My sixth solo trip :)
So, I needed a big big break from my mundane office life and was checking out the places that could be visited during the weekends from Delhi. Going to the Himalayas wasn't an option because of the cold weather. And, I was a bit skeptical about visiting the holiest city of India- Banaras. This was because I am not at all a religious person, and Varanasi, without any doubt, is a city of mandirs, ghats, and religiosity. But, then I decided to give this city a chance. And, to my surprise, Varanasi didn't disappoint me. My 6th solo trip to Varanasi turned out to be a surreal experience of my life.
I was lucky to have got the last moment railway reservations. After boarding the train, I literally had no idea what I was going to do when I reached Varanasi. This was yet another unplanned trip of mine, and I didn't even have a place to stay. So, after boarding the train, the first thing I did was to check all the available backpacker hostels and as expected, most of them were "sold out." Somehow, I managed to find a female dorm in one of the backpacker's hostel- La Vaca, Varanasi. La Vaca organizes a free walking tour. Bikki bhaiya was our guide and I was accompanied by three travel buddies- Joan and Tiego from Portugal, and Suyashree from Pune. Finally, the solo traveler had companions. This is the best part of traveling "solo." It provides you a space to connect with other fellow travelers on a whole new level. They usually stay with us for one or two day, but the amount of knowledge exchanged/shared/conveyed supersedes the ordinary. I went for a sunrise boat tour as well that was organized by La Vaca.
One of the best things about Banaras is that one can explore the whole city via the Ghats. Just find out the nearest ghat, walk a little, and you will reach your destination. Start from Assi, walk towards Dashashwamedh- main ghat- , and then reach Manikarnika. You will have tons and tons of caves, temples, and places to explore. While exploring the Manikarnika ghat, I located the birth place of Jhansi ki Rani Laxmi Bai. Rani Laxmi Bai was born in a “sthal” located near the Manikarnika Ghat, this is how she ended up being called “Manikarnika” or “Manu."
Varanasi is also known to be a site where dead bodies are burnt 24*7. There are two ghats where the cremation process take place- HarishChandra Ghat and Manikarnika Ghat. It is believed that the “eternal fire” of Shiva has been long preserved and is used to burn the dead bodies.
Do I even need to mention about the famous Ganga Aarti? I had seen in televisions how an arti is supposed to be, but witnessing it in real was a blessing in disguise.
As Varanasi has narrow streets and lanes, I explored most of the sites on foot. For places that were a little far to be covered on foot, I booked an Ola or Uber bike. This was for the first time I used this service, but Ola and Uber didn’t disappoint me much.
Varanasi is famous for its paan and malaiyoo, so I had a short food tour as well. I had banarasi meetha paan, malaiyoo, lassi, chaat, kachori sabji, gol gappe, lemon tea, etc.
I am not a “lassi” person. But, you should definitely visit “The Blue Lassi Shop” and they the varieties of available lassi(s). If you plan on to visit the shop, do carry a passport size photograph. The place has about 100-200 photographs pasted on the walls. Leave your mark as well. I did too :)
On the one side of Ganga, we have Banaras, and on the other side, we have Ramnagar. The museum of the Ramnagar is worth the visit. Everything has been preserved in its original state. You will see the difference only after visiting. And, don’t forget to visit the ancient city of Sarnath. It is a Buddhist pilgrim spot. Don’t only restrict yourself by going to the sites listed on google. I explored the whole place on foot and found so many hidden gems- temples and monasteries that find no mention in the record books.
My four day trip to Varanasi, including Ramnagar and Sarnath was worth every penny and the experience. No amount of words could explain the level of inner peace I had received in return. Varanasi, definitely, made me see the brighter side of religiosity and spirituality.
