Varanasi

Said to be the oldest city of India, Varanasi is a place that gets its name from meeting of two rivers - Varuna and Ashi, and is about 800km away from the capital Delhi. The place ranks high in Hindu mythology and is famous for temples; some of which are believed to make your wishes come true. But, even if you are not a hindu or not religious, the place is wonderful backdrop for photography.

Manikarnika Ghat

And the beautiful Ganges passes through the heart of the city, that entwines the culture, the mythology, the myth with the industries, the tourism, the economy and the society in general. The city is famous for its endless series of steps or Ghats; going down to the river Ganges - that is around 100 in number and stretches for about 7km. The names of the ghats are a mouthful - Dasashwamedh ghat, Manikarnika ghat, Harish Chandra ghat, Kedar ghat, Ashi ghat,Panchganga ghat.. the list is endless. Some of the ghats are more famous than others. Take a boat ride down the stream and ask the boatman to tell the stories of the ghats, they are very good at it. The fact is, the city with its ghats, temples, markets and scenic beauty provides the perfect kaleidoscope to experience the cultural diversity of India.

The ghat has one of the prominent temple of the place - KashiVishwanath Mandir or The Golden Temple. The temple has its own share of history; it was always the centre of attraction of the invaders of India. In the 13th century, the temple was ravaged by Bakhtiyar Khilji but was later built. During the rule of Akbar, donation to the temple trust included a number of surrounding villages. But Aurangzeb cut them down and almost demolished the structure. Rani Ahalyabai of Indore; came to the rescue and rebuilt the temple in 1776. Finally, Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Lahore; donated the 800kgs of gold to ornate the stupa of the temple that has remained like that till now.  

Varanasi

The next splendid thing that is to be experienced on the ghats is the evening Aarti of the river goddess - Ganga, performed by 6-10 young priests in beautiful choreography and totally in sync with each other; and to the music of the mantras. The visual opulence of this saffron prayer is a visual delight and provides a wonderful subject of photography. 

On the opposite bank of the Ganges lies the beautiful and majestic Ramnagar fort, built around 1750 A.D. by the maharajas of Benaras. Presently it has been turned into a museum by the last king - Vibhuti Narain Singh, showcasing the wonderful brocade sarees, benarasi sarees with gold threadworks, palanquins in silver, bronze and ivory, howdahs, hookahs, clocks, carpets encrusted with pearls, weapons and many other things that history books tell us. There is also a temple of Ved Vyas in its premises.

Dasashwamedh Ghat at night

Also, visit the Benaras Hindu University campus in the city. It's a beautiful campus and worthy of paying a visit. There are many other famous temples like the Sankat Mochan Temple, Durga Mandir, Vindyabashini Temple, Kaal Bhairav to mention a few.

Just 10km away from Varanasi is Sarnath - the place where Lord Buddha offered his first sermon, after enlightenment, to the five disciples. The peepal tree that bears testimony to this fact still stands there. There you can find the imposing Sarnath stupa and some monasteries surrounding it. They are all beautiful. There are a few handicrafts shops and emporiums from the govt. or privately owned, and they sell very good sarees, decorative items and collectibles. The Sarnath excavated site is open for visitors and you can see the architecture dating back to 12th century A.D., including the Ashoka pillar of our national emblem. The museum of Sarnath is also very rich with artifacts, chakras, chatras of that bygone era. Don't miss this opportunity to visit the museum that is near to the Sarnath site.

40km away from Varanasi is the Chunar fort, overlooking the Ganges, that was under all the prominent mughal rulers from Babur, Humayun to Akbar and Aurangzeb. In 1662, Auranzeb's governor Mirza Bairam built a mosque in its premises. In 1772, the British East India Company took hold of the fort and established a depot of arms and ammunition.

Boats resting Varanasi

Last but not the least, the visit to Varanasi is not complete if you don't take a dip in the Ganges. This, legend says, washes away all the sins of this life. Whether you are religious or not doesn't matter, just take a bath, you will wonderful. Guaranteed. So, the next time you plan a visit to a colourful place; make sure that the yellow and saffron city of Varanasi is at the top of the list.