The Varanasi Heritage Dossier/Khori – Pande and Sarveshvara Ghats

Detailed description of each heritage Site - Chauki Ghat to Chausatthi Ghat

Khori, Pandey and Sarveshvara Ghats

Location
25º 18.207’ North and 83º 00.519’ East (Sarveshvara temple)

Exact location on a map
Khori – Pande and Sarveshvara Ghats

Area
0.126 ha

Historical/cultural/natural significance
Also known as Ganga Mahal Ghat, the Khori Ghat was made pucca in late 19th century by Kavindra Narayan singh. At the top a compound of five-temples presents a magnificent view. Presently this ghat is the neglected one with respect to religious and cultural festivities. Even for daily sacred bath this ghat is not preferred by the visitors. In ca 1805 Babua Pande, a rich Brahmin of Chhapra (Bihar) has built a wrestling place and made this ghat pucca, this resulted to called it Babua Pande Ghat. Prinsep (1822) mentioned it as Panree Ghat; remember that Prinsep in almost all the cases misspelled the names. As mentioned in the Giravan-padamanjari (17th century) this was described as Sarveshvara Ghat. In fact, Babua Pande Ghat is the southern part of the Sarveshvara Ghat. In its vicinity lies the old water-front site of Prabhasa Tirtha, but presently the rituals on the name of Prabhasa Turth are performed near the Raja Ghat. The scene of this ghat has been dominated prominently by the Dhobis (washermen) so much that Motichand (1985) has described it as Dhobi Ghat. The wrestling place (no. D 24/ 17-19 and D 25/24) opened by Babua Pande is the landmark at this ghat. There is also a guesthouse for pilgrims. There a temple of Someshvara in the vicinity. The ghat was reconstructed in 1965 by the government of Uttar Pradesh. Sarveshvara Ghat is referred in the Giravan-padamanjari (17th century), that testifies its historicity. However, the overall space of the ghat was made pucca by the patronage of Mathura Pandey in late 18th century. The ancient water-front site of Ganga Keshava Tirtha is described close to the ghat.

Present state of conservation
Except by the temple trusts directly taking care of their properties, there are no specific action plans, programmes and strategies for conservation and preservation of the ghats. The trusts maintain their properties according to their own perspectives without specific plans.

Specific measures being taken for conserving the specific property
It is expected that by the support of 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 befit to the society.

Ownership
The temple related properties along the ghat are owned by the respective trusts; the houses and other properties by the inhabitants; and the ghat area is owned by the Municipal Corporation.