The Varanasi Heritage Dossier/Hanuman Garhi Ghat

Detailed description of each heritage Site - Durga Ghat to Phuta Ghat

Location

25º 19.198’ North and 83º 01.232’ East (Lal Ghat, centre). 25º 19.049’ North and 83º 01.210’ East (Gopreksheshvara temple). 25º 19.228’ North and 83º 01.261’ East (Hanuman Garhi Ghat, centre).

Exact location on a map

Lal Ghat and Hanuman Garhi Ghat

Area

0.12 ha

Historical/cultural/natural significance

Till 1950, Hanumangarhi Ghat was the southern part of Gai Ghat. A holy man, Shyamalal Mahatyagi, a resident of Bihar and having affinity to the Hanumangarhi temple of Ayodhya, was living here and built a Hanuman temple. With time, this has been called Hanumangarhi Ghat. In 1972, one of the disciples of Shyamalal, named Tekacand Shahu, made the ghat pucca. In 1980, another disciple, Ramana Mahatyagi, built a commemorative monastery in honour of his guru, Mahatyagi Ashram, which runs the temple and the ashram. In this ashram, together with providing food and shelter to students of Sanskrit, there is an arrangement for education and training in Yoga, Tantra, astronomy and old Sanskrit texts. The wrestling site, the Ganga Akhara, and a memorial Sati stone are in the upper part.

Present state of conservation

Except for the two trusts that manage its properties, there are no specific action plans, programmes, or strategies for conserving and preserving the ghats. The trusts maintain their properties according to their own perspectives.

Specific measures being taken for conserving the specific property

It is expected that by supporting active people participation, awareness to save the age-old rich heritage, and development under the Master Plan (and its judiciary control), the ghat heritage will be protected and conserved for the better benefit of the society.

Ownership

The trust-related properties along the ghat are owned by the respective trusts, the houses and other properties by the inhabitants, and the Municipal Corporation owns the ghat area.