Manikarnika Ghat of Kashi is called ‘Mahasmshan’.

The 24-hour burning of pyres here is not merely a tradition, but is rooted in deep religious beliefs, mythology, and spiritual philosophy.
The main reasons why the pyres never cool down here are as follows:

1. Salvation

In Hinduism, it is believed that Kashi (Varanasi) rests on the trident of Lord Shiva and is the center of the universe. It is believed that the person whose cremation takes place at Manikarnika Ghat, attains salvation directly and is freed from the cycle of birth and death. Due to this belief, people from all over the country and the world come here to perform the last rites of their loved ones, due to which there is a constant queue of dead bodies here.

2. Shiva’s ‘Tarak Mantra’

According to mythology, Lord Shiva himself resides at this ghat. It is said that when a funeral pyre is lit here, Mahadev himself whispers the “Tarak Mantra” into the person’s ear, granting them peace and liberation from their suffering.

3. The ‘curse’ of Goddess Parvati

According to a folk tale, Goddess Parvati’s earring fell into a pond here. When it was not found, she became enraged and cursed the place, saying that the fire here would never be extinguished. Since then it is believed that the pyres here never go out.

4. Akshaya Agni (The Eternal Flame)

At Manikarnika Ghat, an “Akshaya Agni” (Eternal Fire) burns continuously, believed to be thousands of years old. The Dom Raja (guardian of the ghat) lights each funeral pyre with this sacred fire. This tradition has been passed down from generation to generation that the main fire is never allowed to go out.

5. Philosophy of life and death

Philosophically, the pyres burning here 24 hours a day symbolize that death is the ultimate truth and time never stops. In Kashi, death is not seen as a mourning but as a celebration (Mahaprayan), because from here the soul completes its final journey and merges with the Supreme Being.

An interesting information:

Every year during Holi, ‘Masan ki Holi’ is played here, where people play Holi with the ashes of the pyre, which shows their unwavering devotion towards Shiva and fearlessness towards death.