Would you like to experience the spirituality of India in its most vivid form? Drive to Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, India. This ancient city has been permanently inhabited for around 2,800 years (and more). Varanasi is one of the most blessed places for Hindus. Followers believe that Varanasi is the place where they can break free from the cycle of rebirth and unite with the divine after death.
The center of the action in Varanasi is the Banaras Ghats, a series of huge steps that lead to the Ganges. In the morning, believers descend the stairs to wash off their sins with holy water, and in the evening they return for fire-fired prayer ceremonies.
Would you like to make the most of your stay in the “City of Lights”? Check out our list of the best things to do in Varanasi.
Note: It may be possible that some businesses may be temporarily closed due to current global health and safety concerns.
1) Sunset view over Varanasi from the Ganges
The Ganges, named after the Hindu goddess Ganges, is one of the most valued natural sites in India. The river flows southeast from the Himalayas north to the Bay of Bengal. Approx. 600 million people depend on the holy Ganges’s water for bathing and drinking every day.
Hindus from all over the world come to Varanasi to purify themselves in the waters of the holy Ganges. For tourists, the river provides a fixed point of reference for navigating the city and you are sure to spend a lot of time sightseeing and life around the holy Ganges.
To taking a sunrise cruise along the river you need to wake up early. You can hire one of the myriad boatmen that can be found along the Ghats.
In the late afternoon, one of the best things to do in Varanasi is to buy a small floating offering with fresh flowers and a candle and drop it into the holy Ganges. This wonderful experience will connect you even more deeply with Hindu culture and will remain in your memory for many years to come.
2) Dasaswamedh Ghat
Dasaswamedh Ghat’s lively atmosphere makes it one of the finest places to visit in Varanasi. This tourist attraction is a mish-mash of flower sellers selling colorful flowers, boat drivers offering rides on the Ganges, and holy men (sadhus). This is an area where people can watch for hours during the day.
Hindu priests perform the Ganga Aarti every evening from 7 p.m. in the Dasaswamedh Ghat. Dressed in saffron robes, the priests distribute plates with flower petals and other offerings and blow a Sankh (conch shell) which signal the beginning of the spiritual ceremony. Thousands of tourists gather to watch priests sing and wave for about 45 minutes in intricate patterns staggered plates of incense sticks scented with sandalwood.
Recommendation –When you want to visit the Ghat the make sure that you reach to the ghat at least a few hours early if you want to beat the crowd and find a good venue for the show. You can also enjoy breathtaking views from the boats along the river or from the balconies of the shops above the ghat.How to Reach: Dasaswamedh Ghat Road, Bangali Tola, Varanasi.
3) Assi Ghat
Ganga Aarti to Assi Ghat
When it comes to famous spots in Varanasi, the city’s southernmost main ghat regularly tops the list. The main attraction of Assi Ghat is a Shiva lingam (phallic representation of the Hindu deity) under a sacred fig tree. It attracts hundreds of pilgrims every day who come to worship Shiva after washing up in the Ganges.
Do you feel a little stiff from traveling? Take a stroll through Assi Ghat at sunrise when you can have your dog descend with dozens of others for morning yoga with daily live music. Tourists can also see another performance of Ganga Aarti here at night, which is slightly smaller and more intimate than Dasaswamedh Ghat’s.
4) Manikarnika Ghat
Burning pyre in Manikarnika Ghat
Columns of smoke swirl skyward at Manikarnika Ghat. No, it doesn’t come from a factory, it’s eternal cremations that take place in this ghat. Hindus believe that Manikarnika Ghat is one of the most suitable places for the deceased to perform moksha (liberation from the cycle of spiritual rebirth). The pyre of this ghat burns 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with a hundred cremations a day.
Priests or guides are often offered to show tourists around the fascinating ghat, but some can be aggressive in soliciting money. You can see doms (members of an untouchable caste) carrying corpses wrapped in cloth on makeshift stretchers, as well as stacks of firewood ready to light the pyre.
Of course, for a fee you also have the opportunity to see a cremation up close. Although profound, the experience is not for the faint of heart, nor is it a tourist attraction in the traditional sense. Know your limits, be respectful, and avoid taking photos of funerals, those in mourning, and those who have passed away.
Tip: If you’re interested in ritual cremations but can’t stand the thought of seeing them up close, consider stopping at Manikarnika Ghat on a boat trip on the Ganges. The distance dampens the effect while also giving tourists an idea of what is going on in this important place.
5) Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple
Hindu pilgrims and tourists travel thousands of kilometers to reach Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple, a sacred attraction about four kilometers from Varanasi Junction Station near Manikarnika Ghat. The impressive building, which is dedicated to the Hindu deity Shiva, has earned the nickname “Golden Temple” because of its striking tip, clad with around 800 kilograms of pure gold. The distinctive design of this temple has inspired the architecture of hundreds of other temples across India.
Strict security measures around the resort require tourists to keep their cameras, phones, bags, and other items in an inexpensive locker nearby. Expect to take off your shoes and line up with hundreds of other visitors, all eager to touch Shiva’s lingam, which is two feet tall, on a silver altar. It’s an intense but rewarding experience
Tip: Avoid this attraction on Hindu holidays when worshipers line up for up to two full days to enter the temple.
6) Banaras Hindu University
New Vishwanath Temple at Banaras Hindu University
The Hindu University of Banaras has been a central part of Varanasi’s identity since its inception in 1916. The highly regarded public university is home to over 25,000 students, making it one of the largest residential universities in Asia.
There are no hill stations near Varanasi. So if you want to get away from the crowds and the busy city, come to this lush 1,300-acre campus. The quiet area is shaded by hundreds of tall trees and offers a breath of fresh air from the hectic surroundings of Banaras Ghats.
On campus, stop at the New Vishwanath Temple, a famous temple that finally completed its decade-long construction in 1966. At 77 meters high, the temple is one of the tallest in India and was inspired by the architecture of neighboring Shri Kashi. inspired. Vishwanath temple. .
University visitors should also explore the on-campus museum, Bharat Kala Bhavan. The cultural institution has a spectacular collection of miniature paintings as well as over 100,000 other artifacts of archaeological and artistic importance.
Official site: http://www.bhu.ac.in/
7) Ruchika Art Gallery
Would you like to take a piece of Varanasi home with you? Look no further than the Ruchika Art Gallery, just off Ravindrapuri Road. The gallery’s eponymous owner, Ruchika Mehrotra, has created a warm and charming boutique that displays a vibrant collection of paintings that capture the energy of Varanasi and the ghats in a rainbow of colors.
While some larger works would require shipping, many paintings are small enough to be packed in a suitcase as a souvenir. Pretty postcards are also available for purchase.
In addition to exhibiting locally produced creative works, the Ruchika Art Gallery also invites tourists to pick up a brush during art workshops. Contact Ruchika to find out what’s on the itinerary for your trip to Varanasi.
Address: 1 Ground Floor, Shwetabh Building, near Sankat Mochan Mandir and Lanka Post Office, Lanka Road, Varanasi
Official site: https://ruchikaartgallery.weebly.com/
8) Shri Durga Temple
Spiritual activities around Varanasi are not just limited to ghats. Just a five-minute walk west of Assi Ghat, the Shri Durga Temple is a popular attraction for Hindus looking to pay homage to the goddess Durga. The 300 year old temple cannot be overlooked, it is painted bright red from top to bottom.
The temple’s nickname, “Temple of the Monkeys” gives you a clue about the creatures you can find in this area. You can also see a pair of graceful swans swimming in the pool of water outside the temple.
Address: 27, Route Durgakund, Durgakund, Anandbagh, Bhelupur, Varanasi
9) Ramnagar Fort on the banks of the Ganges
There are few destinations in India without a fortress, and Varanasi is no exception. Fort Ramnagar is about 14 kilometers from the city center. The sandstone fortress and palace from the 18th century are no longer used as a defensive structure, but house an original museum with antique cars, ornate hookahs, antique weapons, jeweled sedan chairs and a coin. astronomical clock that is over 150 years old.
After an archaeological scavenger hunt at the museum, visit the fort’s temples, one of which honors Veda Vyasa, the author of the Mahabharata and other Hindu epics