Dashavamedha Ghat: (The Ghat of the ten horse sacrifice)

This the most popular Ghat in Kashi. (Although this may be as much a function of the main road that comes right to it as is its stature in the communities) Here Panda's (also know as Tirtha purohitas or Ghatias) wait for arriving pilgrims to help them perform various rituals such as the Pinda pradana or the Sankalpa. Pilgrims visiting this Ghat will most likely enter the city to visit it's most famous temple the Vishvanatha temple.

Pilgrims at this Ghat visit three main lingas: Shulatankeshvara: "Shiva of the spear and hatchet." Brahmeshvara: The linga established by Brahma Dashavamedha: This is the central linga of the Ghat that is located in the compound of the Shitala temple.

Before the construction of the road which leads right to this Ghat, it was a confluence of the ganga with a river called the Godaulia. It was named after the central Indian river the Godavari and as such, it appropriate the power of that river and becomes a very special place adding to the power of this Ghat. One adjacent Ghat here is the Prayag Ghat. As a result, it too brings the power of this great city (which is the confluence of three rivers (triveni): the ganga, the yamuna, and the saraswati.)

The name of this Ghat comes from the story about Brahma when he is said to have performed the ten horse sacrifice here. The requisites for this ritual were provided by the honorable king Divodasa. (It has also been suggested that the name comes from the ten horse sacrifice performed by 17th century reformer Bhara Shiva Nagas.)

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