Ganga Aarti at Varanasi: Which Ghat, What Time, and Where to Sit

The evening Ganga Aarti at Varanasi is the moment most visitors carry home: rows of priests raising great flaming lamps in unison as the light goes and the river turns gold. It is held every evening at Dashashwamedh Ghat, and in a calmer form at Assi Ghat. What confuses people is the time — because there isn't a fixed one. This guide explains which ghat to choose, how to plan around sunset, and how to watch the aarti without spending it squeezed into a crowd.

Where the Ganga Aarti at Varanasi is held

The best-known Ganga Aarti is at Dashashwamedh Ghat, the busiest ghat in the city, a short walk from Kashi Vishwanath. The Kashi official portal calls the ghat "world-famous for hosting the grand Ganga Aarti every evening", performed by a group of priests in traditional dress with large lamps, incense, flowers and the sound of conch shells.

The ghat's name comes from its legend. The portal records the belief that Lord Brahma performed a yajna of ten horses — dasha ashwamedha — here to welcome Lord Shiva to Kashi, which is why it is counted among the holiest ghats in India.

A second evening aarti is held at Assi Ghat, at the southern end of the riverfront, where the Assi river meets the Ganga. The portal's page on Assi Ghat describes it as similar to the Dashashwamedh aarti but "in a more peaceful setting", and a favourite for people who want a less crowded experience.

Dashashwamedh or Assi: which ghat to choose

If you are in Varanasi for only one evening, go to Dashashwamedh — it is the aarti the city is known for. If you have more than one evening, or are travelling with someone who finds crowds hard, try Assi on the other night. Many families say the quieter one is the one they remember.

What time does the Ganga Aarti start?

This is the question people search for most, and the honest answer is that no government or temple source publishes a fixed start time. The aarti is tied to dusk, so it begins around sunset — and sunset in Varanasi moves by well over an hour and a half across the year.

To help you plan, here is the time of sunset in Varanasi on the 15th of each month in 2026:

These are astronomical sunset times for Varanasi, which we cross-checked against the city-specific panchang times we verify for festivals. Use them this way:

• Arrive about 45 minutes before sunset if you want a place on the steps.
• Board a boat about 30 minutes before sunset if you are watching from the river.
• Ask your host or driver on the day. Locally, everyone knows roughly when that evening's aarti will begin.

Steps, boat or rooftop: where to watch from

On boats. Boats gather in front of Dashashwamedh before the aarti and stay for it. Neither the Kashi portal nor any other official source publishes boat fares, so agree the fare, and how long the boat will stay, before you step in. With elderly parents, check how you will get into and out of the boat — the steps down to the water are steep and often wet.

On "VIP" seats. You may be offered VIP seats or VIP passes for the aarti. There is no official VIP ticket. Some operators sell seats on platforms or boats; that is a private arrangement, not a temple or government service, and it should be priced and agreed like any other.

Festival evenings, when the aarti is grander

On certain days the evening aarti becomes something much larger. The Kashi official portal names Dev Deepawali, Kartik Purnima and Ganga Dussehra as the festivals when Dashashwamedh becomes "the epicentre of grand celebrations, with lakhs of lamps illuminating the entire stretch of the river".

In 2026, Dev Deepawali falls on Tuesday 24 November, on Kartik Purnima. It is the most spectacular evening of the year on the ghats — and the most crowded by far. If you plan to be in Varanasi for it, book your stay well ahead, and expect boats, rooftops and steps all to be full hours before dusk.

Late October brings a different kind of crowd. The Indian Air Force's aerial display over the Ganga is set for Sunday 25 October at Namo Ghat; our guide to the Varanasi air show explains what is confirmed. On a day like that, plan the evening aarti knowing that the riverfront will already be busy.

Subah-e-Banaras: the morning alternative

If evenings are too crowded, or if you are an early riser, go to Assi Ghat at sunrise. The Kashi portal describes Subah-e-Banaras, the "Morning of Banaras", as beginning with Vedic hymns, followed by classical music, yoga, and prayers to the rising sun and the river. It is gentler than the evening aarti, and the light on the river at dawn is extraordinary.

Sunrise in Varanasi is around 5:56 AM in mid-October and around 6:15 AM in mid-November, so plan to reach Assi Ghat a little before that.

Watching the aarti with elderly parents or children

The Dashashwamedh aarti is beautiful and it is crowded. A little planning makes the difference:

Our Kashi Vishwanath timings guide explains how to fit darshan and the aarti into the same day. If your parents are making the trip without you, a MargKGB Buddy can stay with them from the ghat to the boat and back through the crowd. Our verified contacts in Varanasi include drivers and stays near the ghats, and connect you with them directly.

What to do next

Decide between Dashashwamedh and Assi, check the sunset for the month you are travelling, and plan to arrive about 45 minutes before it. If you want a boat, agree the fare before you board. And if the evening crowd is too much, come back at sunrise for Subah-e-Banaras. The Ganga Aarti at Varanasi happens every day — there is no need to see it in a rush.