Shivala Ghat, (Varanasi)

Shivala Ghat features a dense wall of dark, weathered stone masonry that rises directly from the Ganges. Built in the nineteenth century by King Balwant Singh of Kashi, this massive structure originally served as a fort to protect the southern edge of the city. Years later, the exiled Nepali royal family moved into the upper chambers, making the ghat their home while they plotted to regain their throne. The heavy, fortress-like walls remain, separating the river from the labyrinthine streets of the neighborhood.