The Varanasi Heritage Dossier/Vijayanagara Ghat

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

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Vijayanagara Ghats

Vijayanagaram Ghat, Varanasi, 2001

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 lower part of Kedara Ghat was separately developed as ghat by making it pucca and also constructing a small palatial building, in south Indian architectural style, by the king of Vijayanagaram in 1890. That is how this is called as Vijayanagaram Ghat. Greaves (1909) has already mentioned this ghat under the name “Ijanagar Ghat”, perhaps wrongly spelling the real name. Later, the king had donated this palace to a great saint Svami Karapatri-Ji, which he adopted as his residence and passed most of his life here. Presently this is known as Svami Karapatri Ashram. The western part, close to the lane contains the shrines of Nispaneshvara and Nilakantha. In 1958 the government of Uttar Pradesh has built and renovated the ghat.

Present state of conservation

Except for the Svami Karapatri Trust and Svami Bhumananda Trust, which directly manage 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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