Definition

1. Noun:
   • A stairway in India leading down to a landing on the water: A "ghat" is a set of steps built into a riverbank, lakeshore, or seashore in the Indian subcontinent, providing access to the water for bathing, religious rituals, or cremation.

Usage

• The word "ghat" is used to describe the physical architectural structure, typically made of stone, found in South Asia. It is often associated with sacred rivers like the Ganges.
• It is a countable noun (e.g., , ).

Examples

• Noun:
  • Pilgrims gathered at the ghat to perform their morning prayers.
  • Varanasi is famous for its many ghats along the Ganges River.
  • The stone ghat was worn smooth by centuries of use.

Advanced Usage

• "Burning ghat": A specific ghat used for Hindu cremation ceremonies.
  • The burning ghats operate day and night.

Variants and Related Words

• Ghats (noun, plural): Often refers to the series of such steps along a riverfront.
  • The city's life revolves around its ghats.
• Ghat (as part of place names): Used in geographic names like the "Western Ghats" and "Eastern Ghats," which are mountain ranges in India. (Note: This is a distinct, though related, geographical term.)

Synonyms

• Steps: A general term, but lacks the specific cultural and architectural context.
• Stairway: A more general architectural term.
• Landing: Refers to the platform at the water's end of the ghat.

Related Phrases

• To bathe at the ghat: To perform ritual washing in the river.
  • It is customary to bathe at the ghat at sunrise.
• Ghat area: The vicinity surrounding the steps.
  • The ghat area is bustling with activity.

Idioms

Noun

1. stairway in India leading down to a landing on the water