View at Varanasi looking across the River Ganges towards the ghat and palace at the head of the steps, from the Kitchener of Khartoum Collection: 'Views of Benares. Presented by the Maharaja of Benares' photographed by Madho Prasad, c. 1905. Many of ghats at Varanasi were built and owned by Maharajas or nobles, Munshi Ghat was built by Munshi Shri Dhar, Dewan of the Raja of Nagpur. The waterfront of the city is lined with over 100 ghats or 'landings' where thousands of pilgrims and residents of the city come to perform their daily ablutions. Varanasi, founded in the sixth century BC is one of the seven sacred cities of the Hindus and is known as a tirtha, or 'crossing place' which allows the devotee access to the divine and where gods and goddesses can come down to earth.
