When you have heard so much about the ganga aarti of deshashwamedh ghat in banaras ; the curiosity is certainly high when you are about to experience it . My encounter with the city , while going to my hotel ; was indeed a vibe of modern town with an old soul residing in it.
Dashashwamedh Ghat in Varanasi, almost in the middle of a long chain of ghats. At the north end is Raj Ghat, where the town once thrived. Assi ghat is very popular with bohemian people at the south end. Also, Dashashwamedh Ghat is one of the easiest to get to by road while most others have narrow lanes that enter them.
Ganga Aarti is a sight to watch at Dashashwamedh Ghat, in Varanasi. It is a good example of the ancient River worship practice presented in India in a manner that draws all sorts of people. Pilgrims come to the holy Ganga to pray. Tourists come to see, that the fire goes and worship the water that sustains life.
The moment you're saying Varanasi, Moon's visions shaped Ghats of Ganga cross your mind. The steep steps that lead the town to the Ganga are also the location for the Ganga's arti; which captures the picture of the spiritualty of the oldest city in the world.
Hundreds of devotees, visitors, tourists and travelers converge at the famous Dashashwamedh Ghat in Varanasi to see the ritual of Ganga Aarti. Devotees stand in front of the Ganga every evening at 7pm, which is lovingly named Ganga Maiyya or Mother Ganga. With Ganga Aarti, they pray to Ganga and thank her for protecting them on her shores and washing sin with her purifying waters.
Young pandits performing the Aarti wear silk dhotis around their shoulders with rich gold borders, orange kurtas, and stoles–all coordinated in colour. Their hands move on elevated platforms in a coordinated pattern that positions them above the rest of the crowd.