Assi Ghat

Assi Ghat is the southern end of the Varanasi ghats and a favourite among the places to visit in Varanasi for sunrise. This guide covers the morning programme, the surrounding area and practical tips.

Assi Ghat marks the southern end of Varanasi's ghat chain, where the small Assi river joins the Ganges. It is popular with students from the nearby Banaras Hindu University, foreign researchers and visitors who want a quieter riverfront than the central ghats. Hindus revere it as the place where the poet-saint Tulsidas is said to have left for his heavenly abode.

The daily Subah-e-Banaras, launched in 2014, is a free morning session of about two hours that combines Vedic chanting, yoga, classical music and a fire ritual honouring the five elements, according to Wikipedia. The steps are also lined with chai stalls, boatmen and small shops, and the ghat appears in the novel Kashi Ka Assi and in films such as Mohalla Assi, Raanjhanaa and Masaan.

Its regular capacity is around 22,500 people, but during Dev Deepawali it can hold well over 600,000, so it is a good place to see how the ghats are used on festival nights. Many travellers base themselves in the guesthouses nearby. Sunrise boat rides run from here toward the central ghats; agree the price before boarding. The programme time changes with the season, so check on arrival.