A City of Gods and Ghats : Varanasi
By Shri
An Ancient and holiest city of India with many names Banaras, Benaras and Kashi; Varanasi is situated on the banks of river Ganga in Uttar Pradesh. Varanasi offers religious interest for Hindus, Buddhists and Jains. It has friendly but busy atmosphere, with fascinating prayers at the ghats and beautiful sunrise and sunset over the Ganges.
How to Reach:- Varanasi has well developed transport system. The city is well connected by rail and has two major railway stations, Varanasi Cantonment and Kashi junction which connects to rest of Indian cities. Varanasi is also accessible to major Indian cities and international destinations by air. Varanasi airport renamed as Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport is located at Babatpur 18 km northwest of Varanasi which doubles up as domestic and international airport. For intra-city transportation taxis, buses, auto rickshaws and cycle rickshaws are the most convenient.
Places To Visit:- The old city of Varanasi not only has crowded narrow by-lanes flanked by houses and shops but also has a heritage culture which attracts many tourists. The most worshiped temples are the Kashi Vishwanath temple which is one of the twelve Jyotirling and Sankat Mochan Hanuman temple situated by the Assi river. One can also visit other popular temples such as Bharat Mata Temple, Durga Temple and Tulsi Manas Temple. Varanasi has at least 85 ghats out of which Dashashwamedh Ghat is the oldest ghat located on the Ganges where Ganga aarti takes place every night. It is a must see in Varanasi. Another Ghat Manikarnika is an important site for Hindu cremation. Other tourist attractions in Varanasi are Banaras Hindu University which is an internationally reputed University , The Art and Archaeological museum-Bharat Kala Kendra and Ramnagar fort. Also visit holy city of Sarnath which is the venue of the first sermon by Lord Buddha. Some of the monuments are Buddhist Stupa, Buddhist temples and monasteries.
Things To Do:- One can not miss shopping in Varanasi. The City is famous for silk sari, hand knotted carpets, weavings, embroidered silk and handicrafts such as carved wooden sculptures, musical instruments, copper-ware, ivory-ware, clay products, glass beads and bangles. Varanasi has many popular shopping areas such as Vishwanath Galli, Golghar, Thatheri Bazaar, Gyan vapi and Dashashwamedh Galli.
Varanasi offers different traditional variety of food, from simple snacks to chatpata chat and of course delightful desserts. The chats like Kachoris, Pani puri, Aloo tikki, Litti Choka and Papri-chat are some of the mouth-watering delicacies. However one can never forget the popular treat of Banarasi paan.
Where to stay:- The accommodation options are suitable for all budgets and needs in Varanasi, which offers most of the basic amenities. Some of the best budget hotels are Hotel Buddha, Hotel Atithi Satkaar, The Golden Buddha Hotel and Hotel Varuna. While some luxury hotels like Taj Ganges Varanasi and Hotel Radisson offers all the modern amenities.
Caution For Tourists:- When in Varanasi be cautious of touts posing as pundits on the Ghats. Take care of your valuables during temple visits. Always be aware of route and fare while hiring a local transport.
