Famous for its leaning Shiva temple that sits partly under the Ganga — one of the most photographed sights on the river.
Right beside Manikarnika lies Scindia Ghat, a gift to the city from Baizabai, the Scindia queen of Gwalior. Its claim to fame is a Shiva temple tilting into the river, its base hidden under the water. Local accounts say the heavy new ghat was too much for the soft riverbank, and the temple slowly sank in the 19th century.
Few sights in Varanasi surprise visitors as much as this one: a carved spire leaning at an angle, as if bowing to the Ganga. When the river swells in the monsoon, even more of it disappears beneath the water.
The leaning temple is best seen from the water. It is on every ride that reaches Manikarnika Ghat and on the 84 ghats tour.
Last updated: 8 October 2026 · All Varanasi guides
