Manikarnika Ghat

The Manikarnika Ghat is marked by the constant, rhythmic rising of woodsmoke from perpetual funeral pyres. This is the primary cremation ground of Varanasi, where fire is believed to provide liberation from the cycle of rebirth. According to local belief, the god Shiva whispered the secret of salvation into the ear of the deceased here. The metal icon of a footprint, said to belong to the deity Vishnu, remains set into a marble slab embedded directly within the stone stairs of the landing.