Ganga Mahal Ghat lies just north of Assi Ghat on the banks of Maa Ganga. It was once a part of Assi itself, and stone steps now mark the line between the two.
The Palace on the Banks of Maa Ganga
In 1830 the royal house of Kashi, the Narayan dynasty of the Kashi Naresh, built a palace here facing Maa Ganga and named it Ganga Mahal – the palace of Ganga. The ghat below came to be known by the name of the palace, and its stone front is one of the landmarks of the southern ghats.
Beside the Asi Sangam
The ghat shares the sanctity of the meeting of the Asi with Maa Ganga just to its south, which the Kashi Khanda names as the southern boundary of Kashi. In the early morning devotees take their holy dip here before walking north along the ghats, past Rewa Ghat to Tulsi Ghat.
Coming to Ganga Mahal Ghat with Reverence
Best time: early morning, October to March.
How to reach: walk a few minutes north along the steps from Assi Ghat, or come by boat along Maa Ganga.
At the ghat: this is a ghat of daily worship. Dress modestly, take your holy dip with care and away from other bathers, keep your voice low in the early hours, and ask before photographing anyone.
And in the morning or the evening, come to Shivala Ghat, where ShivBodh Trust offers the Ganga Aarti every day – our gratitude to Maa Ganga, who has only ever given.
Address and Map
Address: Ganga Mahal Ghat, Assi Ghat Road, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 221005, India