Dashashwamedh Ghat-History Behind the Name: A Wonderful Tradition of Faith in the Evening Aarti
- Posted on January 21, 2023
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- By Akta Yadav
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Dashashwamedh Ghat:-
A Major Attraction of Varanasi The Dashashwamedh Ghat is one of the most ancient and primary ghats of Varanasi situated close to the Kashi Vishwanath Mandir. The Ganga Aarti at the Dashashwamedh Ghat is one of the major reasons why pilgrims are attracted to the city of Varanasi from all over the country and the world. The Legend of The Dashashwamedh Many stories about the Dashashwamedh have been passed down from generation to generation. It is believed that Kashi was ruled by King Devodasa. The King prayed to Lord Brahma to ensure that no Gods or beings from the outer world would visit Kashi till the time of his reign. Brahma agreed to this on the condition that Devodasa would assist all pilgrims visiting Kashi to achieve their religious goals. Devodasa agreed and ruled Kashi for a long period. Kashi turned into the most peaceful and holy town of Bharat. Meanwhile, Shiva was unhappy as he was not allowed to visit Kashi. Lord Shiva made every attempt to cause a breach of the duties imposed on King Devodasa by Brahma so that Brahma would remove the restraint upon Gods from visiting Kashi.
Shiva sent 64 Yoginis to Kashi with the mission of creating a ruckus in the town, however, on reaching there, the Yoginis were so captivated by Kashi’s aura that they decided to settle there. Further, Shiva also sent Surya to Kashi with the same task. However, Surya too could not find any flaws in King Devodasa’s administration and ended up settling in Kashi. When Shiva ran out of options, he requested Lord Brahma himself to visit Kashi in the guise of a Brahmin and ask Devodasa to assist him in performing religious rituals. With Devodasa’s assistance, Lord Brahma successfully organized 10 (‘dash’) Ashwamedh (horse- sacrifice) yagyas at a holy ghat after which the ghat was named as the ‘Dashashwamedh Ghat’. Devodasa had passed all the tests and Shiva was defeated in his pursuit.
Bliss at The Dashashwamedh Ganga Aarti
One can feel the aura of purity at the Dashashwamedh. Many can be seen meditating at the ghat every morning and before the sandhya aarti every evening. The Ganga Aarti at the Dashashwamedh Ghat is a treat to the eyes. In the backdrop of darkness after the sunset, hundreds of priests can be seen holding elaborately designed diyas and repeatedly moving their arms in a circle in full synchrony. They even sing hymns composed with divine melodies as a tribute to the holy Ganges, the river which nurtures its surrounding human life just as a mother. On festive occasions, the Ganga Aarti on the Dashashwamedh Ghat grows even more majestic than usual.
Aarti Timings
The Aarti at the Dashashwamedh Ghat begins soon after sunset. During summer, the aarti begins roughly at 6:30 p.m. and during winters, at 7:00 p.m. The sandhya aarti at the Dashashwamedh Ghat lasts for about 45 minutes.
Way to The Dashashwamedh Ghat
The Dashashwamedh Ghat is well connected by local transportation such as taxis. The nearest transportation junction is Godowlia after which the Dashashwamedh Ghat is just a 5- minute walk away. The Dashashwamedh Ghat can also be reached by ferries from any other ghat.
The Majestic Flow of The Ganga at Varanasi
The Ganga flows from the Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal, that is roughly in the South-east direction, however, the river flows in the Northern direction at Varanasi. The locals of Varanasi highlight this phenomenon colloquially by saying “Banaras me toh Ganga bhi ulti behti hai!” It is believed that Ganga bids a final goodbye to its homeland before proceeding to the Bay of Bengal.
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