Varanasi – The ultimate travel destination

“Benaras is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend, and looks twice as old as all of them put together” – Mark Twain

When it comes to deciding about travel destinations in India, the discussion ends at one’s liking for beaches and mountains. But if you want to travel beyond the ordinary, you need to dig a little deeper and uncover what all our country has to offer. And if there’s one city that needs to be discovered, it has to be Varanasi. With the colossal temples & ghats, sacred waters and unrelentingly chaos, Varanasi has a charm of its own, which not only attracts Indian travellers but foreigners alike. So brace yourself as you are about to enter one of the holiest cities of India.

Must Do Things

#1 A Boat Ride Along The Ganges River

A boat ride along the Ganges is a quintessential Varanasi experience. And the best time for the ride is at the dawn, when the early-morning light and the clamour of pilgrims performing puja is a sight to behold. You can take a boat ride from Dashashwamedh Ghat to Harishchandra Ghat and enjoy the calmness of the river.

#2 Attend Ganga Aarti

Ganga Aarti takes place every evening at Dashashwamedh Ghat and it is a sheer bliss to watch the spectacular ceremony. This is unlike anything you you have ever seen in the other cities. At sunset, the priests start gathering on the elevated planks along the ghat and soon after ignite the lamps and begin with the chants. Attending Ganga Aarti is once in a lifetime experience and you must participate if in Varanasi.

#3 Roam Through The Alleys of Varanasi

If you truly want to explore Varanasi, you should head to the small alleys and lanes of the city. Here you can get lost, only to find yourself. From famous Banarasi paan kiosks to shops serving thandaai and kachoris, you will find it all in these lanes of Varanasi. You might also come across sandhus in orange robes and beaded dreadlocks smoking pot.

#4 Shop Through The Busiest Markets in Town

Three of the most popular street markets in Varanasi are Godowlia, Chowk and Vishwanath Gali. Here you will find everything from daily household items to jewelry and silk items. If you want to purchase the traditional Banarasi silk material, you can shop from The Banarasi Silk Emporium on the Cantonment Road or The Shri Gandhi Ashram Khadi Bhandar on the Sankat Mochan Road.

#5 Experience Varanasi During A Festival

Varanasi is the golden city of India that always remains high on the cultural ethos. Every month there is a festival lined up in the city for you to join in the carnivalesque atmosphere. Some of the best picks of festivals when you can plan a trip to Varanasi are Chhat Puja, Navratris, Ganga Dussehera, Ganesh Chaturthi, Buddh Purnima, Kumbh Mela and Durga Puja.

Varanasi is an intoxicating blend of cultural values that would make you want to come here again and again.