Gandhi Ghat (
Hindi
Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...
: गांधी घाट) is one of the main
ghat
Ghat (), a term used in the Indian subcontinent, to refer to the series of steps leading down to a body of water or wharf, such as a bathing or cremation place along the banks of a river or pond, the Ghats in Varanasi, Dhobi Ghat or the Aap ...
s on the
Ganges River
The Ganges ( ; in India: Ganga, ; in Bangladesh: Padma, ). "The Ganges Basin, known in India as the Ganga and in Bangladesh as the Padma, is an international which goes through India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China." is a trans-boundary rive ...
in
Patna
Patna (; , ISO 15919, ISO: ''Paṭanā''), historically known as Pataliputra, Pāṭaliputra, is the List of state and union territory capitals in India, capital and largest city of the state of Bihar in India. According to the United Nations, ...
. It is named after the leader of the Indian independence movement
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2October 186930January 1948) was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalism, anti-colonial nationalist, and political ethics, political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful Indian ...
. The ghat is famous for its Evening Ganga Aarti. It is also associated with the immersion of ashes of Mahatma Gandhi in the river Ganges.
Location
Gandhi Ghat is situated on the bank of the
Ganges
The Ganges ( ; in India: Ganga, ; in Bangladesh: Padma, ). "The Ganges Basin, known in India as the Ganga and in Bangladesh as the Padma, is an international which goes through India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China." is a trans-boundary rive ...
. It is located behind
National Institute of Technology, Patna
National Institute of Technology Patna (NIT Patna), formerly Bihar School of Engineering and Bihar College of Engineering, is a public engineering institution located in Patna in the Indian state of Bihar. It was renamed as NIT Patna, by the G ...
and is around 5 Kilometers North East of
Patna Junction railway station
Patna Junction (station code PNBE) is a major railway station located in the capital city of Patna in the Indian state of Bihar. It is the main railway station serving Patna . It maintained under the Danapur railway division, Danapur division of ...
.
Ganga Aarti
Ganga Aarti on Gandhi Ghat is performed with 51 lamps, by a group of priests, dressed in saffron robes. The Aarti starts with the blowing of a conch shell and continues with the movement of incense sticks in elaborate patterns and circling of large burning lamps that create a bright hue against the darkened sky. The ritual was started in 2011 on the lines of Ganga Aarti in Varanasi and Haridwar.
Tourism
Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation
Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation (), (abbreviated as BSTDC), is a body of the Government of Bihar responsible for the development of tourism in the Indian state of Bihar. It was established in 1980 to develop tourism in the state. Th ...
(BSTDC) operates MV Ganga Vihar from Gandhi Ghat. Ganga Vihar is a River Cruise ship with restaurant on-board also known as the floating restaurant. It runs Sunset Cruise and Leisure Cruise/Corporate Cruise with boarding for tourists from the ghat. Another vessel MV Kautilya was added in 2016 which is a cruise boat for tourist rides on river Ganges from Gandhi Ghat. The Tourism Department also plans to keep a floating jetty that would be placed at Gandhi Ghat, from where the two vessels operate.
Kite Festival
State tourism department organises a kite festival on the Sabbalpur diara island, across the river on the occasion of
Makar Sankranti
Makar(a) Sankrānti (), () also referred to as Uttarāyana, Makara, or simply Sankrānti, is a Hinduism, Hindu observance and a mid-winter harvest festival in India and Nepal. It is typically celebrated on 14 January annually (15 January on a ...
. Festival first started in 2011 and has been organised every year since then.
See also
*
Tourism in Patna
Tourism in Patna is refers to tourism in capital city of Bihar state in India. Patna is known for its tourist destinations and people across the state and abroad visits Patna. This article deals with major tourist attractions in Patna.
History ...
References
{{Neighbourhoods of Patna
Tourist attractions in Patna
Ghats of India