Ghaut

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A series of steps leading down to a river or water body used for bathing, washing, or religious rituals; a landing place or quay on the bank of a river facilitating access to water; a traditional site often linked to cultural and spiritual activities
2. A flight of stairs descending to a riverbank where people perform cleansing and ceremonial acts; a place for docking boats and accessing water; a culturally significant riverfront platform used for social and religious purposes
3. Steps constructed to descend to a waterfront for washing, worship, or bathing practices; a river landing or jetty serving as a point of arrival and departure; a sacred or communal area adjacent to a watercourse for ritualistic or everyday functions

Etymology: "Ghaut" is a spelling variant that, like "ghat" and "ghut," comes from Hindi and related languages of the Indian subcontinent, where it names a flight of stone steps leading down to a river or lake. Many such steps were built for bathing, washing clothes and performing religious rites, and some grand examples, such as the ones along the Ganges at Varanasi, became famous landmarks in their own right. English took the word from Indian usage during the colonial period, when British writers and administrators in India needed a term for these structures. The variant spellings reflect different transliteration choices rather than different words, and "ghaut" is the spelling most often seen in older British writing.

Synonyms: ghat, steps, river steps, mountain pass