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News India Live, Digital Desk: Manikarnika Ghat Mystery: Banaras, the city which the world knows as Kashi. A city where both life and death are celebrated like festivals. Here the morning aarti on the ghats of Ganga plays the music of life, while the burning pyres at Manikarnika ghat introduce us to the biggest truth of life, “death”. There are so many secrets buried at this great crematorium for centuries, but there is a unique tradition that forces everyone to think – writing the number ’94’ on the cold ashes of the pyre after cremation.
What does this number mean? Is this some trick, some belief or is there some deep philosophy of salvation hidden behind it? Come, let us unveil this mystery today.
Why is it written ’94’?
At Manikarnika Ghat, when a dead body is cremated and the pyre’s fire subsides, there is an old tradition of writing the number 94 on the ashes. There is a very deep spiritual belief hidden behind this.
According to local beliefs and the priests of the Ghat, in Hindu religion it is believed that a person performs a total of 100 types of deeds in his life. Out of these 100 deeds, 94 are such deeds which are in the hands of a person, which he does as per his will and discretion. The remaining 6 actions are not in the control of humans, they are directly in the hands of the Creator – Life, death, fame, infamy, profit and loss,
When the body is burnt to ashes in the sacred fire of Manikarnika, it is believed that all the 94 worldly deeds done by that person are also burnt to ashes in the same fire. By writing ’94’ on the ashes of the pyre, a silent message is given that “Whatever had to be done, has been done”. Now the soul is free from the bondage of these 94 deeds and has handed over the remaining 6 deeds to God and has set out on the journey of salvation.
Some people also consider it as “Mukti Mantra”, which means that the soul is now liberated from the cycle of birth and death.
Some more amazing secrets related to Manikarnika Ghat
Apart from the number ’94’, this ghat is also the center of many mysteries and unique traditions:
- The fire of the pyre never extinguishes: Manikarnika is also called Mahashamshan. It is believed that the pyre’s fire never cools down here; funeral rites have been taking place continuously here for thousands of years.
- Holi with pyre ashes: While the entire country plays Holi with colors, there is a tradition of playing Holi with ashes of pyre at Manikarnika Ghat in Kashi, which is called ‘Masaan Holi’. This Holi is considered a symbol of victory over death and is dedicated to Mahadev himself.
- Dance of city brides: A surprising tradition is performed here on the Ashtami of Chaitra Navratri. On this day, city brides (tawaifs) dance near burning pyres and pray to God that they may not get such a life in the next life.
Manikarnika Ghat of Kashi is not just a cremation ground, but a philosophy of life and death. Every tradition here teaches us that death is not the end, but the beginning of a new journey, where all karma is left behind and the soul merges into the infinite.
