Kashi Manikarnika Ghat: The Holiest Site For Moksha Prapti!

Kashi Manikarnika Ghat symbolises life, death, and eternity. It is one of the oldest ghats in Uttar Pradesh, where people perform cremations. It is located on the banks of the river Ganga, next to Dashashwamedh Ghat and Scindia Ghat. So, let’s explore this ghat further, as there’s a lot to uncover. 

Manikarnima Ghat in Kashi 

What strikes your mind when you talk about Varanasi? Kashi Manikarnika Ghat, right? This is one of the oldest ghats, often known as the holiest cremation ground or the burning ghat. The word “Mani,” meaning earring, and Karna, referring to Goddess Parvati’s earring that fell in the river while she was bathing, have derived from the word Manikarnika.

Moreover, the doms cremate around one hundred to two hundred bodies daily. Banaras Manikarnika ghat blurs the line between life and death, celebrating death as a path to liberation (moksha). It is also a home for one of the 51 Shakti peethas, where an earring of Sati fell. 

Manikarnika Ghat Story: It’s Sacred Myths

The oldest city, Kashi, and its most well-known Manikarnika ghat history revolve around several stories highlighting its rich history and significance in Hindu mythology. 

Manikarnima as one of the 51 Shaktipeeth 

Among all the 51 Shaktipeeth, Manikarnika ghat Varanasi is one of the Shaktipeethas. Goddess Sati jumped into the Yagna after his father, Raja Daksh Prajapati, humiliated Lord Shiva. As a result, Lord Shiva, in deep grief, carried the burning body of Sati towards the Himalayas when Lord Vishnu threw his Sudharshan chakra to cut off the body of Sati into 51 pieces. 

Moreover, Lord Shiva ensured that people would consider wherever Sati’s body part fell as a sacred shrine known as Shakti peethas. Sati Devi’s earrings fell in Kashi Manikarnika Ghat during this time, and that’s how it became one of the Shakti peethas. 

The Curse of Mata Parvati 

Once, when Lord Shiva and Mata Parvati descended from Kailash for the first time to admire their creation, they landed in Manikarnika Kashi Ghat. They bathed in the Manikarnika Kund, which Lord Vishnu dug to please Lord Shiva. While they bathed, Lord Shiva’s Mani (jewel) and Mata Parvati’s Karnika (earring) disappeared in the kund. 

Despite searching, they couldn’t find their ornaments, and thus, Mata Parvati cursed the ghat to burn with an eternal flame that made Manikarna a cremation ground. However, Shiva’s Kaalbhairav form resides in the Manikarnika Ghat that guides the soul of the people who choose to die in Manikarnika. 

Also Read: Dashashwamedh Ghat: The Ghat of Ten Sacrificed Horses

Tarak Mantra: The Whisper of Lord Shiva 

“Rama Nama” is the most powerful mantra in Hinduism, which Lord Shiva whispers in people’s ears at their last rites. According to Shiva Purana, a strong belief circulates that if a person naturally dies in Kashi Manikarnika Ghat, Lord Shiva whispers the Tarak mantra in the ear. This leads them to the abode of Shiva, liberating them from the cycle of birth and death. 

Moreover, due to this belief, Varanasi is known as the “City of Salvation”, where the departed souls attain moksha (liberation). If you visit Manikarnika, you will witness people continuously burying dead bodies. The fire never goes out for a second, so they name it Mahashamshan. Therefore, this fire flame represents the burning away of karma, allowing the soul to merge with the divine. 

How are funerary Rites Performed in Kashi Manikarnika Ghat? 

Manikarnika, a cremation site in Varanasi, is where the cycle of life and death ends. All the rituals follow the old Hindu tradition, allowing the body to seek moksha. 

• People bring the body of their family member to Kashi Manikarnika Ghat wrapped in white cloth. Many people even take their last breath in Kashi, which offers instant liberation. 
• People hold the bodies from four sides and dip them in the holy river Ganga. This cleanses the body before performing the last rites in Manikarnika. 
• After that, the doms place the body in a wooden pyre, ensuring that they fully cover the body with wood and prepare it for cremation. 
• The body covered with wood is lit using the Akhand Dhuni, which continuously burns and is believed to be lit by Lord Shiva. 
• The main mourner, who has worn white cloth and shaved his head, performs all the rituals by lighting the mukhagni (burning the body). 
• A priest guides the mourner and all the family members as they perform the rituals with chants and mantras.
• After the body is half burned, the main mourner performs the Kapal Kriya (breaking the skull). During this ritual, the skull is hit with a bamboo stick, which releases the atma (soul). 
• The rituals take three to four hours until the body is entirely burned and turned into ashes. 
• The main mourner collects the ashes and immerses them in the Ganga. This allows the soul to rest in peace and attain salvation. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

Also Read: Assi Ghat Varanasi: Varanasi’s Most Popular Spiritual Spot

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