THE GHATS OF BANARAS

How many times have we been bogged down by the monumental pressures of our lives? How many times have we wished to just give up, throw in the towel and just run. It happens to me every Monday but some people have a better patience level. Still, no matter who you are - you always yearn for the perfect time just for yourself, where you can reflect on your deeds or just plan the way forward towards the kind of life you want to live.

The place we are about to explore can be visited regardless of your zone, your mood, your equation with life right now. It's a fun filled, chaotic journey that leads to tranquillity, and definitely reminds you your purpose, the side of a better life or simply, how you are supposed to spend your days

We are going to Gangaji and her Ghats, the land of Kashi, Annapurna ji, the very nuclei of faith.

Lets cover the challenges. The worst of it is that if you're staying in Delhi, there are very few places which can give you the peace of mind which you so desire. Delhiites that ways are a little less fortunate. There are no seas, no landscapes, even the country side is slowly being engulfed as millennial eco cities. One has to take a few days off routine to travel anywhere noteworthy. While there are a lot of options, at the pinnacle of religious places, is Varanasi or Banaras.

This holy town lies at a distance of 820 kms from Delhi and is accessible from Bus, Train, Flight and by road. The bus and the train would take around 12-14 hours to get you to your destination. A flight, the best option for a planned trip would take only 1.5 hours to get you to Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport in Varanasi. The train is the most scenic option while the car journey is for ones who enjoy car karaoke. The roads are very good with expressways till Lucknow and the state highways support your grand turismo thereafter. The expressways have very good eating options and places to relax. There is a general caution on driving at night however I've personally never experienced anything out of the way

Disclaimer - This is not for ones who are going there only for temple hopping or with a religious bent of mind. This is for experience and for the ones who want to see a Goddess and get lost in her. Infact, I've been to the place a dozen times, and it has shown a different face everytime. A livewire of a place, the best thing to do is to go unplanned and just let the holy river take you through its course there.

There are a lot of hotel options near the ghats ranging from INR 400-5000. The decent ones (only for a breather and dump your luggage) would cost around INR 1000-1200. This is the standard cost for most of the year however may differ in case of some really big festivities like Dev Deepawali, Maha Shivratri etc

Now to the best part. The experience.

The place is simple to navigate. Its in a straight line with plenty of transportation options available. If you have travelled by your car, the best is to park it near your hotel and just travel using public transport. An Auto ride is Rs. 20 - 30 per person in any direction and a flat INR 100 if you want to book an auto rikshaw. There are two ends of popular ghats - the Dashashwamedh Ghat and the Assi Ghat.

The first thing you'll want to do is attend the evening aarti (religious hymns) and reach at the right place at the right time. Dahashwamedh Ghat is a place you'll want to be for the spectacle of your life - the evening Aarti on the banks of Gangaji. I've attended the Aarti from the stairs besides the ghats once and from a boat in the holy river the rest 11 times I've been there. Boy it's a sight you'll not want to miss. The surreal confidence of the chants of the priests and just that sight would remain in your head even after days of your visit.

The evening aarti being at about 1830 hrs/ 6:30 pm in summers and approximately 1800 hrs/6:00 pm in winters (At Sundown). The crowd starts assembling from as early as 5:30 pm for the aarti and rituals. The best thing to do as I said before is hire a boat which would come at a cost of INR 800-1200 to hire the full boat or INR 200 per person on a shared basis. I would suggest for one to hire the boat and ask the boat guy to take you to the best spot. All the boat rowers work in tandem and even though it would look like they're fighting while pushing each other boats, there is no better camaraderie

Once the Hymns (Aarti) starts, you'll not be able to look away. All you need to remember is to breathe, live and just be lost for 45 mins at the beautiful sight. You learn how you become one with God. The river at that point of time reminds you why it needs to be offered prayers. Gigantic, mesmerizing Gangaji is lit up with emotions and the moonlight which sails on the water like a leaf flowing in air. No camera can capture its beauty like your eyes see it. On the other side of this dauting calmness is the oud roar of the priests who conduct the evening Aarti from multiple spots on the Dashashwamedh Ghat. The chanting and religious hymns continue long after the aarti is over and the place never really shuts down. After the Aarti when you step inside the city, you can feel the chaos and madness flowing through. It's a mess but one you prefer to be in. it's a weird feeling. I for one never enjoy crowds however after such kind of a holy experience, you don't mind anything.

The next best thing is the morning aarti (around 5:45 am) from the Assi ghat and a boat rower explaining you the history of Varanasi, what all Ghats denote and their respective stories. While there are 84-88 Ghats in Varanasi, about 6-8 are very famous with a dearth of history attached to it. The Morning Gangaji is very different from the night one. Its more welcoming, soothing to the nerves. The clarity of dawn compliments the complexity of the water and all you can do is thank your stars for the moment. The Ghats look simply hypnotic at that time. You can see the city without the human walls like crown that you get in the evening. Yes, you might encounter some filth as well but that is too little to get discouraged and explore the place.

Note - you have to unleash your inquisitive side and really talk to your boat rower. While most of them are proud of their history and more than happy to share that with you but at the same time, quite a few of them do respect your space. You really have to try to understand most about that place as possible.

One last thing I want to mention as part of the experience are some of the best places to view the aarti or just take a breather around the holy river. PILLARS. The ghat in itself if looked upon from a distance with the right perspective seems pretty daunting. These ghats mainly comprise of larger than life stair cases leading to the river from the city, thousands of small temples, mysterious mini castles of people, groups who built those particular parts of the ghats. What you might completely miss are pillars that seem a part of the décor at first but, if you do get a chance to sit in one of them before the aarti, it easily becomes a life changing experience for you. This is almost impossible with the multitudes of devotees present at the time of aarti.

All in all, Ras Ras Banaras is just a beautiful place to be in. the other side of the town offers iconic environments of IT-BHU, one of the biggest educational universities of India. This blog was about finding out the small things which one might not consider once in Banaras but definitely the ones you remember for a long time post your trip. Just like the essence of the aarti which lingers on 24/7 there...