Ghat

History & culture

The story of Varanasi Ghats and the Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh

Varanasi is one of the holiest cities in Hinduism, and its ghats have been places of ritual bathing, prayer and cremation for centuries. The name Dashashwamedh refers to a legend in which Lord Brahma performed ten horse sacrifices (ashwamedha) here, which is why the ghat is regarded as especially sacred.

The present ghat owes much to later patrons. According to India's Ministry of Tourism, Peshwa Bajirao I had it reconstructed in 1740, and Ahilyabai Holkar, the queen of Indore, rebuilt it in 1774. The evening aarti is led by the Gangotri Seva Samiti, whose priests are trained in Vedic chanting and ritual.

Local life & traditions

The ghats are a living place of worship rather than a monument. People come to bathe, pray, perform rites for ancestors, practise yoga and meet friends, and families bring their dead to the cremation ghats in the belief that dying in Varanasi brings liberation. Visitors are welcome to watch, but cremations should never be photographed and rituals should be observed quietly and at a respectful distance.

Things to do

Experience it like a local

Most visitors build their day around two moments on the river. At dawn, hire a rowing boat and drift along the ghats while bathers make their morning prayers and the light warms the stone facades. In the evening, find a spot on the steps of Dashashwamedh Ghat well before dusk, or watch the aarti from a boat, which gives a clear view of the priests and their lamps.

Between the two, walk the riverside from ghat to ghat, explore the narrow lanes behind the river for temples, silk weavers and street snacks, and take a half-day trip to Sarnath, where the Buddha is believed to have given his first sermon.

When to go

October to March is the most comfortable period, with mild days and cool mornings that suit sunrise boat rides; January mornings can be chilly and foggy. Summer (April to June) is very hot, with May highs around 45 degrees Celsius, and the monsoon (July to September) can raise the river and limit boating and walking between ghats. Dev Deepavali, about fifteen days after Diwali, sees the ghats lit with thousands of lamps and is one of the most spectacular times to visit, though also one of the busiest.

Plan your visit

Verified information

Ganga Aarti: Held every evening at dusk at Dashashwamedh Ghat and lasts about 45 minutes; it can be watched from the ghat or from boats moored at the riverbank. Source: incredibleindia.gov.in ↗
Access: The ghat is open 24 hours a day. Source: incredibleindia.gov.in ↗
Getting there: Nearest airport: Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport (VNS), Varanasi. Nearest railway station: Varanasi Junction (BSB). Source: incredibleindia.gov.in ↗

Checked against the sources on 27 October 2026. Opening times and fees can change — confirm before you go.

Travel tips

Arrive at least 45 minutes before dusk for a good place on the steps; the aarti draws large crowds, especially at weekends and festivals.
Agree the price and duration of a boat ride before boarding.
Do not photograph cremations or the bereaved at Manikarnika and Harishchandra ghats.
Dress modestly, with shoulders and knees covered, and remove shoes where asked at riverside shrines.
Keep valuables secure in the evening crowds and keep a close eye on children near the water's edge.

General guidance from our specialists, not official information.

Around Varanasi Ghats and the Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh: food, markets & places to stay

The lanes behind Dashashwamedh Ghat lead to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple and Godowlia, a busy market area with sweet shops, street food and Banarasi silk sellers. Assi Ghat, at the southern end of the riverfront, has a quieter atmosphere with cafes and guesthouses. Sarnath lies about 10 km north of the city, and Ramnagar Fort sits on the opposite bank. Auto-rickshaws and cycle-rickshaws are the usual way to reach the ghats, as cars cannot enter the old-city lanes.

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