Manikarnika Ghat
| Manikarnika Ghat | |
|---|---|
| Name | |
| Proper name | Manikarnika Ghat |
| Geography | |
| Coordinates | 25°18′39.134″N 83°0′50.708″E / 25.31087056°N 83.01408556°ECoordinates: 25°18′39.134″N 83°0′50.708″E / 25.31087056°N 83.01408556°E |
| Country | India |
Manikarnika Ghat (Hindi: मणिकर्णिका घाट) is one of the sacred ghats in Varanasi with many temples and sacred spots, and is a popular place of Hindu cremation. In India, death is considered to be a part of normal part of life, shedding of a worn body and a renewal. The Hindu genealogy registers at Varanasi are kept here.
Manikarnika Ghat on the banks of Ganga in Varanasi, located between Dashashwamedh Ghat and Scindia Ghat.
It is one of the oldest ghats in Varanasi. The Manikarnika Ghat is mentioned in a Gupta inscription of 5th century. It is revered in Hindu religion. When Mata Sati (Aadi shakti mata) sacrificed her life & set her body ablaze after Raja Daksh Prajapati (one of the sons of Lord Brahma) tried to humiliate Lord shiva in a Yagya practiced by Daksh. Lord Shiva took her burning body to the Himalaya. On seeing the unending sorrow of Lord shiva, Vishnu sends the Divine chakra to cut the body into 51 parts which fall on earth. They are called "Ekannya Shaktipeeth". Lord Shiva established Shakti Peeth wherever Sati's body had fallen. At Manikarnika ghat, Mata Sati's Ear's ornament had fallen.
The Manikarnika shrine is an important place of worship for Shaktism sect of Hinduism, It is near to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. The mythology of Daksha yaga and Sati's self immolation is the mythology behind the origin of Shakti Peethas. The etymology of the place is due to this mythology. It is believed that Sati Devi's Ear Rings has fallen here. Manikarna in Sanskrit means Ear Rings.
Shakti Peethas are shrines that are believed to be enshrined with the presence of Shakti due to the falling of body parts of the corpse of Sati Devi, when Lord Shiva carried it and wandered. There are 51 Shakti Peeth linking to the 51 alphabets in Sanskrit. Each temple have shrines for Shakti. The Shakti of Manikarnika is addressed as Vishalakshi & Manikarni.
Hindu mythology teaches that the ghat is especially sacred and that people cremated there receive moksha. As the myth goes, Vishnu, after several thousand years of tapasya, trying to please Shiva, to convince him to not destroy the holy city of Kashi when he destroys the world, managed to do so.
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