On the first day, my priority was to take my entire family out to Dashwamedh Ghat for Ganga Aarti. So around 4.30 PM in the evening, we took an auto from Ramapura Luxa ( the place I was staying at) to Dashwamedh Ghat. It took us about 25 mins as Varanasi and heavy traffic go hand in hand, so remember to always leave early when you are touring Banaras.
The auto stopped 2 KM before the chowrai of Dashwamedh Ghat. You will see a Nandi statue right in between the chowrai. From there, you will have to go on foot to Dashwamedh Ghat. There are also wheel chair facilities for people in need and senior citizens. They charge Rs 100 - 150.
Once we reached the Ghat, we went for boating, which is a must do in Varanasi. The boat took us around the ghats of Banaras, including Manikarnika Ghat and Assi Ghat and during the Ganga Aarti, it parked us in front of the Ghat so we could watch it while sitting on the boat. The boat charged us Rs 200 per person, and for aarti, it will charge you some extra amount.
Let me tell you this as soon as you enter the ghat, the 'boat walas' will swarm upon you to get on their boats, so its upto you which one you would like. The charges start from Rs 100 and can go up to Rs 1000. Their are boats which are fixed only to watch aartis and got fixed chairs on them and the others ones like the one we took takes you on a ride theough out the ghats and then let you watch the aarti from their boats.
After watching the aarti, we explored the markets around Dashwamedh Ghat and did experience the hustle and bustle of Varanasi streets, Had our dinner and returned back to our hotel.
We started our day by visiting Sankat Mochan Temple, which was on my to-do list. To visit Sankat Mochan Mandir, one has to submit their phones in the locker and then proceed as photography is strictly prohibited. You can buy flowers and garlands for your puja in the mandir. We also got lip-smacking prashad of sankat mochan mandir.
You can also visit Tulsi Manas Mandir, Durga Mandir, and Birla Mandir as all of them are located near each other. Birla Mandir is in BHU Campus.
In the evening, we went to Assi Ghat and took a boat to Kashi Vishwanath Dham. The new gate of Kashi Vishwanath lies next to Manikarnika Ghat. One can take a boat straight away to the Ganga Ghat Gate of Kashi Vishwanath to avoid the excessive rush from the other gates. Once we went in through the gate, we realized we were allowed to carry our phones and wallets to the premesis. In fact, it's the only gate through which you can carry your phones and wallets to the premesis.
However, you have to submit your phones before you enter the main temple. As soon as you enter the premesis, you will see the idol of Bharat Mata. Keep walking straight, and you will have your security check done. After that, you can enter the mandir. We completed our darshan and did our puja, and you can buy the puja samagri near the temple. Along with Kashi Vishwanath, there is also Satya Narayan Temple, Hanuman Ji's temple. You can also donate if you wish to as there are donation boxes in the temple areas. After our darshan, we went to the food court of Kashi Vishwanath that has a great menu, and food was good as well.
While getting out, we collected our stuff and large bags from the counter and exited from gate no. 4.
That was my 2 days in Varanasi city.
For more, you can check out my video on Varanasi on YouTube/Mandy Misra
