Manikarnika:A Place Beyond All Worries

There has never been a moment at Manikarnika Ghat when death waited. It never had to. The burning ritual of a human Body never stops here.The fire never rests. This sacred cremation ground in Varanasi, the spiritual capital of India, is always alive with the death of bodies and the silence of souls.

It’s a place where life burns constantly, but nobody seems to care.The value of life becomes zero, relationships appear meaningless, and worldly attachments lose their grip. Greed, jealousy, anger, guilt, ego, caste, and religion—none of these human labels matter here.

Manikarnika in it’s Own Stillness

It’s 2 AM at Manikarnika. The world sleeps, but this place is awake—like it always is. Stray dogs sleep on the ashes, unbothered. An Aghori sadhu smears the ashes of the dead on his chest. I watch him silently. He chants the name of God, but I cannot hear him. Or maybe he is beyond words, beyond language.

What was he trying to tell us by rubbing ashes on his chest?

Maybe the same eternal truth that this body will eventually become ashes. That we are nothing but dust and will return to dust. This is the cycle of life and death that Hindu philosophy speaks of—where death is not the end but a transition to liberation (moksha).

A Child’s Funeral Without Tears

There’s a family nearby. They have come to perform the last rites of a baby girl—perhaps the first girl born in their family. She lies on the funeral pyre. They all watch as the fire consumes her tiny body. But nobody cries.

Strange, isn’t it? Why isn’t anyone crying?
Because Body is a symbol of attachment. And Manikarnika is beyond All the attachment of human life.

All emotions ends Here, and the reality of death becomes so powerful that even sorrow feels irrelevant. You don’t cry for what’s inevitable. You just watch in silence.

Manikarnika is Sacred

Every time you come to Manikarnika Ghat, you’ll feel it hasn’t changed.It’s always the same.

This is Mahashmashan, the Great Cremation Ground in the city of Lord Shiva. Usually, cremation grounds are located far away from cities. But this one is right in the middle of the crowd, the noise, the chaos. As if to remind us: death is not separate from life—it walks beside us every day.

There is a holy pond (kund) here that is said to have been dug by Lord Vishnu himself during the creation of the universe. It is believed that a jewel (Mani) from Goddess Parvati’s ear (Karnika) fell here hence the name Manikarnika has been given for this place.

These are the myths, the stories passed down through generations. But they give this place a spiritual identity, a sacred history, and a sense of timelessness.

As The Journey Of Life Goes On

Here, death is not an end—it is a door. A passage to something beyond. Hindus believe that a funeral at Manikarnika leads to moksha, or liberation from the cycle of rebirth. That’s why people from across the country bring their loved ones here for cremation.

The narrow alleys that lead to Manikarnika are filled with chants of “Ram Naam Satya Hai” (The name of Ram is truth). The air smells of smoke, sandalwood, and burning flesh. The Ganga River, once pure, now looks dark and muddy near the ghat, burdened by the endless ash and offerings.

Under the open sky, bodies are brought in constantly, starting their final journey toward liberation. It’s a silent world of movement, where some mourn and some just observe. A few men are seen filtering the river water—perhaps in search of gold or silver from jewelry that was washed away with the dead.

And yet, no matter how many times you visit, Manikarnika feels the same. As if time stands still here.

A Place Beyond All Sufferings

Despite the smoke, the ash, the endless sound of burning, there’s something peaceful here. Something freeing.

When you come to Manikarnika Ghat, your worries begin to dissolve. The stress, the anger, the everyday problems—all start to feel small, even foolish. You realize how short life is, and how pointless most of our attachments are.

But once you leave and go back into the world, you return to the same life, the same chaos. Manikarnika is beyond all of this—it exists in a space where none of this matters.

If you ever visit, just sit quietly somewhere. Don’t talk. Don’t think. Just observe.

Observe how death gives no special meaning to anyone. Rich or poor, young or old, all are treated equally by the flames.

Observe what all we suffered mentally all those pain has no meaning after death.

Observe how, in the end, you can’t carry anything with you.

No matter how successful you are, no matter how great your life is, in the end, all you get is a bundle of wood—and your body lying on it, waiting to be burned.

Observe how your lifelong fears and failures meet their final moment. And you’ll start to wonder: What was I holding on to all my life?

Manikarnika is the Truth Of Life

We cannot avoid death. It is eternal. Inevitable. Unstoppable.Manikarnika is truth.

But instead of fearing it, let us live our lives fully. Let us do good. Let us speak kind words. Let us make this life meaningful.

Because only when we do good in this life do we live in the hearts of others, even after death.

We must work to make this world a better place—for our families, our society, and our country. Manikarnika teaches both despair and hope. What you take from it depends entirely on your perspective.

The Flame Of Death That Never Dies

The burning pyres at Manikarnika Ghat are not just fires of the dead—they are mirrors of life. They show us who we truly are when all illusions are stripped away.

In its constant burning, Manikarnika reminds us that everything we chase—status, wealth, fame—is temporary. It shows us that the only thing that survives beyond death is the karma we leave behind.

So the next time you find yourself caught in the web of life’s problems, remember this sacred place. Remember that you are not here forever, and that what truly matters is what you do while you are here.

Visit Manikarnika not just as a tourist or a mourner, but as a seeker of truth.
Sit in silence.
Watch.
And listen to what death wants to teach you about life.

Thanks For Reading Turtle Once Again

Share,support