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It used to be known as Ramesvaram Ghat and is at a holy spot known as Juna Akhara in Varanasi. People believe that the Ghat was constructed by Lord Rama and hence it is dedicated to his favourite disciple, Lord Hanuman.
Man Mandir Observatory
Jantar Mantar literally means a combination of instruments and formulas (jantar = instrument and mantar = formula). It is an observatory consisting of a series of masonry architecture of unique form, each with a specialized function for astronomical measurement. Jai Singh, king of Amber, built 5 such observatories across northern and western India. Apart from Varanasi the other 4 places are Jaipur, Delhi, Ujjain and Mathura (one in Mathura no longer exist). The Varanasi Jantar Mantar is much smaller compared to the ones in Delhi and Jaipur. The observatory houses 6 instruments of 5 types (it has 2 Samrat Yantra or sun dial). Apart from the observatory, the Man Mahal houses a Virtual Experiential Museum showing a series of light and sound shows. The shows include one on the mythology of the Ganges and its course. There are models depicting life in Varanasi and including a model of a pan shop. There is an interactive musical gallery.
This archaeological site was the result of a chance discovery in the 1940s when the Kashi Railway Station was extended. After a couple of excavations, a structure was unearthed dating back to the 2nd century BCE. The archaeological evidence suggested that the place was continuously inhabited since the 8th century BCE. Today it consists of several scattered brick structures rising only to a height of 3 ft.
Birthplace of Rani Laxmibai. It has been converted into a small gallery. A statue of Laxmibai riding a galloping horse welcomes visitors to the gallery. The walls behind and on the two sides of the statue are converted into a gallery complete with images and writeups. They depicts the life of Rani Laxmibai. Most of the writings are in Hindi.
the meeting of the five rivers.
The main cremation ghat; a must-see, but remain quiet and avoid taking photographs (scams are plentiful here; see the "Stay Safe" section). There's a 74 m temple on the ghat called Ratneshwar Temple, which is leaning by 9°, more than the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Its sanctum is generally underwater most of the year, except during the summer.
Known as the 'main' ghat, this is the site of the large evening aarti ceremony. The ceremony starts right after the sunset and lasts for around 45 minutes.