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Places to Visit >> Ghats >> Adi Keshava
Ghat
Adi Keshava Ghat - Varanasi
In Ghadavala inscription (c. C.E.
1100) this ghat was referred as Vedesvara Ghat. This is assumed
to be the oldest and the original (Adi) site of Lord Visnu (
Kesava). The temple complex of Adi Kesava has a pleasant
pastoral setting on he bank above the confluence of the Varana
and the Ganga rivers. Among the oldest puranic listings of
sacred sites in the city, this is one of them. This sacred spot
is fully eulogized in the MP (185-68), the VP (3.34-50), the KKh
(84.109; see also 51.44-82). This was the most favourite holy
site of the Gahadavala kings, as evident from the Gahadavala
inscription that" a great number of regal ritual occasions in
Varanasi included the worship of Adi Kesava or a dip in the
Ganga at the Varana confluence: (Niyogi 1959: app. B as in Eck
1982:233). The ghat was made pucca in 1790 by a Divan of
Scindhia State.
According to a flok legend the five
most sacred water-fron holy spots represent the bodily parts of
the Lord:" Asi is the head; Dasasvamedha is the chest;
Manikarnika is the naval; Pancaganga is the thighs; and Adi
Kesava is the feet" (Eck 1982:233). This reminds that Vianu
first placed his holy feet here in Varanasi. His foot prints (Carana
Paduka) in the Adi Kesava temple symbolize that occasion;
another foot prints are at Manikarnika Ghat.
Bathing at confluence of the Varana
and the Ganga and paying visit to Sangamesvara ("Lord of
Confluence") give a special religious merit, as referred in the
Linga Purana (92.87-89):
"An excellent lingam has been
installed by Brahama at this confluence. It is know in the world
as Sangamesvara. If a man shall become pure taking his bath at
the confluence of the divine river and then worship Sangamesa,
whence need he fear rebirth".
The Sangamesvara lingam is located
in temple attached to Adi Kesava; and from the pavilion of Adi
Kesava, one can look down into the courtyard of the Sangamesvara.
Closeby to it is the Brahmesvara lingam (a four- faced lingam)
and believed to be established by Brahma ("The Creator").
Between Prahalada and Adi Kesava
Ghat (from south to north) there are ten water-tirthas lying
along the bank: Sankha Madhava, Sasa, Laksminrsimha, Gopigivinda,
Vindara Nrsimha, Yajna Varaha, Mara- Narayana, Vamana, Pranava
and Dattatreyesvara. And between Adi Kesava Ghat and confluence
of the Varana there are twelve water-tirthas: Aditya Kesava,
Ambarisa, Narada, Garuda, Mahalaksmi, Padma, Gada, Cakra, Sankha,
Ksirabdhi, Svetadvipa and padodaka.
In the vicinity of Adi Kesava temple
are located two Vinayakas: Cinatamani ("relieving worry") and
Kharva ("the dwarf"), and jnana Kesava ("wisdom"), P/rayaga
lingam and Kesavaditta ("Kesava-Sun").
The barth day of Vamana ("the
Dwarf"; 5th incarnation of Visnu among the ten) is
celebrated on massive scale in the Adi Kesava temple on 12th
light- half of Bhadrapada (Aug. Sept.).
At
the time of sunrise and sun set both, one can see the natural
beauty of reflecting colourful light in the Ganga, in the
morning the reflection of sunlight on the palatial buildings and
in the evening the shadows of those building in Ganga make the
scene unique which is more an aspect of experience than reading
about it.
Ghats
- Varanasi
Dandi Ghat
|
Narada Ghat |
Panchganga Ghat |
Raj Ghat |
Shivala Ghat
Gularia Ghat |
Vaccharaja Ghat
|
Cheta Singh Ghat
|
Manikarnika Ghat
Assi Ghat
|
Tulsi Ghat
|
Harishchandra Ghat
|
Dasasvamedha Ghat
Chauki Ghat to Chaumsathi Ghat
|
Hanuman Ghat
|
Mahanirvani Ghat
Scindia Ghat
|
Man Mandir Ghat to Lalita Ghat
|
Dashashwamedha Ghat
Munsi Ghat
|
Manasarovara Ghat
|
Bhadaini Ghat
|
Janaki Ghat
Mira Ghat
|
Adi Keshava Ghat
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