Rendezvous with the Ghats of Varanasi.

I visited Kashi in month of December on a short 2/3 days trip. The climate was cool and welcoming perfect to enjoy the street foods. Varanasi the most historical city is not just for the religious and spiritual minded but a spectacle for all sorts of travellers. From those who want to revel in vibrations created by chants of mantras of the young pandits to those who want to soak in the flavours of Benares for gastronomic delight or to study the fluidity of Hinduism in the streets of Benares. To my not so religious brain the fact that Benares located in the fertile Gangetic plains associated with Lord shiva the chill diety who has a thing for Marijuana was enticing enough.

The ghats are in a way that one can walk through all in continuation exploring each one.

Things to do in Varanasi :

I divide my experience in the following categories - Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Sarnath, BHU, the ghats & the boat tour along the Ganges, food, shopping, walk around the narrow streets and notice the wall art amongst other things.

The Boat tour is a very romantic, surreal experience. Don't forget to experience the boat ride at dawn and dusk, both the times carry a unique charm. You can take individual boats that don't run on motors but are rowed by the boatsmen with oars. The motor boats ferrying the tourists along the ghats are more economical and charge around Rs.50 .00 per passenger.

The ghats that stood out to me were:

1. Assi Ghat - A peaceful and big ghat at the southern end of Varanasi.

2. Manikarnika and Harishchandra ghats - The burning ghats or the cremation ghats

3. Darbangha ghat - The most photogenic ghat

4. Dashaswamedh ghat - The most colourful, oldest and holiest of the ghats. The main attraction being the Ganga Aarti.

5. Scindia Ghat - A peaceful ghat what attracted me was the small submerged shiva temple.

6. Namo Ghat - The newest of the ghats used for religious purposes and also the 3 giant namaste structures as the identifying feature. I was lucky enough to witness the cultural event happening at this ghat organised by the Ministry of cultural affairs.

Kashi Vishwanath temple - This is a temple dedicated to Shiva and is one of the 12 jyotirlingas. The temple site is a disputed site and is heavily guarded by security personnel. The original temple was razed to the ground a number of times by Mughal rulers. Most recently by Mughal ruler Aurangzeb who built the gyanvapi mosque in its place. The present day temple was built by a Maratha ruler on an adjacent site.

You can witness the early morning Aarti and darshan and book your experience online.

Banaras Hindu University - This is the best place to be if you are looking to be far away from the madding crowds of Varanasi. A lush green peaceful haven of learning spread over 1300 acres is attraction enough , but there is also a museum Bharat Kala Bhavan which is a major attraction of this place.

Sarnath - It is one one of the most sacred places for Buddhists in India. As per mythology Buddha preached his first sermon after attaining enlightenment here. It is a clean and peaceful site with a very well maintained museum. Another must visit .

Ramnagar Fort- The fort is located in Ramnagar on the outskirts of Varanasi. It offers beautiful views of the Ganges. It also houses a museum which in not in a very good state. I was actually disappointed by the standard of maintenance. Such a beautiful piece of history seemed to be simply wasting away.

Street food of Varanasi

The thing that excites me the most before visiting a new place is food and shopping. once the destination is decided it is almost always the first thing I google. Varanasi boasts of some very unique chaats and sweet food items that you cannot miss. The things that I tried and would strongly recommend one tries for the complete Varanasi experience.

Kachori sabzi (chhoti and Badi), Chena Dahi Vada, Malaiyo, Thandai & Lassi, Tamaatar Chaat, Banarasi Paan, Baath chhokha. There are many eating joints recommended by travel enthusiasts all over the internet. However, I recommend asking around your accommodation for the popular spots. Blue lassi shop, Ram bhandar for kachori breakfast and other famous joints are mostly located in Thateri Bazaar.

Shopping

Some of the famous markets in Varanasi are Thateri Bazaar, Gadowlia market, Vishwanath lane. You can buy artificial jewellery like jhumkas, neckpieces, bangles etc. Wooden toys and fridge magnets can be purchased from the street vendors. One can spot them even by the ghats.

I saved the most characteristic item for the end - The Banarasi Saree! The markets of Varanasi are strewn with Banarsi silk saree shops. I purchased mine from a known contact who also has his own weavers mill. I am sharing the contact and location link of his outlet that goes by the name of Mysore Palace (silks and Sarees, contact number Asif +91 95060 33786) . It important that you purchase the bananas silk from trusted shops and do your research before hand on how to recognise a fake. Its easy to get dupes in Varanasi and buy a cheaper material rather than the original silk.

Conclusion

Varanasi was the most visited tourist destination in UP in 2023 with 32 crore tourists. This city is a beautiful confluence of religion, culture, food, history etc. It offers a treat to all your senses. It's a photographers delight and a wanderers muse with its interesting cafes, wall art & narrow streets.

It might make you shift in your seat as you watch a funeral procession chanting "Raam naam satya hai" pass by as you sip lassi. There is no other place where you will get to see death and life exist in such a matter of factly manner. Life just goes on in this unconventional way. Whatever your reason might be Varanasi is a must visit destination.

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