Varanasi Ghats — Last Knot of the Thugs

Your investigation begins at Dashashwamedh Ghat, Varanasi's main ghat. It is here that, according to the Puranas, Brahma sacrificed ten horses to revitalize the place, giving the site its name and marking its importance as one of the 7 Sacred Cities Hinduism. Millions of Hindu pilgrims perform ritual baths here annually, perpetuating traditions dating back centuries. It was in this crowd that the Thugs blended in, their strangling knots concealed, targeting travelers and merchants who came for the Ganges ceremonies. Observe the rituals, look for the distinctive signs your informant described.

Right next to Dashashwamedh Ghat, you walk along Munshi Ghat, a 19th-century edifice built by the munshi of the Awadh Nawabs' court around 1830. Its red sandstone palace with monumental stairs descending to the Ganges offers an architectural contrast to the surrounding religious fervor. Less touristy, this ghat allows you to observe distant cremations at Manikarnika Ghat, a constant reminder of the duality of life and death in Varanasi. Thugs often used these quieter spots for their ambushes, before disappearing into the city's narrow alleys.

Your journey then takes you to Manikarnika Ghat, 1 km north via the narrow lanes. It is one of Varanasi's two main cremation ghats, active 24/7. The site is mythical: Shiva is said to have lost his earring (manikarnika) here in the 15th century. Here, about 200 bodies are cremated daily on its pyres, creating an atmosphere of smoke and perpetual devotion. Thugs, worshipers of Kali, a deity associated with death and destruction, considered cremation a sacred act. It is here, at the heart of this transformation, that you might find a crucial clue about their final rituals.

Moving away from the ghats, you arrive at the Nepali Temple, also known as Pashupatinath Temple, near Mir Ghat, accessible within a 20-minute walk. Erected in 1835 by King Rana Bahadur Shah of Nepal, this temple features unique pagoda architecture made of sal wood, strongly contrasting with local Hindu shrines. This king, exiled in Varanasi, had this temple built as an act of personal devotion. This place, with its distinctive style, sometimes served as a secret rallying point, away from prying eyes, for discreet exchanges between Thug network members or their accomplices.

Finally, your investigation leads you to Godowlia Market, the historic market adjacent to Dashashwamedh Ghat, a commercial center since the 18th century, specializing in Banarasi saris and silks since the Mughal era. It is an essential thoroughfare to reach the alleys towards Manikarnika Ghat and a nightly gathering place for religious processions. By following this circuit in Varanasi, you have traversed the layers of history of this Uttar Pradesh city, from its founding myths to 19th-century architecture, including traces of a forgotten cult. You understand the complexity of this city, inscribed on the UNESCO Tentative List 1990, and the challenges of your mission at the heart of its ancestral traditions.