Benaras (Varanasi/Kashi) is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend and looks twice as old as all of them put together.
Mark Twain
Considered to be the oldest city in human civilization and oldest continually inhabited places, Varanasi’s (Kashi)actual age is unknown but there are archaeological and mythological evidence that suggest thar this city has been existence for about 8000-10,000 years. Oldest epics of Hindu literature, including the Puranas, the Vedas and the Mahabharata suggest existence Kashi.
Varanasi is considered “Spiritual capital of India” residing on the west bank of Ganga River and is in par with Mecca, Jerusalem, and Rome and embodies Hindu/Buddhist religion and significant place for both Hindu and Buddhist pilgrimage. Mythologically, Kashi is the place where Shiva settles down after marrying his wife Parvathi and this place is where Hindus go to attain moksha (release from the cycle of rebirth impelled by the law of karma).
Walking through the serpentine lanes of Varanasi is not only sensory overload but also a religious experience. These narrow alleyways called as “Gali” can be quite narrow, sometimes only wide enough for one person to pass through at a time. These alleyways are usually lined with small shops, homes, temples, and occupational moped honking and driving at a high speed, turning these alleyways into bustling hub of activity.
- Where is Varanasi and how to reach it:
- Best Time to visit Varanasi:
- Things to do in Varanasi:
- Where to stay:
- Our Itinerary:
- Good to know:
- Further reading:
Where is Varanasi and how to reach it:
Varanasi is in Uttar Pradesh, about 300 kilometers (186 miles) southeast of capital Lucknow. This city is very well connected and can be reached by air, train or by road.
Reaching Varanasi by Air: The city has an international airport and has direct flights from major cities in India including Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Lucknow, and Bangalore . We found flight to be much more convenient and can be booked either directly from airlines such as Indigo or Vistara or sites like makemytrip. Flights cost about 200-300 USD and take about 1-3 hours depending on your starting point.
Reaching Varanasi by train: Another convenient and cheaper way to reach Varanasi from places like Delhi is to take the train. Varanasi has 2 major railway stations, Varanasi Junction and the Mughal Sarai Junction. From Delhi, you can choose from several trains that depart from New Delhi station and arrive at Varanasi Jn station. The fastest train is the Vande Bharat Express, which takes 8 hours. The slowest train is the SF Express, which takes 11 hours and 10 minutes. Book your tickets online or at the station. The fares vary depending on the class and availability of seats and cost about 25-50 USD.
Best Time to visit Varanasi:
Winter months (OCT-MAR)– best time to visit Varanasi is the winter when the temperature is on the cooler side but also attracts bigger crowds.
Summer Months (Apr-Jun) – very hot temperatures and less crowds but can become unbearably hot. Early April might be still doable but avoid May and June.
Monsoon Months (Jul-Sep)– Varanasi gets monsoon rains and will be hot and humid. Shoulder month of September might be best time to visit.
Things to do in Varanasi:
We stayed 3 days in Varanasi and found it to be sufficient do everything we wanted to do. There are plenty of things to do and people stay anywhere from 2 to 10 days depending on what you want to do.
- Visit temples of Varanasi
- Walk or take a boat ride to see the Ghats– Review of Ghats and stories. There are several operators offering morning boat ride which is the best way and time to see Ghats. Check out this blog for more details on boat rides. Always negotiate the price before getting on the boat or ask your hotel for recommendations
- Experience Ganga Aarti -There are several boat operators offering this service such as these and again your hotel can make arrangements for this service.
- Visit Saranath– Details and what to expect.
- Shop for Banarasi silk clothing– (check G.I. mark (Geographical Indication). This is an Intellectual Property right granted by the Indian government to weavers to distinguish a Banarasi saree from the areas in which it was produced)
- Sample the local street food
- Walk the streets of Varanasi
Where to stay:
There are plenty of options for every budget imaginable from basic amenities to luxury hotels
Mustache hotel ($)- Good for backpackers and budget travelers
Brijrama place ($$$)- My review of staying here
Hotel Surya Kaiser Palace ($$)
Taj Ganges, Varanasi ($$)
Taj Nadesar Palace ($$$)
Our Itinerary:
Day 1 : Fly to Varanasi and check-in to hotel (Brijrama palace)
    Ganga Aarti Ceremony- Starting at 5.30PM
Day 2 : Morning -visit Vishwanath temple
Evening- Walk the streets of Varanasi and explore
Day 3 : Morning -Visit Saranath and surrounding area
Day 4 : Visit Assi Ghat, Sankat Mochan Temple, Durga Temple and fly out in the afternoon
Good to know:
- Be respectful of the tradition and culture of the place- wear appropriate clothing to visit the temples and don’t take photographs without permission both at the temples and at the burning ghats (Most temples do not allow camera phone and Cameras inside)
- No alcohol or meat– especially near the river Ganga and surrounding areas. There are few places you can get alcohol.
- Culture shock– Varanasi is a very old city and walking through the city is a sensory overload. Be prepared to see burning bodies at the burning Ghats, various religious ceremonies being performed and just general chaos but it a fascinating experience if you keep an open mind
- Good people and Scammers – Stay vigilant as there are phony religious men who con you to buy talisman or offer other things to help you with your problems. There are hordes of people especially around the main temple area who will hassle you for money. On the flip side, there are really good people that live in the city. We took our 80-year-old dad in a wheelchair to see the temple and we had to go through some steep stairs and without asking, people stopped to help and didn’t ask for money or thanks. This happened twice and each time, after helping us, they went on about their day. Locals are very proud of the city and its heritage and we met several people who were very happy to show us around their city or just being helpful when we were lost.
Further reading:
Visiting Varanasi should definitely be on everyone’s list. I was fascinated by this city and the people, and all the myths and legends surrounding this city.
Peaks to Palaces 