Kaal Bhairav, Kabir Math and Kachori Gali: A One-Day Walk Through the Other Banaras
Ask a lifelong resident of Varanasi who really looks after the city and the answer often arrives with a smile: Kaal Bhairav. Revered as the kotwal, or guardian, of Kashi, the deity is traditionally the first stop for pilgrims — the belief being that one seeks the guardian's permission before proceeding to Kashi Vishwanath. The temple sits in dense lanes near Visheshwarganj, and visitors usually leave with a black thread tied at the wrist, a small ritual that has continued for generations. A few kilometres away, in Lahartara, the mood changes completely. Kabir Math is quiet, low-ceilinged and unhurried, associated with the fifteenth-century poet-saint whose dohas refused every boundary of caste and creed. Where Bhairav is fierce, Kabir is plainspoken. Together the two sites capture the range Banaras holds without contradiction — awe and irreverence within the same afternoon. Between the two lies the third pillar of any honest Banaras itinerary: its food. Mornings begin with kachori-sabzi and jalebi at the old shops of Kachori Gali, followed by a clay kulhad of malaiyo in winter or thick, saffron-flecked lassi through the warmer months. Evenings belong to chaat, thandai and the ritual paan that closes almost every Banarasi meal. Travellers planning this circuit should set aside a full day, wear comfortable footwear for uneven lanes, and move between stops by auto or e-rickshaw rather than car, since the old city's galis are too narrow for four wheels. Photography is usually restricted inside temple premises, and modest dress is appreciated at both sites.
Compiled by HelloBanaras from public sources: