Travel★ FeaturedVaranasi is on the verge of opening India's first public urban ropeway, a 3.75-km aerial line linking Cantt railway station to Godowlia Chowk near Kashi Vishwanath. With five stations and gondolas seating ten each, the system is designed to carry tens of thousands of riders a day and complete the trip in about sixteen minutes. For pilgrims and visitors who today crawl through the old city's narrow lanes, the cable car promises a quick, eco-friendly glide above the traffic, with rooftop views of the ghats along the way. Trial runs have been progressing well, and the project blends modern transit with the city's heritage character. It is one of several connectivity upgrades reshaping how people move through Kashi.
15d ago· WikipediaRead more → News★ FeaturedVaranasi drew a record of more than 7.26 crore visitors through 2025, according to the Uttar Pradesh government — a milestone that underlines the city's emergence as a global spiritual-tourism hub. Officials credit the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, the beautification of the Ganga ghats, restored temples, better roads and improved visitor facilities for the surge. The footfall has rippled out to boatmen, guides, hotels, eateries and handicraft sellers across the old city, broadening livelihoods well beyond the temple precincts. With new connectivity arriving alongside the crowds, the city is working to keep the experience smooth even as numbers climb.
19d ago· The Economic TimesRead more → 
TravelInternational travel from Varanasi is set to get a little simpler. Air India has announced that its new 'Easy Connect' service will begin from Varanasi, routing through Delhi — a model designed to take the friction out of connecting flights for travellers heading abroad from the holy city.
Under Easy Connect, the airline says passengers can complete their check-in and immigration formalities at their origin airport — in this case Varanasi — and then make a seamless onward connection through Delhi to their final international destination. Bags are checked through to the destination, so there is no baggage reclaim or re-check-in at the connecting hub. The carrier describes it as part of India's growing hub-and-spoke flying model, with more cities to be added in the months ahead.
For Varanasi's many outbound travellers — families seeing relatives off, students heading overseas, and the city's steady stream of international visitors returning home — that can mean shorter queues and a calmer transit at Delhi. As always, travellers should confirm exact routes, timings and eligibility directly with the airline before booking, since the rollout is just beginning. Still, it is a welcome sign of how Kashi's air links to the wider world keep growing.
6h ago· Air India — Easy Connect announcementRead more → 
EventsVaranasi pauses to remember one of its most beloved sons this week, as the city marks the 629th Kabir Prakat Diwas — also known as Kabir Jayanti — on June 29, the full-moon day (Purnima) of the Jyeshtha month. The saint-poet Kabir Das, a weaver by trade and a reformer at heart, is closely tied to Kashi, and the city remains the centre of his living tradition.
The Kabir Chaura Math, established in his honour, is the focal point of the observance. Devotees, singers and seekers gather to remember a voice that preached devotion, humility and equality across the lines of caste and creed. Kabir's dohas — short, piercing couplets in the everyday language of ordinary people — are still sung in Banaras's lanes and ashrams, and his message of one shared humanity feels as relevant today as it did centuries ago.
For visitors, the days around the Jayanti are a chance to walk the Kabir Chaura neighbourhood, listen to bhajans, and connect with a quieter, more contemplative side of Kashi beyond the riverfront. It is a gently moving reminder that Varanasi's spiritual life is woven from many threads — and that one of its most enduring belonged to a humble weaver whose words still travel far beyond the city.
6h ago· Prokerala — Kabir Jayanti 2026Read more → 
EducationThe Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi is celebrating its Institute Day on June 29 with a showcase it calls 'Utthaan 2026' — a spotlight on the campus's expanding research and innovation ecosystem. Ahead of the day, the institute shared the scale of its recent work and the projects taking centre stage at its Innovation and Technology Showcase.
By the institute's own account, IIT (BHU) has drawn ₹529.74 crore in sponsored projects and schemes between 2022-23 and 2025-26, executing more than 900 sponsored projects in all. Its intellectual-property journey now counts 614 patents filed and 332 granted — a measure of how much translational, industry-facing research is happening on the Varanasi campus. The institute also pointed to 18 defence-related research projects and dozens of state-funded interdisciplinary projects.
For students, families and the wider city, days like this are a reminder that Kashi is not only a city of ghats and temples but also a serious hub of science, engineering and start-ups. With patents, startups and research milestones on display, Institute Day is a proud, forward-looking moment for one of Varanasi's flagship institutions — and a glimpse of the talent the city is helping shape.
6h ago· IIT (BHU) Varanasi — official Institute Day postRead more → 
NewsVaranasi added another global milestone to its calendar when it hosted a BRICS Culture Working Group meeting on 4–5 June 2026 at a city hotel, welcoming diplomats, policymakers and cultural experts from member nations and partner countries. For Kashi — fresh from hosting G20 sessions — it was one more chance to present its heritage to the world.
The centrepiece for local craftspeople was a curated showcase of the city's GI-tagged and One District One Product treasures. Six master artisans displayed traditions that are unmistakably Banaras: Gulabi Meenakari enamel work, Banaras brocade and saree, soft-stone jali carving, wooden lacquerware and toys, metal repoussé and the city's famous glass beads. Presenting these crafts directly to foreign delegates, organisers said, opens doors to new international markets and stronger export prospects for the weavers and artisans behind them.
The meeting underlines a quiet but important shift: Varanasi is increasingly seen not just as a pilgrimage city, but as a global hub for living craft and culture. Every such gathering puts Banaras's makers — many of whom have kept these skills alive across generations — in front of buyers and admirers far beyond India, helping ensure the city's handmade heritage has a thriving future as well as a celebrated past.
2d ago· Indian PSURead more → 
TravelIf the famous evening aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat feels overwhelming, Kashi now offers gentler alternatives along the same riverfront. Since March 2026, a daily evening Ganga aarti has been held at Lalita Ghat, performed just below the entrance to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. Timed to the city's other sunset aartis, it gives devotees a quieter spot to watch the lamps meet the river — and is expected to ease the long-standing crowding at Dashashwamedh.
A short way upstream, the newly developed Namo Ghat has become a favourite for families and first-time visitors. Built as a contemporary public space, it offers wide open plazas, organised seating and a clean, spacious layout, with its own evening aarti around sunset. The result is a more relaxed experience for those who want the spirituality of the ghats without the densest crowds.
For anyone planning a Banaras trip, the takeaway is simple: the riverfront now has more than one place to catch the magic of the evening aarti. Arrive a little before sunset, pick the ghat that suits your pace — the grand bustle of Dashashwamedh, the temple-side calm of Lalita Ghat, or the open comfort of Namo Ghat — and let the lamps, bells and chanting do the rest.
2d ago· Banaras Tour GuideRead more → 
EntertainmentA homegrown street festival called Banarasgiri is quietly reshaping how Varanasi celebrates its own culture. Instead of a single stage or ticketed venue, the festival spreads across the city's public spaces, turning ordinary chowks and riverside corners into open-air galleries where craft, food, music and wellness sit side by side.
Visitors can watch artisans at work — potters at the wheel, handloom weavers, carpet-makers, candle-makers and glass-bead artists — and try their own hand at the craft. The aromas are pure Banaras: chaat, chai, kulfi and litti-chokha served street-side, while shehnai notes and folk performers fill the air. There are akhada workshops reviving the city's wrestling tradition, quiet meditation and free health check-up corners, and a dedicated kids' zone with DIY activities.
Launched in 2025 and now five editions strong, Banarasgiri is built around community participation rather than spectacle. For local potters, performers and food entrepreneurs it is a direct shop window; for residents and visitors it is a relaxed, free way to meet the city's living heritage in one place. It is a reminder that Kashi's culture lives not only in its temples and ghats, but in its lanes — and that the people who keep those traditions alive are very much part of the celebration.
2d ago· Indian MastermindsRead more → 
TravelWith the holy month of Sawan set to begin around the end of July, Kashi is gearing up for one of its busiest and most joyful seasons. Every Monday of Sawan — Shravan Somwar — draws huge crowds of devotees toward the Shri Kashi Vishwanath temple to offer prayers to Lord Shiva, and the lanes of the old city fill with chants, bel leaves and the scent of incense.
If you're planning a visit, a little forethought goes a long way. Mornings are your best friend: the temple is calmest soon after it opens, well before the midday rush builds, so an early dawn darshan after a dip in the Ganga is the gentlest way in. The Vishwanath Dham corridor, with its wide approach from the Ganga-facing Lalita Ghat, makes the walk far smoother than it once was.
For those short on time, or travelling with elders and children, the temple trust's Sugam (paid) darshan helps speed up entry on busy days. Booking in advance through the official Shri Kashi Vishwanath portal — rather than on the day itself — is the surest way to avoid long waits, especially on Mondays.
Sawan in Kashi is a special experience: cooler monsoon air, the river in full flow, and a whole city wrapped in devotion. Plan ahead, start early, and you'll savour it at its very best.
5d ago· Shri Kashi Vishwanath (official portal)Read more → 
NewsA quiet energy makeover is spreading across Varanasi's rooftops. Under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana — the central scheme that helps households put solar panels on their roofs — the city has climbed into the country's top 10 districts for home solar adoption, and now stands second within Uttar Pradesh, just behind Lucknow.
According to figures shared in May 2026, tens of thousands of Varanasi homes have already switched on rooftop panels, with many more applications in the pipeline. For families, the appeal is straightforward: once the panels are up and the government subsidy is credited, monthly electricity bills shrink sharply, and any surplus power can be sold back to the grid. Officials say the rollout is also creating work for local installers and vendors across the district.
There is a cleaner-city dividend too, one that fits Kashi's growing green ambitions: every solar roof trims the city's carbon footprint and eases the load on conventional power.
If you own a home in Varanasi with an unshaded roof, the scheme is worth a look — applications and eligibility checks go through the official PM Surya Ghar portal, where the available subsidy is listed up front. Neighbourhood by neighbourhood, Kashi is steadily writing itself into India's rooftop-solar success story.
5d ago· Indian PSURead more → 
EntertainmentVaranasi's timeless imagery — its ghats at dawn, the rhythm of its rituals, the glow of evening aarti — recently found new admirers thousands of kilometres away, in the heart of Europe. During his June 2026 visit to Slovakia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stopped by a Banaras-inspired art exhibition in the capital, Bratislava, where artists had reimagined the spirit of Kashi through a blend of traditional and contemporary styles.
The display drew on the visual language every Banarasi knows by heart: the curve of the riverfront, the quiet devotion of the ghats, and the layered heritage that makes the city feel both ancient and alive. By placing these scenes before a European audience, the show offered visitors a window into the cultural depth that draws travellers to Varanasi year after year.
For the city, it is a quiet point of pride. Banaras has long inspired poets, painters and pilgrims at home; seeing its soul celebrated on a global stage is a reminder of how far Kashi's story travels. The Prime Minister praised the effort to present Indian culture internationally, noting that art and shared traditions bring people closer across borders. It is a small but heartening chapter in Varanasi's growing role as a cultural ambassador for India.
5d ago· The PioneerRead more → 
TravelOne of Varanasi's most eagerly awaited projects is moving closer to reality. The Kashi ropeway — set to be India's first urban passenger rope-car service — has entered its final trial stage, with officials describing the work as having almost reached the finishing line.
Designed to glide between the Cantonment railway station and Godowlia, close to the lanes leading to Kashi Vishwanath, the system is planned across five stations along a route of roughly 3.75 kilometres. Once running, it promises a smooth, scenic ride above the city's famously busy streets, easing the journey for pilgrims and visitors heading toward the temple and the ghats. Reports say safety and load trials are being carried out to rigorous standards before the service is commissioned.
For a city where narrow, crowded lanes are part of the charm but also a daily challenge, an overhead link like this could be a gentle game-changer — cutting travel time and offering first-time visitors a memorable bird's-eye view of Banaras. While the exact opening will be confirmed by the authorities, the latest signs are encouraging. For now, Kashi watches the towers and cabins with anticipation, ready to welcome a brand-new way to travel across the ancient city.
6d ago· Kashi ropeway (Wikipedia)Read more → 
SportsVaranasi is steadily adding new feathers to its sporting cap. The Banaras Locomotive Works (BLW) recently hosted the DP World PGTI NexGen golf tournament at its own golf course in the city — a national-level event aimed at giving young, emerging professionals a competitive platform and putting Banaras firmly on India's golfing map.
According to news reports, the tournament ran over three days in mid-June and featured practice rounds, a Pro-Am event and the main competition, drawing players keen to make their mark in the professional game. Hosting an event of this scale highlights BLW's well-kept sports infrastructure and the city's growing ambition to be known not just for its ghats and temples, but as a destination for sport too.
For local sports lovers, it is heartening to see Varanasi welcome a discipline like golf that is still finding its feet in eastern India. Events like these inspire the next generation of athletes, bring fresh visitors to the city, and add to the steady momentum behind Kashi's sporting scene — from handball and volleyball to, now, the fairways and greens. It is one more sign that Banaras is happy to play on a bigger stage.
6d ago· NewKerala (BLW NexGen golf)Read more → 
EducationThe National Testing Agency has declared the CUET UG 2026 results, and for thousands of students hoping to study in Kashi, an exciting new chapter is about to begin. With scorecards now available on the official CUET portal, Banaras Hindu University — one of the country's most loved seats of learning, founded in 1916 — will soon open its counselling and cut-off process for undergraduate admissions.
Reports note that more than 11 lakh candidates appeared for this year's exam, and over 240 universities, including BHU, will use the scores for admission. For young people across Varanasi and the wider region, it is a moment full of possibility: a chance to walk the leafy BHU campus, join its vibrant student life, and study everything from arts and science to performing arts and Sanskrit on the banks of the Ganga.
If you or someone in your family appeared this year, keep your login details handy, download the scorecard from the official site, and watch the BHU admission portal for counselling dates and the cut-off announcement expected shortly. Counselling can move quickly, so checking the official pages daily is the best way to stay ahead. For Kashi's students, the road to a fresh academic year is now wide open.
6d ago· PW (CUET UG 2026 Result)Read more → 
EventsOne of Varanasi's most heart-warming cultural gatherings is set to return. The next edition of the Kashi Tamil Sangamam — the celebration that brings Tamil Nadu and Kashi together in the spirit of "Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat" — is planned for December, with Banaras Hindu University and the city's heritage sites at the centre of the festivities.
The festival weaves together two of India's oldest living cultures. Visitors can look forward to traditional Tamil music and dance performances, exhibitions showcasing Tamil Nadu's crafts and cuisine, and academic sessions exploring the deep links between Tamil and Sanskrit traditions. Delegates from Tamil Nadu travel north to walk the ghats, visit Kashi's temples and share their language and arts with Banaras audiences.
Much of the programme — cultural performances, heritage tours and exhibitions — is typically open to the public free of charge, and app-based translation has been offered to make the sessions easier to follow. For Banaras families, students and visitors, it is a rare chance to experience the colours, flavours and melodies of the south right here on the banks of the Ganga. Exact dates and venues are announced closer to the event, so keep an eye on the official Kashi Tamil Sangamam channels.
7d ago· Press Information Bureau — Kashi Tamil SangamamRead more → 
WeatherRelief from the early-summer heat may be just around the corner for Kashi. Weather forecasters expect the southwest monsoon to advance into Uttar Pradesh from around the fourth week of June, spreading to more parts of the state over the following days as the system moves up from the Bihar and West Bengal side.
Until the rains settle in, the city is likely to see a few more warm days, with daytime temperatures climbing into the high 30s and around 40 degrees Celsius. Residents and visitors are advised to stay hydrated, carry water and an umbrella, plan outdoor sightseeing for the cooler early-morning and evening hours, and keep an eye out for the first pre-monsoon showers and thundery spells.
Once the monsoon arrives, Banaras takes on one of its most atmospheric moods — rain-washed ghats, a fuller Ganga and soft grey skies over the city's golden stone. Boatmen, pilgrims and photographers alike welcome the change of season. For the latest day-to-day outlook it is best to check official forecasts from the India Meteorological Department, as the exact timing of the monsoon's onset can shift by a few days.
7d ago· India Meteorological Department — Monsoon informationRead more → 
ShoppingOne of Kashi's most colourful crafts is enjoying a bright moment. The city's GI-tagged wooden lacquerware and toys — those glossy, hand-turned figures, fruits and trinkets sold along the lanes — are finding fresh demand at home and abroad, supporting thousands of artisan families across the Varanasi cluster.
A big reason is a quiet, careful makeover. Many workshops have switched to non-toxic, organic-certified lacquers, allowing the toys to meet strict safety standards in Europe and the United States and opening doors to premium retail shelves. With more online listings and global publicity, Banaras pieces are now reaching buyers in markets such as the United States, Japan, France and beyond, with seasonal orders giving artisans a welcome lift.
For shoppers in the city, it is a reminder of how much craft sits within easy reach — lightweight, charming souvenirs and gifts that carry a slice of Kashi's heritage. Buying directly from local artisans and cooperatives helps keep this centuries-old skill alive and puts earnings straight into the hands of the families who turn the wood. As Banaras toys travel further than ever, their home city remains the best place to discover them first.
7d ago· DD News — Varanasi wooden toy industryRead more → 
TravelReaching Kashi is getting easier this year as Varanasi's Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport widens its flight map. New connections added through 2026 include twice-daily service between Varanasi and Ghaziabad's Hindon airport, giving travellers a fresh, convenient link to the Delhi-NCR region, and a new daily Varanasi–Jaipur flight that ties the spiritual capital to the Pink City.
For visitors from abroad, a seasonal weekly Varanasi–Bangkok service ran during the early-year travel window, underlining the city's growing pull on the international circuit. Altogether the airport now offers scheduled flights to more than a dozen domestic destinations and a handful of countries, served by several major carriers.
For pilgrims, students and families who keep Banaras on their travel list, the wider network means more choice of timings, smoother same-day connections and shorter journeys to the ghats. As tourist numbers to Kashi keep climbing, the steady growth of air links is a welcome boost for visitors and for the local hospitality and handicraft economy that thrives on them. Travellers are advised to check airline schedules directly, as seasonal routes and timings can change through the year.
7d ago· Aviability — Varanasi airport routesRead more → 
NewsVaranasi's famed silk is finding new admirers far beyond the ghats. Under Uttar Pradesh's One District One Product (ODOP) initiative, Banarasi silk has become one of the state's flagship crafts being carried to global markets — standing alongside Moradabad's brassware, Lucknow's zari-zardozi and Firozabad's glasswork as ambassadors of the state's handmade heritage.
Launched in 2018, ODOP identifies a signature product for each district and helps its artisans with design, branding and access to wider markets. For Varanasi, that product is its centuries-old handwoven silk — the same gold-threaded weaves that grace weddings across India. The scheme's aim is simple and heartening: empower the weavers, preserve the craft, and lift exports so the people behind the loom share in the demand.
Recent coverage has highlighted how UP's craft clusters are reaching international audiences, part of a broader rise in India's handmade exports. For Banaras, where whole neighbourhoods still live by the rhythm of the handloom, that growing global attention is genuinely good news.
For visitors, the takeaway is straightforward: when you buy a genuine Banarasi weave in the city's weaving lanes, you carry home a piece of a living tradition the world is increasingly seeking out. Look for the GI tag and, where you can, buy directly from the weavers themselves.
8d ago· Times of IndiaRead more → 
EntertainmentTucked into Man Mahal — a graceful 16th-century riverside palace whose eastern face looks straight onto the Ganga — Varanasi holds a museum unlike any other in the city: the Virtual Experiential Museum. Set up under the Ministry of Culture and developed by the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), it tells the story of Kashi not through rows of glass cases but through immersive displays, interactive technology and storytelling.
Themed around "Ras Banaras," the museum invites visitors to step into the layered life of the city — its ghats, music, crafts, faith and everyday rhythms — using large projections and hands-on interactive screens. It is a way to feel the spirit of Banaras even before you wander out into its lanes, and a cool, unhurried stop on a warm afternoon.
Man Mahal itself is a draw. The same heritage complex is home to one of the historic Jantar Mantar observatories, and its terrace offers a memorable view across the river. Recently spotlighted by the NCSM as a model of how technology can help preserve heritage, the museum makes an easy add to any ghat-side walk.
If you are exploring the riverfront near Dashashwamedh, look out for Man Mahal — and give yourself about an hour inside to let Kashi's past quietly unfold around you.
8d ago· Museums of India — Virtual Experiential MuseumRead more → 
EventsThrough the third week of June, Namo Ghat on the Varanasi riverfront has turned into an open-air yoga studio, as Kashi builds up to the 12th International Yoga Day on June 21. An International Yoga Week opened at the ghat in mid-month, drawing hundreds of residents — men and women alike — to early-morning sessions beside the Ganga.
Each day, participants move through the Common Yoga Protocol together under the guidance of local yoga instructors, the river flowing quietly alongside. Officials at the gathering have described yoga as the foundation of a healthy life and mental balance, encouraging people of all ages to make a few minutes of daily practice a habit and calling it a part of India's heritage now embraced around the world.
For a city long associated with breath, meditation and spiritual discipline, a riverside yoga celebration feels right at home. The broad steps of Namo Ghat — among Varanasi's newest and most spacious ghats — give families room to spread out and newcomers space to follow along.
If you would like to join the rhythm, sunrise is the time: morning yoga and the dawn Subah-e-Banaras programme remain free and welcoming ways to begin a Varanasi day. Carry a mat or a light cloth, arrive a little before first light, and let the city's oldest discipline set the pace.
8d ago· Times of IndiaRead more → 
NewsGood news for anyone who loves seeing Kashi from the water: India's river-cruise tourism is on a remarkable upswing, and Varanasi remains one of its brightest stars. The Inland Waterways Authority of India recently noted that river-cruise passenger numbers nationwide have climbed from around 84,000 to nearly 50 lakh — a leap that says a lot about how travellers now want to experience the country's great rivers.
Varanasi has long been central to that story. The city is the celebrated starting point of long-distance Ganga cruising, and a steady stream of day cruises and well-appointed vessels now glide past its ghats, offering a calmer, postcard view of the riverfront and its timeless rituals.
There is more on the horizon, too: a water-transport service has been proposed between Ramnagar and Namo Ghat, which would give both residents and visitors an easy, scenic way to move along the river rather than through the city's busy lanes.
For travellers, it all adds up to more ways to enjoy the Ganga at its own pace. And for Banaras, the growth is another sign that its riverfront — already the soul of the city — is becoming a gateway to one of India's most promising forms of slow, sustainable tourism.
9d ago· Inland Waterways Authority of India (Instagram)Read more → 
EntertainmentAs summer evenings settle over the river, Assi Ghat is hosting Ghat Sandhya — a series of open, riverside performances of Indian classical dance and music that turn the stone steps into an informal amphitheatre.
This June's editions have featured classical dance recitals, including a performance by the Anurekha Ghosh Dance Company, drawing in residents out for an evening stroll and travellers who happen upon the music as the aarti lamps are lit nearby. The setting does half the work: the Ganga at dusk, a cool breeze off the water, and the unhurried rhythm of a city that has nurtured musicians and dancers for centuries.
What makes Ghat Sandhya special is how welcoming it is. There is no grand auditorium or ticket queue — you simply find a spot on the ghat, sit, and let the recital unfold. For visitors, it is one of the loveliest and most authentic ways to experience Banaras's living arts tradition; for locals, it is a gentle, free evening out.
If you are in the city, ask around at Assi Ghat about the next Ghat Sandhya evening — and arrive a little early to claim a good seat on the steps.
9d ago· Ghat Sandhya / Rangmanch (Facebook)Read more → 
SportsThere's fresh sporting cheer in Kashi: the city's handball team has been crowned champions at the State-Level Handball Championship 2026, an achievement Uttar Pradesh's handball community has been celebrating warmly online.
Handball rarely grabs the headlines that cricket does, which makes this win all the sweeter for the young players, coaches and families behind the early-morning practice and the long match days. The team's run to the title was built on the simple things — sharp passing, tireless defending and the kind of never-give-up spirit that turns a good side into a winning one.
For Varanasi, the trophy is more than a medal in the cabinet. It is a reminder that the city's sporting talent reaches well beyond its famous akharas and ghats, and that disciplines like handball are quietly building a following among school and college athletes here. Wins like this give the next batch of players something to aim for, and local clubs a reason to welcome more youngsters onto the court.
Heartiest congratulations to everyone in the squad — a proud moment for Banaras's growing sports scene, and hopefully the first of many.
9d ago· Uttar Pradesh Handball (Facebook)Read more →