Is the Manikarnika Ghat Demolition at Varanasi Real or Misleading? What’s the Ground Reality?

The Manikarnika Ghat in Varanasi one of Hinduism’s most sacred cremation sites — has become the centre of a bitter dispute over alleged demolition and heritage destruction amid ongoing redevelopment work. Viral videos and images showing bulldozers at the ghat have triggered protests, political attacks, police action and claims of misinformation. But what is actually happening on the ground? Here’s a clear, fact-checked report based on verified news sources:

Authorities and local administration say that redevelopment and beautification work is being undertaken at Manikarnika Ghat. The project aims to strengthen cremation-related infrastructure and improve public space, including pathways and facilities, as part of a broader plan that began in late 2025.

Some groups and political leaders have described the activities as a demolition drive, alleging that historic structures including platforms and spaces associated with religious heritage, were damaged or removed during the redevelopment. Protests have taken place at the ghat, with participants expressing concern that heritage elements are not being properly preserved.



Officials, including the Uttar Pradesh government, have responded to claims about demolition. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has addressed the media regarding the controversy, denying that idols or heritage structures have been deliberately destroyed. He said visuals of broken idols circulated on social media were misleading, including AI-generated or unrelated images, and that all artifacts recovered during the work are being preserved.

Varanasi police have registered eight First Information Reports (FIRs) against individuals including some political figures alleging they spread fake or AI-generated images and misleading claims about the redevelopment and supposed demolition at Manikarnika Ghat on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter). The FIRs were filed under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for allegedly spreading false information, hurting religious sentiments, and disturbing social harmony.

A local trust involved with heritage elements, the Khasgi Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Charities Trust, issued a clarification that, while stone slabs that once housed carved figures (including an idol of Queen Ahilyabai Holkar) were broken during renovation, the idols themselves remain intact and have been relocated. They are currently in the custody of the state archaeology department and worship has resumed at a nearby location.

The Varanasi Municipal Corporation (VMC) has initiated a probe into whether there was negligence in the handling of a platform (madhi) that was demolished as part of the work. This platform featured carved elements, and concerns were raised about whether appropriate preservation measures were followed.

Political reactions vary: some leaders have supported the administration’s narrative regarding redevelopment and warned against misinformation, while others have criticised the project, alleging heritage damage and questioning the demolition of historic elements. These statements have been part of the broader political discourse around the development activities at Manikarnika Ghat.



Local police investigations and reporting indicate that some social media posts used old or unrelated images, including doctored photos of other temples, to imply that they were part of the Manikarnika Ghat redevelopment. Authorities have emphasised that such content was misleading and had little to do with the actual work being carried out at the site.