The most important festival celebrated on the Ghats of Holy Ganges at Varanashi is the festival of lights on the day of Kartik Purnima,15 days after the festival of lights Deepawali is celebrated through out the country. But Dev Deepawali is celebrated at few places including Varanasi and Mathura. It is believed that GODS descend from Heaven to Earth on this day.
I remember during my first visit to this Holy city in the month of February 2008 I came to know about the celebration of Deep Deepawali on the GHATS of the holy river to mark the victory of Lord Shiva over the demon Tripurasur (who had created all problems for the people and especially the Gods themselves).
Devotees bathe in the holy river Ganga on the auspicious day of Kartik Purnima and light earthen lamps in the evening. Millions of lamps are lit on the steps of each and every Ghat. The sight of lamps illuminated over the stretch of a few Km from Ravidas Ghat to Rajghat makes the entire atmosphere as if we are not on earth but in the heaven. One has to be there on this day to see to believe it with your own eyes.