I still remember when I went to the travel agency to book the ticket for Varanasi and the guy asked me. But why are you going to Varanasi? It is not a beautiful city to visit, it is only religious. Well, luckily I did not listen to him: Varanasi is not only beautiful, but it is magical.
A city that develops along the Ganges, in Uttar Pradesh, whose beating heart are the Ghats, the steps that descend into the river and where you meet so much humanity of all types.
From believers who do ablutions in the Ganges to purify themselves to beggars who choose this city to die and thus be cremated along the sacred river (according to Hindus, scattering ashes in the Ganges stops the cycle of reincarnations or in any case elevates karma), from street artists and musicians to holy men dressed in orange who do processions, a mix of colors, races, different faces and spirituality that will conquer your heart.
Varanasi is very complex. It is both chaotic and pervaded by a sense of peace that reaches every vein. It is made of very narrow alleys where you can get lost, crowded with people of all ages, clubs and markets, traffic, smog, cows, crematoriums, goats, dogs, but also boats, natural beaches, universities, luxury hotels.
The wonderful thing is that it is very different from Rajasthan and the people here are very calm: you will not find "fake guides" or people who try to scam you in every way for a few euros, on the contrary. They are all really kind and helpful with tourists and their only goal is to get to know you and spend time with you, talking.
In this article, in addition to telling you about its magic, I will try to give you some useful advice to live and visit it at its best.
Wake Up Early
There are two moments when Varanasi shines with magic and they coincide with the performance of the Arti, sacred Hindu rites to greet the dawn and the sunset. The first is at 6 in the morning, to greet the dawn.
Both in the main ghat (Dashashwamedh Ghat) and in Assi Ghat (the last ghat considering the Manikarnika Ghat crematorium as the first) a dozen priests perform a special ritual made of dance, music and prayers that attracts hundreds of visitors from all over India.
The same thing, in the same Ghats, but with a more rhythmic music, takes place at 5:30 pm to greet the sunset. In this case, once the ceremony is over, the Ghats transform into a big party where people, often painted on their foreheads, dance and sing all evening.
I recommend experiencing both moments, and even more days. It is a ritual that pervades the soul and gives vibrations that remain under the skin for days and days. Those who feel up to it, obviously with a small offering can also request a special puja (prayer) for themselves and their loved ones at the foot of the Ganges.
It is difficult to explain in words the emotions that one experiences. After a month, every now and then, I still hum the sacred songs that accompanied the rites and I desperately miss the feeling of having my forehead smeared with colors right above the third eye.
But even those who are less sensitive will appreciate these moments, because they become a sort of "happy hour" for the entire city, awaited to start or end the day and celebrate life.
In the morning, I also recommend going to Assi Ghat, which is a great starting point (full of Masala Chai vendors for breakfast and various dishes throughout the day) to rent a boat and take a trip along the Ganges during the moment of sunrise.
It is essential to leave at 6 to see the sunrise from the river, which slowly lights up all the stately buildings and steps of the Ghats. During the tour, which lasts about an hour, you will be able to see all the Ghats from a magical and special perspective, observing the city waking up, families doing laundry in the Ganges and believers and children bathing among flower petals thrown for the various rituals. A real enchantment.
If you want, you can also ask to stop on the opposite bank of the Ganges which is made up of a real very large beach, with markets and camels for tourists and a large luxury village. As always, negotiate the price well before leaving with a boat. Obviously, if you also want to visit the opposite bank, the price goes up.
The Ghats of Varanasi
Waking up early is also essential for those who want to walk without the crowds along the Ghats. A 4 km long walk that will take you to explore the 84 sacred places of Varanasi, steps generally accompanied by stately buildings (almost all uninhabited) of the ancient rich families who sought proximity to the sacred river.
Starting point, as I was saying, can be Assi Ghat which is a real crossroads of people for its markets and events. Here every morning and every evening the arti is celebrated, which brings together hundreds of faithful and curious people, but it is also full of young street artists, shops, Chai vendors, restaurants and has a really nice little riverfront.
From here, just walk along the Ganges and little by little you will come across the various Ghats and the many faces that inhabit it. You will first come across Tulsi Ghat, so called because it is the residence of the poet Tulsi Das, where almost every evening cultural events take place inside, while outside artists, dogs and bums gather. The subsequent Ghats bring together various religious people, pilgrims, holy men dressed in orange and the most evocative is certainly Karnataka Ghat.
Going up further you will find Maharaja Harishchandra Ghat, the first and smallest Ghat dedicated to cremations.
Going up north you will then come across several Ghats with stairs and buildings that during the day host believers who do ablutions and washerwomen, while in the evening they fill up with street artists, and holy men, until you reach the main Ghat where the Arti are celebrated, or Dashashwamedh Ghat.
Here there is always a lot of crowd at any time of the day and numerous boats depart. From here you can return to the inner city, made up of main roads and very narrow alleys, or continue towards the Manikarnika Ghat, the main Ghat for cremations.
In this case there are many ovens, the fire is lit at any time of the day or night, and seeing the rituals is almost hypnotizing. A visit is absolutely recommended, although it is very strong to see how many homeless people and poor people decide to settle in the surroundings waiting for death in the hope of being cremated inside.
In fact, around this ghat there are many uninhabited houses where when someone hears the call of Shiva they decide to move in. The open-air funeral rite is paid for based on the type of wood you want, the most valuable being beech. It is truly absurd to see the piles of wood that surround this place.
After bathing the body of your loved one in the Ganges, it is then placed on a pile of wood that is burned: the head of the family lights the fire after having walked around praying to the body with only another member of the family and the priests. It is a strong but peaceful rite, which instills courage and hope rather than despair.
When you visit this place, I recommend that you do not photograph the rituals too closely with people who are obviously suffering and that you be wary of anyone who starts telling you that they will take you to places to have a better view of the funeral rite. They are scams and will extort a lot of money from you for no reason.
Varanasi is not just Ghats. It is also very narrow alleys, which reminded me of my Venice, full of bars, restaurants, bazaars, shops of all kinds as well as, as always, cows, dogs and lots of people (and motorbikes that you don't understand how they manage to get through).
There are no rules here. Get lost and have fun, admiring the many colorful murals and discovering some unexpected surprise at every corner. The only thing to be careful of. Look up every now and then, because there are also friendly monkeys that occasionally come down to steal something.
Walking through the center, the only thing not to be missed is the main temple of the city, namely the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple. Tey will give you the key to a locker because it is forbidden to enter with a cell phone and take photos.
You can also skip the line that crowd the temple every day to pray (we are talking about hours and hours of queues) and bring offerings to Shiva (in the main temple) and Ganesh (secondary temple). You can ask to do a personalized puja. Whether you are a believer or not, it is a strong and beautiful spectacle that I recommend you try at least once in your life.
Want to relax?
If after so much chaos and humanity you want silence, peace and the possibility of jogging among the trees there are two aces up your sleeve that you can play in Varanasi. The first is to go running or walking in the Banaras Hindu University campus.
Long shaded avenues, paths equipped for physical exercise, museums and as always many cows await you for a day that will make you forget about horns, crowds and spicy smells. You can easily reach it on foot from Assi Ghat (about 1.5 km) or with a tuk-tuk.
Be careful to specify where you want to get off, because tuk-tuks often get lost in Varanasi. If you want to take a trip out of town, to the nearby Buddhist city of Sarnath in search of temples and sacred parks.
Where to Eat in Varanasi
Eating in Varanasi will be the least of your problems. All the main streets and Ghats are full of restaurants and bars, which boasts a very varied cuisine from all over the world and a splendid rooftop.
If you want to taste some local specialties, instead, choose the Kashi Chat Bhandar, a sort of Indian tapas bar with all the specialties, right in the center and near the main Ghat. Very cheap and always packed with locals. If you like Lassi, that is yogurt with fruit or chocolate (very good) that is so refreshing in the summer, then go to the nearby Blue Lassi Shop, even if it is always packed with tourists.
If you are looking for a romantic atmosphere with a view of the Ghats, you can't miss a restaurant. Finally, for your breakfasts, the best area is Assi Ghat.
Where to Sleep in Varanasi
As for where to sleep, the only real advice I can give you is to choose a hostel or guest house in the Ghat area. The city center is too far away and dangerous in the evening for those who come back alone. Hostels in the Assi Ghat area are convenient for everything, lots of young people and lots of activities on offer (such as cooking classes and yoga).
