The Varanasi Heritage Dossier/Lali Ghat

Detailed description of each heritage Site - Prabhu Ghat to Kedara Ghat

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Lali Ghat

Lali Ghat, Varanasi (2012)

Location

25º 17.951’ North and 83º 00.467’ East (Jyeshtha Vinayaka, Lali Ghat)

Exact location on a map

Lali and Vijayanagara Ghats

Area

0.156 ha

Historical/cultural/natural significance

The Lali (or sometimes called Lalli) Ghat, according to folk legends, was given name after a famous mystic saint of the late 18th century, Lali Baba, of Champaran (Bihar), who established his monastery here, known as Gudaradas Akhara (B 6/ 94). Its recording can supplement this over the map of Banaras prepared by Prinsep in 1822. In the late 1770s, the Raja of Banaras partly repaired and made a portion of it pucca. However, in 1890, the king of Vijayanagara (south India), together with the construction of a new ghat nearby, made this ghat pucca. In 1988, the irrigation department of the government of Uttar Pradesh rebuilt this ghat and made it fully pucca. In the upper part, there are shrines of Lamodara and Chintamani Vinayakas. At the bank in a huge stone niche (madhi) there are images of Jyestha Vinayaka, Kirateshvara, Jayanta Linga and Maha Lakshmi. The stone step linking the ghat consists of several niches containing divine images. The upper part of the Lali Ghat was purchased by a monastery of Haridvara in 1990, and a completely renovated building (no. B 6/ 99) has been constructed, giving honour to the founder. This ghat is called Dandi Svami Bhumananda Ghat.

Present state of conservation

Except for the Svami Karapatri Trust and Svami Bhumananda Trust 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 own perspectives without specific plans.

On 22 January 2007, VDA notified Sri Vibhusit Swami of demolition orders for the illegal extensions of Bhuma Niketan.

Despite VDA issuing demolition orders for this illegal construction on 22 January 2007, it has continued to exist for 6 years, violating not only the above Government Order prohibiting construction but also encroaching on the Ghats, which are public property.

When the Allahabad Court inquired why the demolition order had not been carried out, VDA stated "that the Bhuma Niketan was not extended but only covered with new glass". (as per Serial No. 53 in the VDA report included in its affidavit dated 24 Jan 2013) The judges of the High Court of Allahabad labelled this report as "nothing but an act to protect the illegal constructions" (PIL 31229 of 2005 ' 14.03.13)

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 befit to the society.

Ownership

The respective trusts own the two specific properties along the ghat; the houses and other properties by the inhabitants; and the Municipal Corporation owns the ghat area.

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