Home / Temples / Ratneshwar Mahadev (The Leaning Temple)
Shiva Temple · Riverfront landmarkHalf-submerged for much of the year and tilted at a noticeable angle, Ratneshwar Mahadev is one of the most photographed structures on the entire riverfront — not for its size, but for the fact that it's visibly, permanently leaning into the Ganga.
The tilt is usually explained by the soft, shifting ground of the ghat it was built on, which has caused the temple to sink and lean steadily over time. For a good part of the year, especially after the monsoon, the lower half of the structure sits underwater, which means regular worship inside isn't possible — it's viewed rather than entered.
It sits right beside Manikarnika Ghat, one of the city's principal cremation grounds, so it's almost always seen from a boat on the river rather than approached on foot. Most sunrise and sunset boat rides along the ghats pass close enough for a clear view and a photograph.
Local guides sometimes call it "Varanasi's Leaning Tower," a comparison that's become so common it's practically the temple's second name among visitors.
Sunrise or sunset boat ride, when the light and the water level both favour good photos
By boat — it's a riverfront landmark, not a walk-up temple
Manikarnika Ghat, the city's principal cremation ghat
Rarely — the lower portion is underwater for much of the year, so it's primarily viewed from the river rather than entered.
The shifting, soft ground of the ghat it was built on has caused it to sink and tilt gradually over a long period.
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