A flight of steps leading down to a river, especially in India; a raised platform or embankment on a riverbank often used for washing, bathing, or cremation ceremonies.
From Hindi ghāṭ, derived from Sanskrit ghāṭa meaning 'landing place' or 'stairway.' The word entered English during colonial India as British speakers encountered these distinctive architectural features along Indian rivers, particularly the Ganges.
Ghats are so iconic to Indian spirituality and daily life that visiting the ghats of Varanasi is considered a sacred experience for Hindus—the word captures architecture, culture, and spirituality all at once. Many important life transitions (bathing, marriage, cremation) happen on ghats.
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