Panchkot Ghat in Varanasi

Ghats on the banks of the holy River Ganga are prime tourist attractions in Varanasi. The tourists explore the Ghats of Varanasi by walking through them. To have a broader view of the activities and rituals performed on the ghats, people opt for a morning boat ride in Ganga. There are more than eighty four ghats in Varanasi. Every ghat is steeped into rich historical legacy and utilized for some routinely special purposes like aarti, akhara, bathing etc. One of the historically significant ghats in Varanasi is the Panchkot Ghat. One of the famous bathing ghats of the city, Panchkot Ghat was constructed by the King of Panchkot of Bengal in the latter half of the 19th century. A series of stone-steps / stairs lead to a palatial building atop the ghat. Two temples dedicated to Lord Shiva are located adjacent to the palatial building. From historical and architectural perspective, Panchkot Ghat garners immense importance but, from religious point of view, it somehow has a bit of spiritual relevance though. It is on the northern end of the Prabhu Ghat in Shivala. There are few poles with small baskets are erected at the riverside on Panchkot Ghat. The baskets are equipped with lamps to be lighted during evening and night time. People generally come to this ghat to take a bath in the sacred River Ganga and also to visit a few temples over here.