The Ganga Aarti from a boat
Board at Assi an hour before sunset, drift past the ghats as the lamps are lit, and watch the Dashashwamedh aarti from the water. ₹1,800 per boat.
- Boards at
- Assi Ghat
- Goes to
- Dashashwamedh Ghat
- Duration
- 2 hours
- Best time
- One hour before sunset
- Seats
- 6
What it costs
Prices are per boat, not per person.
Several thousand people crowd the steps at Dashashwamedh for the evening ceremony. From a boat you see the whole line of priests and the fire without any of the crush, and you see it face on rather than from behind somebody's shoulder.
How the evening runs. We push off from Assi sixty minutes before sunset, pass Harishchandra and Kedar while the lamps are being lit, and tie up in front of Dashashwamedh for the forty-five minute ceremony.
Where you end up matters. Boats are held in rows, and the earlier you push off the closer in you are. In the monsoon months a motor boat holds its position against the current far better than oars can.
Afterwards. You can be dropped at Dashashwamedh for dinner in the lanes, or rowed back to Assi.
Included
- ✓Private boat
- ✓Boatman
- ✓Life jackets
- ✓A diya each to float, if you wish
Not included
- ✕Hotel pickup, on request at extra cost
- ✕Dinner
Common questions
- What time is the aarti?
- It starts about fifteen minutes after sunset and runs forty-five minutes — around 6:00 PM in winter and 7:00 PM in summer.
- Is it too crowded on the water?
- There are many boats, but each has its place and it is far calmer than the steps. Children see a great deal better from a boat than from the crowd.
- Can we combine it with the sunrise ride?
- Yes. Booked together, a rowing boat for both is ₹2,700 rather than ₹3,000.
- How close do we get?
- Close enough to see the priests' faces and feel the heat of the lamps on a still evening. How close exactly depends on how early you board.