On the Eastern side of the Ganga River and the Riverfront Heritage Zone lies a slim green expanse of trees along the sand belt of the river. On the Western side, lies the road that connects the Assi locality to Rajghat via Shivala, Pandey Haveli, Godaulia, Chowk, Maidagin, Macchodari and Bhaisasur.
Varanasi’s riverfront heritage zone features 84 ghats over a stretch of 6.8 km curving along the crescent-shaped bank of the holy Ganga from the confluence of Asi waterway in the south to the confluence of the Varana river in the north. Out of these 84 ghats the there are five prominent ones which are considered the most sacred and therefore the hub for many of the rituals, festivals and other activities in the city. The core heritage area lies within the Old City Heritage Zone. The demarcation line is drawn by the passage linking Vishalakshi Devi, Dharmakupa, Kashi Vishvanatha, Annapurna, Adi Vishvanatha and Razia Bibi Mosque.
Though its cultural importance has been witnessed since the 7th century it was from the 18th and 19th century it was studded by palatial buildings built under the patronage of the rich maharajas, merchants, and wealthy folk right through to the 20th century.
This walk leads you through the mystical landscape of temples and sacred tanks near Assi Ghat, the Southern area of the sacred city. The area is rich with important Vaishnava sites. Tulsi Manas Temple dedicated to Lord Rama stands upon the place where Goswami Tulsidas composed the epic Ramacharitramanas which reflects the history of Lord Rama and events and deeds related to his life. The Sankatha Mochan Temple attracts the devout who seeking the blessings of the deity Sankatha Devi to overcome their troubles. We also show a fantastic fertility kund nearby, as well as an important wrestling akhara.