Kedar Ghat

Kedar Ghat is one of the five most sacred ghats of Varanasi (Pancha Tirtha) and is home to the Kedareshwar Temple — a South Indian-style shrine that replicates the spiritual power of the Kedarnath pilgrimage in the Himalayas. The ghat is particularly popular with South Indian pilgrims who come to worship Shiva as Kedareshwar. The temple's Dravidian architecture stands in striking contrast to the North Indian style of surrounding buildings. The ghat is beautifully maintained, with colourful steps painted in red and white stripes in the South Indian tradition.

Spiritual & Historical Significance

According to tradition, worshipping Kedareshwar here grants the same merit as the arduous pilgrimage to Kedarnath in Uttarakhand. This made Kashi accessible to elderly and infirm devotees who could not undertake the Himalayan journey. Kedar Ghat is one of the Pancha Tirtha — the five essential bathing ghats that every Kashi pilgrim must visit: Assi, Dashashwamedh, Manikarnika, Panchganga, and Adi Keshava (some traditions substitute Kedar).