The Varanasi Heritage Dossier/Khori (Sarveshvara) Ghat
Detailed description of each heritage Site - Chauki Ghat to Chausatthi Ghat
Khori, Pandey and Sarveshvara Ghats
Location
[edit | edit source]25º 18.207’ North and 83º 00.519’ East (Sarveshvara temple)
Exact location on a map
[edit | edit source]Khori – Pande and Sarveshvara Ghats
Area
[edit | edit source]0.126 ha
Historical/cultural/natural significance
[edit | edit source]Also known as Ganga Mahal Ghat, the Khori Ghat was made pucca in the late 19th century by Kavindra Narayan Singh. At the top, a compound of five temples presents a magnificent view. Presently, this ghat is neglected with respect to religious and cultural festivities. Even for daily sacred baths, visitors do not prefer this ghat. In ca 1805 Babua Pande, a wealthy Brahmin of Chhapra (Bihar) has built a wrestling place and made this ghat pucca, which resulted to called it Babua Pande Ghat. Prinsep (1822) mentioned it as Panree Ghat; remember that Prinsep, in almost all cases, misspelled the names. As mentioned in the Giravan-padamanjari (17th century) this was described as Sarveshvara Ghat.
There is a temple of Someshvara in the vicinity. The ghat was reconstructed in 1965 by the government of Uttar Pradesh.
Sarveshvara Ghat is mentioned in the Giravan-padamanjari (17th century), which testifies its historicity. However, the overall space of the ghat was made pucca by Mathura Pandey's patronage in the late 18th century. The ancient water-front site of Ganga Keshava Tirtha is described as close to the ghat.
Present state of conservation
[edit | edit source]Except for the temple trusts directly taking care of their properties, there are no specific action plans, programmes, or strategies for conserving and preserving the ghats. The trusts maintain their properties according to their perspectives without specific plans.
Specific measures being taken for conserving the specific property
[edit | edit source]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 befit to the society.
Ownership
[edit | edit source]The temple-related properties along the ghat are owned by the respective trusts, the houses and other properties by the inhabitants, and the ghat area is owned by the Municipal Corporation.