Varanasi

Understand

thumb|300px|Hindu priest saluting the sun in the Ganges Varanasi (vah-rah-nnuh-see) is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, with settlements dating back to the 11th century BCE. Many Hindus believe that dying in Varanasi brings salvation (variously termed as moksha, mukti or nirvāṇa) and so they make the trip to the city when they realise that they are close to death. For some, the culture shock of the burning corpses in plain view can be a bit overwhelming. However, the scene of pilgrims doing their devotions in the River Ganga at sunrise set against the backdrop of the centuries-old temples is probably one of the most impressive sights in the world.

Get in

Varanasi is well connected by plane, train, and bus. Varanasi is mostly on the west bank of the Ganges. The on the north and on the south connect the city to the eastern parts of India.

Get around

thumb|Traffic in Varanasi.

Many streets are too narrow to be reached by cycle-rickshaw, auto-rickshaw, and car and therefore, you may have to walk a bit to reach your destination.

See

thumb|Rajghat, Varanasi Varanasi is not a city with distinct tourist destinations; the experience is in watching the spectacle of life and death on the river and meandering through the alleys of the old city.

(entry 200 rupies - updated October 2024)

Do

thumb|Men praying between boats in the Ganges thumb|Varanasi alleyways thumb|Varanasi street scene by the Ganges

Bathe in the Ganges - Over 60,000 people come to the ghats every day to take a dip in the sacred waters of the Ganga, most notably at sunrise. This is a fantastic sight to see. However, due to the municipal sewage drains that discharge raw sewage into the river, along with sunken corpses, there is a risk of infection from numerous diseases such as hepatitis and bacteria such as e-coli. Reports have shown that the Ganges water has a faeca coliform MPN of 88,000 per 100 ml, compared to a desirable faecal coliform MPN of 500 per 100 ml. Walking tours are operated by many companies, walking tours are a great way to see some of the harder-to-find sights such as the Flower Market and Ayurvedic Herb Market Boat rides - Very popular, especially at sunrise and sunset. Boats can either be rowboats or motorboats. The most popular sunset ride is to start at Dasaswamedh Ghat or one of the many ghats along the river and head up to Manikarnika Ghat to see the cremations, then down to Dasaswamedh just after sunset to watch the evening aarti ceremony from the boat. Sunrise is another magical time for a ride, when the ghats are filled with Hindus bathing and starting their day - one of the most famous sights in India. You can bargain the price of the boat ride to around ₹50/person per hour. During the boat ride, other boats, usually manned by children, will float up to your boat to…