Varanasi Travel Guide

 anilpradhanshillong Says:  A walk through the ‘gallis’ (‘alleys’) of the old city is a lesson in survival. Two-wheelers whizz past you, their modern horns utterly impatient; garbage push-carts vainly fighting a losing battle; a plethora of hole-in-the-wall shops selling anything and everything you... 

 anilpradhanshillong Says:  The Dufferin Bridge or Malviya Bridge or Rajghat Bridge dominates the skyline of Varanasi just as the innumerable ghats underlie the importance of this ancient city. It is a truly engaging piece of architecture with its interspersed hoops, its road traffic on top and its... 

 anilpradhanshillong Says:  Perched atop Panchganga Ghat, closer to Dufferin (Malviya or Rajghat) Bridge, is the Alamgir or Dharahara Mosque or Aurangzeb Mosque. It was built as a Vishnu temple by Beni Madhav Rao Scindia, a Maratha chieftain in the 17th century but was destroyed by Aurangzeb to make... 

 anilpradhanshillong Says:  Sankat Mochan (reliever or deliverer of/from troubles) or Hanuman Temple is situated beside the Asi stream, close to the Durga Temple in the vicinity of the Benaras Hindu University. The temple is dedicated to the monkey god, Lord Hanuman.It is believed that Tulsidas, the... 

 anilpradhanshillong Says:  The Durga Temple or Monkey Temple is located about 2 kms from the city of Varanasi. It was built by Queen Rani Bhavani of Natore, Bengal (1715–1802). The pond was also constructed by her in the 18th century.Bengalis are normally inclined towards Goddess Durga. For a proof of... 

 anilpradhanshillong Says:  The holiest of shrines is also the most heavily guarded, with CSF personnel every few steps and CRPF staff manning every vantage point. Forget your camera and your mobile; forget your pen also. All these items are prohibited from the premises of the temple. Even within the... 

 anilpradhanshillong Says:  Along your river cruise on the holy river Ganges, you will see stacks of wood being burnt at quite a few ghats, like Manikarnika and Harishchandra Ghats, with people standing mutely in groups. During the day, the fire may not very visible but at night, the sight of the... 

 anilpradhanshillong Says:  A cruise on the holy river Ganges is an absolute must – and the timings for this surreal experience is dawn and dusk. Get up when it’s still dark outside, finish your ablutions and head for the Dashashwamedha Ghat. Just before you descend the steps to the river front, there... 

 anilpradhanshillong Says:  In the evening, the experience only gets better and more soul-stirring. Here again, you have two options: either stay on shore and watch the ‘aarti’ from close quarters or go out to the river and watch the ‘aarti’ from there. We preferred the latter, as did many, many... 

 MacedonianUK Says:  The cafe is where locals come to eat cheap vegetarian food.It is situated not far away from the main Dasaswamedh Ghat, on the road with the same name.. If you are coming from the Ghat up the steps the Dasaswamedh Ghat Road is in front of you and it's curves on the left, the... 

 anilpradhanshillong Says:  At the ghats itself. After the evening 'aarti', a bit of shopping; after spiritual satisfaction, some material satiation! The silk saris of Banaras are known the world over and are priceless family heirlooms, handed down from mother to daughter. In days of yore, these... 

 anilpradhanshillong Says:  Very reasonable prices. Clean environment. Helpful and polite staff. Free tasting. Besides the silk saris, the other item Varanasi is famous for is the endless variety of Indian sweetmeats. These just melt in your mouth. There are shops here which have been in business for... 

 global-drifter Says:  Bhang, like hashish, is a preparation of cannabis (both buds and flowers) that for some reason is government authorised. There are many outlets in which you can procure the substance, in either baked form or lassi (most guesthouses will whip one up for you, calling it a...