When we talk about Varanasi, the two words that come instantly to our mind are our culture and colour. People across the globe travel to Varanasi to enjoy the spiritually rich destination. Varanasi is famous for bathing ghats that run along the river Ganga. Varanasi has been considered one of the holiest places visited for spiritual enlightenment. Varanasi is also popularly known as the city of lights. It is no longer just a spiritual destination as other activities can be enjoyed while visiting the city.
When traveling to Varanasi one can enjoy several things. The morning boat rides, the grandeur of the evening Aarti, the beauty of endless ghats, and beautifully built historical palaces like the brijrama palace Varanasi, several beautifully made temples, enjoying local street food, and taking a tour to Sarnath are some of many. The city of Varanasi is no more a place you visit to find salvation in essence, but it also has a beat of its own.
Let’s list down some of the beautiful places in Varanasi that you can visit on your next trip.
- Witness the evening Aarti: being a part of the evening Aarti held at the ghat is a mystical experience. Huge brass lamps, millions of small diya’s brightening the whole area, and spiritual chants will pull you to a world of its own. The grandeur of the evening Aarti is best enjoyed when viewed from the DasawamedhGhat. It would be best if you could ideally present at the ghat at least an hour before the Aarti. This would ensure you and your family enjoy a much more spectacular view. The beauty of millions of lamps that I’ll let together and the aroma of incense Will create a memory you will never forget.
- Boat rides in the morning: one of the best things you could do to value in Varanasi is taking a boat ride early in the morning on the Holy river Ganga. These boat rides give you a spectacular view of the various Ghats that are placed one after the other, along with the historical palaces. It is considered best to take these rides from 5 AM to 8 AM. Seeing how the city is fully functional even in the early hours of the day is amazing. The beautiful panoramic views you get in the morning are worth missing during some of your sleep hours.
- Explore the various temples: if you are visiting Varanasi and not visiting these temples, your visit is probably incomplete. The holy city is filled with beautiful temples situated closely throughout the city. One of the most famous temples in Varanasi is KashiVishwanath Temple. It’s popularly known as the golden temple because back in the day, maharajaRanjit Singh gifted a huge amount of gold which was later used to construct two domes of the temple.
- Take the holy dip: then we talk about the river Ganga; according to Hindu mythology, it is one of the most sacred rivers and is worshipped widely. Taking a dip in Ganga is considered auspicious. People across the globe visit Varanasi to take this holy dip to attain salvation and purify their souls. The city has a total of 84 widely spread ghats that have steps made to help one take the holy dip.
- Take a walk: As already mentioned, the city is filled with ghats, and taking a stroll in any of these is an experience. You may come across various people visiting the place for religious purposes, hundreds of Sadhus, people performing some rituals, etc. For foreign travelers or visitors, a site like this can be very fascinating, and each corner you look at has a story of its own.
- Visit Sarnath: If you’re visiting Varanasi, make sure your travel plans also include a visit to Sarnath. Just kilometers away from the city of Varanasi is a small and quiet village called Singhpur. The place is commonly known for various Buddhist monuments. It is believed that Lord Buddha initially came to a deer Park where he spoke about Dharma for the first time. It is this deer Park that is popularly known as Sarnath.
- Local shopping: If you’re free on a lazy afternoon, one of the best things you could do is visit the local market. From finding beautiful and colourful patterns in silk sarees to even finding things like carpets, jewelry, bangles, and religious figures, the market has all options available.
- A visit to historical forts and hotels: One of the best things you could do if you are a history lover is either visit the historical Ramnagar Fort or, even better, book a stay at brijrama palace Varanasi. The Ramnagar Fort is not just a regular looking for it but is popularly known as one of the most lavishly built forts.On the other hand, if you are somebody who wants to enjoy a luxurious stay, one of the best options available would be booking a stay at the brijrama palace. Not only does the lavishly built property offer a luxurious stay, but it is also popularly known as one of the oldest man-made structures that Varanasi has. The palace is almost 210 years old and is a perfect place for people who want to enjoy the luxury attached to history. An added benefit of staying at the property is its close proximity to Vishwanath Temple and DashashwamedhGhat.
- Enjoy the local street food: if you are a big food lover, you’re in for a treat when visiting Varanasi. From options like having Puri’s even enjoying kachori, you can find sumptuous food all across the city. If you have a sweet tooth, one thing that cannot be missed during the winter season is Nimish.
The beautiful city of Varanasi is not just restricted to the points mentioned earlier. Still, there are several other places that a traveler can visit and enjoy. Days in Varanasi may have a different view of the city, whereas the evenings become bright and colourful. Varanasi is a great mix of culture and history and therefore what visiting.