First Trip to Varanasi? A Traveller's Guide to Ghats, Temples, Sarnath and Banarasi Food
Every week, thousands of first-time visitors step off a train or flight into Varanasi and ask the same question: where do I begin? The answer, as generations of travellers have discovered, is the river. The ghats along the Ganga are the spine of the city, and a morning walk from Assi Ghat to Dashashwamedh introduces you to nearly everything Kashi is about — bathing pilgrims, wrestling akharas, chai stalls, boatmen calling out sunrise rides and temple bells drifting across the water. From the ghats, the lanes lead naturally to Kashi Vishwanath Temple, the spiritual heart of the city. The new Dham corridor has made the walk from the river far easier, and early morning darshan is calmer than midday. Nearby, Manikarnika Ghat offers a quiet, respectful glimpse of the city's ancient relationship with life and moksha. A few kilometres away, Sarnath — where the Buddha delivered his first sermon — makes for a peaceful half-day trip with its Dhamek Stupa and museum. No Varanasi itinerary is complete without eating your way through it. Kachori-sabzi and jalebi for breakfast, tamatar chaat and tikki in the evening, lassi in clay kulhads, and a Banarasi paan to finish are rites of passage. The markets of Vishwanath Gali, Godowlia and Thatheri Bazaar are perfect for picking up silk, brassware and wooden toys. End your day back at Dashashwamedh Ghat for the evening Ganga Aarti, ideally from a boat on the river. October to March offers the most pleasant weather, and two to three days is enough to see the highlights without rushing. Come with comfortable footwear, an open mind and an appetite, and Kashi will take care of the rest.
Compiled by HelloBanaras from public sources:
