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Historical Period7c CE
First attested pre-500 BCE in Shaiva texts; documented by Xuanzang (7th c.), Al-Biruni (11th c.), Ibn Battuta (14th c.); continuous operation to 21st c.
3000 BCE7th century CEPresent
Sacred Facts Ā· At a Glance
Mantra
Tradition-specific
- Gender
- male
- Sacred Colours
- tradition-specific
- Sacred Offerings
- tradition-specific
Primary Scriptures
0 sourcesNo primary scriptures are catalogued for this entry yet. If you know of scriptural references we have missed, please contribute them.
Manikarį¹ikÄ GhÄį¹
Tradition
Hindu / Shaiva
Location
- Varanasi (Manikarnika), Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh (25.3109Ā°N, 83.0098Ā°E)
Sacred Narrative
Manikarį¹ikÄ GhÄį¹ ā the principal burning ghat of KÄshi. Open-air cremation has continued uninterrupted for ~3,500 years. The sacred fire is said to have burned continuously since Shiva lit it. Dying here (jÄ«va-samÄdhi, not just death) is considered to grant mokį¹£a. Dom community manages cremations (an inherited role). The adjacent Chakra-puį¹£kariį¹Ä« is the sacred tank.
Wisdom Graph: Divine Associations
MantraTradition-specific
- Offerings
- tradition-specific
- Sacred colours
- tradition-specific
šŖ Worship Procedures
- Daily rites
- ā¢ tradition-specific
š Principal Temples
- Main shrine of Manikarį¹ikÄ GhÄį¹Variesš Varanasi (Manikarnika), Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, IndiaFestivals: Annual festivalManikarį¹ikÄ ā Varanasi's cremation ghat
š Festivals
- Annual Manikarį¹ikÄ GhÄį¹ festivalSeasonally Ā· 1ā10 days
Sources & provenance
š 1 Scholarlyš 1 Tertiary
- šScholarly sourceBookHindu tradition sources
- šSupporting referenceGazetteerVaranasi Gazetteer