The gate of salvation made of Lord Vishnu’s gem, how many stories about Manikarnika Ghat of Varanasi, how was it built?

Manikarnika Ghat underwent extensive renovation in the year 1791, the credit for which is given to Queen Ahilyabai Holkar.

The ghats in Kashi are not just stairs. They are layers of time. They have a history of thousands of years. Mythological as well as historical. And when we talk about Manikarnika Ghat, it is known that it is the sharpest, most continuous scene of these layers, where the fire of the pyre never stops and the vision of the city goes from death to salvation.

Today, when the issue of demolition of temples, statues and old structures around Manikarnika Ghat is in the news, then there is a need to understand the historical context of this Ghat, the tradition of construction and renovation, the stories behind the name and the stories related to it, everything in order.

Who built Manikarnika Ghat?

The question of who built Manikarnika Ghat is as simple as it may seem, but the answer is no. Because Manikarnika Ghat was not built in one day or at one go, but was a place that kept changing in many phases over centuries. In different periods, different structures, stairs, temples, outposts and dharamshalas were added. Nevertheless, the stone structure and organized form of the ghat are still in people’s memory, much of the credit for it goes to the period of Maratha patronage. Especially Ahilyabai Holkar and Peshwa. According to Bharatkosh, the buildings located at Manikarnika Ghat were built by Peshwa Bajirao and Ahilyabai Holkar.

If we combine the main links of construction and reconstruction of Manikarnika Ghat, it becomes clear that its systematic construction took place in the year 1771 and extensive renovation took place in the year 1791. The credit for which is given to Queen Ahilyabai Holkar. This time-line is being cited as heritage in history books and media reports. On the other hand, the long line of history shows that construction, repair, conservation took place before Ahilyabai and also after. It is also found in history that the work of reconstruction and conservation of the Ghat was done by many rulers at different times and in later times also by governments. As a site on the banks of the Ganga, Manikarnika is very ancient. When people who believe in Hindu tradition come to Kashi from far away places to perform the last rites of themselves and their loved ones, there is a rule to perform the last rites at this ghat.

How did Manikarnika get its name?

In Banaras i.e. Kashi, the mythological and historical city situated on the banks of Ganga, names are not just labels, they are a summary of the story. The name of every locality and ghat has its own importance and history. Today, there are said to be 84 ghats on the banks of Ganga in Banaras. Manikarnika is also one of them. The most popular belief with this name is that the gem of Lord Vishnu had fallen here and from that the name Manikarnika came and became famous. Its mention is also found in popular usage.

Another concept is related to the pond and penance. It is said that there is a tradition of Manikarnika Kund in the Ghat area and in many articles it has been linked to Lord Vishnu that the construction and establishment of the Kund is considered to be by Vishnu. However, the concept of a pond on the banks of Ganga does not seem appropriate but small ponds are found. It is possible that earlier the Ganga may have been flowing from a distance thousands of years ago and the ponds may have existed as an alternative. Historical verification of these stories cannot be done like archaeological evidence, but it is important to understand that mythological memory in Kashi is also a part of social history even today because it is this memory that decides which place is just a place and which is a pilgrimage?

Manikarnika’s cremation ground, faith, system and society

Manikarnika Ghat is also called Mahashamshan. Here the process of cremation continues day and night. This scene connects with the concept of Kashi in which death is not considered an end but a door, i.e. death in Kashi = attainment of salvation.

This is the reason why this ghat is also counted among the Panch-Tirtha. A different kind of social structure is also visible here. Traditional role of Dom community, provision of wood, pyre, ghat and livelihood network of hundreds of families. This is the reason why whenever redevelopment takes place, it is not just a construction work, it becomes an interference in the life system and religious psychology.

Ahilyabai Holkar and Manikarnika

Ahilyabai’s name comes up again and again in the context of Kashi because her work is remembered more as religious-public welfare than as a political act. Manikarnika, Vishwanath Dham area and many ghats, dharamshalas, along with all this his name got stuck in the public memory. It is also being said in the recent debate that this ghat is the bearer of memories related to Ahilyabai and hence breaking it is like erasing the heritage.

Senior journalist of Kashi AK Lari says that people are angry because Holkar Marhi situated on this ghat was also demolished. The second important thing is that this time there is a huge lack of transparency. The protest is not about development, it is about lack of transparency. If the statues are really being preserved then why don’t the officials release pictures or videos of that place? Understand in this background – when the preservation of a place is linked to a historical protector, a person, then the change there is not just engineering, it also affects the memory. This tension is the center of today’s headlines.

What is the real issue of the latest controversy?

There is anger among the people regarding the demolition of temples around the ghat. This matter also came into limelight because it is the PM’s parliamentary constituency. According to media reports, a process of demolition and demolition has taken place at Manikarnika Ghat as part of the redevelopment project and during this, artefacts, statues, old remains have been removed and allegations of desecration of them have also been made. Some pictures and videos also made headlines. In this regard, the administration says that the statues were not damaged, they were preserved. That means there are two levels of dispute. Were temples, statues, old structures really demolished or removed and kept safe? Even if the structure was removed, could development be carried out without maintaining the heritage in the same site form?

Why every brick of Manikarnika has a story?

The stories of Manikarnika are not limited to any one book. They are written daily with the fire of the pyre. Some enduring folk beliefs are associated with this ghat. Many people associate cremation here with the path of salvation. The continuity of the ghat (fire, ritual, tradition) makes it a place out of time, where even everyday life seems small in comparison to the ultimate truth. The religious presence like Kund, Vishnu Charanpaduka does not allow this area to remain just a crematorium. It also becomes a land of Shaiva-Vaishnav coordination.

What could be the direction of solution?

History tells one thing clearly – Manikarnika never remained stable. There have been repairs, constructions and restorations in different periods. Today’s challenge is not whether change should happen or not, the challenge is how change should happen? Some basic principles that can be adopted in public projects.

• Heritage-Impact Assessment: Before demolishing or removing any structure, documentation, measurement, photo-archive, material analysis should be done.
• In-situ conservation: Where possible, the structure should be saved; Removal should be the last option.
• Transparency: What is being removed, where it is kept, when and how it will be restored should be publicly announced.
• Local Community Involvement: The ghat is not just a tourist asset, it is a living tradition. Advice from Dom community, local Panda society, residents and historians is necessary.

In this way we can say that the history of Manikarnika Ghat is very old. From this ghat to other ghats of Kashi, construction and expansion took place in different periods of time. Beautification took place. Yes, the credit for the construction of Manikarnika Ghat goes to Ahilya Bai Holkar, this is recorded in the history books and also in the words of the people and in stories. In any case, it is a symbol of the continuity of Kashi in which mythological memory, preservation of Maratha period, architecture, and today’s urban development – all collide at the same ghat.

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