The Varanasi Heritage Dossier/Niranjani Ghat
Detailed description of each heritage Site - Prabhu Ghat to Kedara Ghat
Niranjani and Mahanirvani Ghats
Location
edit25º 17.631’ North and 83º 00.400’ East (point between Niranjani and Mahanirvani Ghats).
Exact location on a map
editNiranjani and Mahanirvani Ghats
Area
edit0.65 ha
Historical/cultural/natural significance
editThere is a famous monastery of the Naga sect of ascetics (house no. b 3/ 155) called Niranjani, one among the ten Dashanamis; that is how they are given the present name. It is evident from an inscription near Ashrama that this "akhara" was established here in 1897. Before this period, this was part of Chet Singh's royal compound, which the king later donated to the Naga mendicants. The temple of Karttikeya, the only one in Varanasi, is dedicated to the divinity known as the son of Shiva and military commander of the gods' army. The history of worshipping Karttikeya goes back to the period of King Kumaragupta- I (CE 413-455), who himself was a devotee of Karttikeya. The seals and icons found in the archaeological excavations at Raj Ghat justify the worship of Karttikeya and his wife (!) Shashti. Three temples in the compound of Niranjani Akhara contain the footprints of the great sage Guru Niranjani and Durga, Gauri-Shankara and the Ganga. This ghat is not important to the common masses concerning religious and cultural festivities.
Present state of conservation
editExcept for the monastery trust, which directly takes care of its ashrama, there are no specific action plans, programmes, or strategies for conserving and preserving the ghats. The trust maintains its properties according to its perspective without formal plans.
Specific measures being taken for conserving the specific property
editIt is expected that by supporting active people participation, awareness to save the age-old rich heritage, and development under the Master Plan (and its judiciary control), the ghat heritage will be protected and conserved for the better benefit of the society.
Ownership
editThe two respective trusts and the persons living there own the specific properties along the ghat, and the municipal corporation owns the ghat area.