Ghats

Desaswamedh Ghat in Varanasi, crowded with pilgrims at sunrise. Photographed in November 1996 by Andy Carvin.

The term ghats (Bengali: ঘাট ghaţ, Hindi: "steps") refers to a series of steps leading down to a body of water in many parts of South Asia. In Bengali-speaking regions, this set of stairs can lead down to something as small as a pond or as large as a major river. In Hindi-speaking areas, it is typically used to refer specifically to the steps leading to the River Ganges (Ganga) in the holy city of Varanasi. Many religiously significant ghats are situated on the Ganges and Narmada Rivers.

When capitalized, the term Ghats is often used in reference to the steep mountainous ranges of India; the Western and Eastern Ghats.

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