Shivala Ghat

This ghat is one of the last you will pass if you are walking south along the banks for the Ganges. It is about 20 minutes walk from Dasaswamedh Ghat - the main boat departure point ghat and site of the evening Aarti. You will know when you arrive here because instead of steps down to the Ganges, there is a large flat paved area populated by passive but huge cows. There black buffalo are very placid and you can go up and stroke them. If you are looking for a respite from the over the top Varanasi experience, this is a nice place to go to. Sunrise on the Ganges is a must do. The ghat is less popular (as compare to others) but has its own importance. The ghat has less crowd but good to have calm place. You can sit and watch all day from Shivala Ghat. The majority of the steps are painted in red and white alternatively, and there is a religious shrine located among them.
From the early morning boat rides on the water to the bathing rituals of local people to washing clothes and even water buffaloes coming for a bath. You can even watch pundits coming to pray or meditate while the dogs watch them! A beautiful relaxing Ghat to watch Varanasi.
Above the staircase of the ghat there is a Shiva Temple and this ghat is named after the Shiva temple. Shivala is also a neighborhood, extended part of the of the ghat and populated by South Indians community that migrated over last two centuries in Varanasi.
The locals enjoying the early evening made this one of the better ghats experienced on our boat journey down from Assi Ghat as it looked more real.