Discovering the Soul of India: The Best Things to do in Varanasi
When you visit Varanasi in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, you’ll be treated to an astonishing city break filled with history and spirituality.
It’s one of the oldest living cities in the world, with its origins dating back to the 11th century BC. While many parts of Varanasi have retained their rich traditions and charm, there are more modern attractions too, which are suitable for all ages and interests.
Varanasi (or Benares as it’s sometimes called) is famous for silks, fabrics and perfumes, just three of the things that make great souvenirs or gifts. Here are some of the best places to visit and things to do in Varanasi.
Temples Galore
With close to 3,000 temples in the city, we can’t cover them all in this article. However, we’ve picked out some of the most well-known below we recommend including in your Indian holiday itinerary.
Kashi Vishwanath Temple
You’ll find this famous Hindu temple on the west bank of the River Ganges. Built in 1780, it’s also commonly called the ‘Golden Temple’ and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple’s tower features 800kg of gold plating, making it a spectacular and easily recognisable sight. It’s worth mentioning you’re not allowed to film or take photographs inside the temple.
Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple
This temple’s history stretches back to the start of the 16th century and is dedicated to Lord Hanuman Ji. It’s located in an 8-acre forest, so the surroundings are peaceful and perfect for a spot of relaxation or reflection.
Tulsi Manas Temple
This magnificent marble temple is more modern than the others mentioned above. Built by Seth Ratan Lal Sureka ji in 1964, it’s named after the Hindu saint and poet Tulsi Das. It’s renowned for its incredible inscriptions and carvings, as well as its display of wonderful puppets during July and August each year
Riverside Ghats
A ghat is a flight of steps leading down to a river, and there are over 80 of them in Varanasi. As we touched on earlier, the Ganges flows through this iconic Indian city and is revered for its purifying and healing properties.
An early morning river cruise is a fantastic way to start your day in Varanasi, and you’ll see many of the ghats as you cruise along at a leisurely pace. We can’t give you all the details on each and every ghat, but here are three of the most popular in the city.
Assi Ghat
You’ll find the Assi Ghat where the Assi River and the Ganges meet. It’s a special spot to savour the sunrise or sunset during your Varanasi tour. There’s a Hindu ceremony of lights in the mornings, known as aarti, which is a must-see when you’re in Varanasi.
Dashashwamedh Ghat
This is one of the city’s oldest, most sacred and popular ghats. There’s an enthralling aarti ritual held here every evening after sunset. Whether you’re religious or not, it’s an enlightening way to round off your day, or you may want to bathe in the river like the locals - certainly one of the best places to visit in Varanasi.
Kedar Ghat
Kedar Ghat is a busy place, thanks to the excellent views and the fact it’s home to the Kedareshwar Temple. Descending the red and white steps is a daily ritual for many residents and is something you should include as part of your Varanasi tour
Four more highlights
There are so many things to do in Varanasi, a place that has so many wonderful and diverse attractions - and far too many to mention here. However, we’ve picked out a selection of our favourites below to suit various tastes and travelling parties.
Ramnagar Fort
Built in 1750, Ramnagar Fort is an excellent example of Mughal architecture. This royal residence stands opposite Tulsi Ghat on the eastern bank of the River Ganges. The fort complex has plenty to see and do, including temples, a museum, spacious courtyards and a fascinating astronomical clock.
Vishwanath Gali
This thriving street is packed full of places to pick up tasty local snacks and souvenirs. Vishwanath Gali is a real feast for the senses with so many amazing aromas, colourful items on display and the excited chatter of vendors and buyers in the background. It’s about 300 metres long, so allow yourself plenty of time to have a good browse and increase your chances of picking up a bargain to take home.
Varanasi Fun City
Spending an afternoon at Fun City is highly recommended if you’re on a family holiday to Varanasi. This water park has lots of slides and rides to keep kids entertained for hours and is a great place to unwind, cool down and take a break from sightseeing. There’s another water park in the city called Aqua World, so you can choose between them depending on where you’re staying or make time for both.
Bharat Kala Bhavan Museum
When you’re looking for some cultural things to do in Varanasi, you’ll find the Bharat Kala Bhavan Museum inside the Banaras Hindu University campus. With over 100,000 items on display covering art, textiles, jewellery, sculptures and more, you’ll get an intriguing glimpse into Indian creativity and history over the centuries on your Varanasi tour.
Next Stop: Varanasi
A city full of vitality, traditions and beautiful buildings, there are plenty of things to do in Varanasi. If you’ve never been to this part of India before, you’re sure to have a magnificent holiday. Read more about the stunning sights in Uttar Pradesh and design your next trip by getting in touch with Viva Holidays today.
