Assi Ghat In Varanasi - Importance

Assi Ghat is located at the southern end of Varanasi at the confluence of Asi River and Ganga River. Thousands of devotees take holy dip here and then offer prayers to a beautiful Shivling consecrated under a peepal tree. Another Shivling that is worshipped here is that of Assi-Sangameshwar – Shiva as the lord of confluence.

As per Puranas, Goddess Durga threw her sword here after killing Demons Shumbha and Nishumbha. Another legend has it that during the fight with demons, the sword of Durga struck here and the Assi river sprang forth from the spot.

The Ghat is mentioned in Matsya Purana, Agni Purana, Kurma Purana, Padma Purana and Kashi Khanda of Skanda Purana.

Tulsidas wrote the Ramcharitmanas here.

Thousands of devotee arrive at the ghat to take holy bath in the month of Magh (January - February) and Chaitra (March - April). Makar Sankranti (Jan 14/15) is of importance here. Another important date here is the Hari Prabodhini Ekadasi in November. Apart from this thousands of Hindus take holy dip here during Surya and Chandra Grahan (eclipse).

The ghat is situated near the Shivala in South Varanasi.

Pilgrims also visit the Lolarka Kund (near Assi ghat). It is a rectangular tank fifteen metres below ground level. Lolarka Kund is among Varanasi’s earliest sites, one of only two remaining sites associated with Surya Bhagavan (sun god).

Nearby is the famous Hanuman Ghat. Here there is a new temple built by the ghat’s large south Indian community. This is the birthplace of the fifteenth-century Vaishnavite saint Vallabha, who was instrumental in the resurgence of the worship of Krishna, the ghat also features a striking image of Ruru, the dog of Bhairava.

Another important spot nearby is the Tulsi Ghat - originally Lolarka Ghat - but renamed in the honour of the poet Tulsidas, who lived nearby in the sixteenth century.