Ram Ghat is the main bathing ghat on the Kshipra River — a broad flight of stone steps descending to the water, lined with small temples, prayer flags, and the stalls of priests who officiate at the riverside rituals. At dawn, the ghat fills with pilgrims coming to bathe in the sacred river, and the scene — incense, flower offerings floating downstream, the sound of bells and mantras — is one of the most affecting anywhere along the Kshipra.
The ghat is the focus of the Simhasta Kumbh Mela, when millions bathe here on auspicious dates. During the rest of the year it functions as an active, working ghat for the city's devout Hindu population — not a spectacle staged for visitors, but the daily spiritual life of an ancient city.
Visit at dawn for the bathing ritual, or in the late afternoon for the evening aarti ceremony, which takes place at the water's edge as lamps are carried in procession. Dress modestly; photography should be done with discretion and prior permission from those you photograph.