Introduction :
Varanasi is not just about Ghaats and Ganga Aarti.
However, people often say that arriving in Varanasi can be a little overwhelming. You will be greeted by chaos, colour and the feeling of stepping back in time. Varanasi is a wonderful place to visit and I recommend anyone who visits India or stay in India to experience Varanasi if you can.
Varanasi is India‘s oldest city, located along the banks of the famous River Ganges in the state of Uttar Pradesh, in North East India. To be more precise, it’s a city with end number of gali’s (narrow lanes).
Varanasi is one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities and is dripping in history and spirituality. It is one of the seven Hindu and Janist holy cities, or Sapta Puri, in India. Buddhism is said to have been founded in Varanasi as well.
Varanasi is a spiritual city, where Hindus go to pray, wash away their sins and honour their dead on the banks of the Ganges. Dying in Varanasi is seen as auspicious, as it ends the cycle of rebirth.
A trip to the Ganges will reveal countless sights that will remain with you long after you leave.
The Ganges are not only a place of worship, they provide the backdrop to millions of locals’ everyday life. The Ganges is a bath, dishwasher, swimming pool and a vessel for commerce for the people who live there.
The Ghats are the big steps that led down to the banks of the Ganges.
The best time to visit Varanasi is from November to March.
So, I chose to visit Varanasi during November only, when Dev Deepavali is celebrated. Besides a religious role, the festival is also the occasion when the martyrs are remembered at the ghats by worshipping Ganga and lighting lamps watching the aarti. This is organized by Ganga Seva Nidhi when wreaths are placed at Amar Jawan Jyoti at Dashashwamedh Ghat and also at the adjoining Rajendra Prasad Ghat by police officials of the Varanasi District.
And this time it was not at all my Solo trip. This time, I went with my family. We took train from Howrah Station on 10th November and reached Varanasi on the very next day, morning.
On 11th November at around 9am, when we crossed the river Ganges, I understood that the my destination was not that far.
I went out of the coach and stood beside the door of the train and how I could miss the scenic view.
Our staying was there in Bangali tola, which is just beside Dashashwamedh Ghaat.
After reaching there, we took some rest and went out for some sightseeing. So, booked cab through mobile app and went to visit Sarnath Temple.
This was such a nice experience. Here we took a guide who told us the story behind it.
From there, we went to the weaver's studio of the Banarasi Sarees. There we saw a person weaving Banarasi.
It was almost 3 'o clock in the evening, and some rat was running inside my stomach, out of hunger. So, we chose to go back to the Varanasi City and have the lunch.
At around 4pm, we reached the chowk of Girja Ghar. After a walk of 10 to 12 feet, we saw a small food joint serving thalis. But the disappointment came when I came to know that it was a pure veg restaurant. And 90% restaurants are pure veg. You'll get to see one phrase only - "shudh shakahari restaurant". Being a hardcore non-vegeterian, how much painful it was only I know.
Whatsoever, I ordered a Special Lunch Thali. There were 2 chapatis, 1 daal fry, 1 cabbage curry, 1 Butter paaner, 1/2 plate fried rice and sour curd with some salad.
After finishing the meal, all of us went to Dashashwamedh Ghaat to watch the Aarati. As the place is always crowded, if you don't go early, you might not get the seat at the front.
After settling down in the front, we were waiting for the Arti to start.
This Arti is performed by seven young brahmin priests.
Thousands of devotees come to see this holy event. And hundreds of them see it from the boat.
After the Aarti, people float diyas and flowers in the river ganges.
And my mom also wanted to do so.
It was a scenic view, when you can see lamps are floating in a line.
You know, you are in Benars when you see sadhus here and there.
After watching the Aarati we went to have some Lassi and then my phone had gone to sleep for the day.
But after finishing dinner we had Lassi and I could manage to take this photo from my Dad's phone.
I started day two, with an early morning walk with my dad, sister and brother.
This was the nearest ghaat from our stay (some 60 meters away). And this ghaat is known to me and my sister since our childhood, as this is the same ghaat where Sir Ray's "Joy Baba Felunath" was shot.
Me and my sister were actually calculating where Feluda sat, which staircase was used by mochhli baba etc.
Then after a while, we all moved towards the place where you'll get the famous Kachoris.
Except Kachori and aloo sabzi we had some local food too.
Not just these dishes, we had some South Indian dishes too, like - Idli, Sambar Baadha.
Then, after fueling up our tummy while we were heading towards our hotel, we had some Rabdi from some not so famous local shop.
After finishing this we went to hotel and took a long nap.
Woke up at around 12.30pm, and after the freshen up session all of us went out for the day.
The first thing we were supposed to was having lunch. And me and brother found a place that serves Non-Veg food.
Wait, to be more precise, the owner of that food joint was a bengali. We felt like home and obviously ordered the Non-veg thaali.
There were, Bhaat (steamed rice), daal, aaloo bhaaja, chicken curry, salad and sour curd.
After finishing our meal, I saw all the happy faces and geared ourselves to head towards ghaat.
This was the day of Dev Deepavali. On the day of Karthik purnima, the people of Varanasi celebrate Dev deepavali. On this day, apart from the aarti at the Dashameshwar Ghat, all buildings and houses are lit with earthen lamps. Nearly 100,000 pilgrims visit the riverfront to watch the river aglitter with lamps The aarti is performed by 21 young Brahmin priests and 24 young women. The rituals involve chanting hymns, rhythmic drum beating, conch shell blowing, and brazier burning.
The owners of the boats will force you to hire one and roam by the river banks, but if you are not a good bargainer, it’s not at all your deal Man..! We were asked 20K INR, thus we didn’t accept this offer by the boatmen.
We went to Pandey Ghaat through a gali (super narrow lane) and then we just enjoyed the ambiance of Ghaats.
Some were busy in placing the clay lamps, some were busy in there own rituals, and some were just sleeping or making rangolis.
There was a colourful view everywhere we could see.
My mom wished to light a lamp and float it. Thus, all of us did that.
Then we were roaming by the ghaats only, and when it was full dark, we saw the real beauty of the ghaats. And trust me this is just next to impossible to describe the feeling or the scenario through words.
Hence, I'm uploading some photos only.
The UP Gorvernment, keeps the lights OFF for 15 minutes so that everyone can enjoy this beauty. It was off from 18:30 to 18:45.
At around 8pm, we went for some shopping.
Visiting Varanasi, and not shopping a single Banarasi, is not a cup of tea of any woman. And I obviously continued that legacy.
When my dad found that I was going out of control, he told that he wanted to have some tea. So, I had to follow his path and ended up with my dinner.
I had chicken veg ramen on that night and went back to the hotel.
Second day ended on a superb note. on the next day, we planned for some boat ride. So, we slept early.
On the third day, we started at 5am. Went to ghaat and booked a boat (after a long bargaining session : Rs.80/head). The boatman told that he would be showing ghaats from Harishchandra Ghaat to Manikarnika Ghaat.
By the time we completed the boat ride, I was feeling too hungry and too sleepy.
I had this chhoti kachori and went to hotel for sleeping.
Woke up at around 1pm, when my sister called me to go out for the lunch.
This day we went to the same place for the lunch and the best part of the lunch was : Fish.
This thaali had - bhaat, daal, aaloo bhaaja, maachher jhol, salad and sour curd.
Bengali and machher jhol bhaat have a strong connection that led them to take a nap. So, I went to hotel again for sleeping, as I don't like to compromise with my sleep.
Told my parents and sister, to call me when they are done with watching ganga aarati.
They called me at around 7pm and I met them at 7.30pm.
Then we went to Deena Chaat Bhandar to have the famous chaat.
After having all these, all of us decided not to have any heavy meal in dinner and had just raabdi and malai from the famous biswanath gali.
After such foodstatic day, we went to hotel and slept as the next day we had to visit Viswanath temple at 4am.
On the fourth and the final day, we woke up at around 3am and went to visit the temple.
No mobile phones or anything were allowed to the temple. We kept them in the locker.
While we were done with the puja, we had tea and some fresh maalaiyo.
Maalaiyo is nothing but froth of the milk that is produced in dew. this is betterly known as Daulat Ka Chaat in delhi.
This day, we had normal breakfast and went for shopping as my parents had train to catch in the evening.
After shopping, we went to have our lunch at that same bangali restaurant.
How can we miss paan... we had paan after the lunch.
Then my parents left for the station I went to the ghaat to spend some time as I had my bus for lucknow at night.
This day, I got the best view of the Aarti. And then went to the Sushi cafe to have some Japanese food.
Finishing this giant bowl, I headed toward the bus terminus to catch my bus for lucknow.
Thus, I ended my Varanasi Trip.