The Varanasi Heritage Dossier/Telianala Ghat

Detailed description of each heritage Site - Prahalad Ghat to Raj Ghat

Location

-- 25º 19.233’ North and 83º 01.392’ East (Sakka Ghat, centre). -- 25º 19.271’ North and 83º 01.400’ East (Phuta Ghat, centre).

Exact location on a map

Sakka–Telianala and Phuta (Naya) Ghats

Area

0.045 ha

Historical/cultural/natural significance

According to legends, the predominance of an oil-pressing community (Teli) settled along the nearby ancient drain (nala), which has assumed the name of a ghat, Telianala. The historicity of this ghat is evident from one of the paintings of the 17th-18th century preserved in the Savai Mansingh Museum (Jaipur, Rajasthan), where the ghat and the drain are shown. Prinsep (1822) has also demonstrated this ghat. The old drain was closed in 1988 when the irrigation department of the government of Uttar Pradesh built the ghat pucca. This ghat has no religious significance, except that the existence of the puranic water-front sacred spot of Hiranyagarbha Tirtha was referred to here. Presently, the ghat is occupied by washermen who clean the clothes.

Present state of conservation

Except for the temple organisation, which takes care of its properties, there are no specific action plans, programmes, or strategies for conserving and preserving the ghats. The temple trust maintains its properties according to its 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 temple-related properties along the ghat are owned by the respective trust, the houses and other properties by the inhabitants, and the Municipal Corporation owns the ghat area.