|
Various
legends are associated with the ghats and it is believed that
Dasaswamedh Ghat is where Lord Brahma sacrificed 10 horses in a
yagya (Das- 10, aswa-horses, medh-sacrifice). At the Manikarnika
Ghat Lord Vishnu is said to have dug a pit with his chakra and while
performing various penances filled it with his perspiration. As Lord
Shiva watched him, his earring (manik) fell into the pit-giving
the ghat the name of Manikarnika. Lord Vishnu's footprints are said
to be preserved at Chakrapushkarini
which is close by.
Another interesting Ghat to visit is the Man Mandir
Ghat.
It
was built in 1770 by Jai Singh of Jaipur the intrepid astronomer,
who erected one of his unusual observatories here. The Mansarover
Ghat was also built by a princely patron—Man Singh of
Amber. The Bachraj Ghat
is used by Jain devotees for it has
three river bank Jain temples. Above the Kedar Ghat another popular
shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva is known as Kedareshwar.
Other
important ghats include the Hanuman Ghat
with temples to Hanuman and
Kanchi Kam Kotishwara (the Shankaracharya Math is near by). The
Tulsi Ghat is dedicated to Tulsi Das who wrote the 'Ram
Charit Manas' a translation of the Ramayana into Hindi and the
Lalita Ghat has a beautiful temple built in carved wood by
the late King of Nepal (which is also known as the Nepalese Temple).
|
