8 special highlights of Varanasi you don't want to miss
It is difficult to understand why Varanasi is so attractive. After all, it is gross, there is cow shit everywhere, people are cremated in public and there is hardly any good coffee to be had. Yet it is enchanting.
Varanasi is one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world and is the most sacred place for Hindus. Old traditions such as public cremations and the caste system are still very prominent here. Yes, it is India at its best and a must-do when you go to India. In this article, I'll take you on a tour of the eight highlights that make Varanasi an unforgettable experience.
Walk along the Ganges
The Ganges is the center of life in Varanassi. A walk along this sacred river (or Mother Ganga as the Indians call her) is therefore a guarantee for sensory overload.
Check out this - best places to visit in varanasi
People wash themselves, their clothes and their water buffalo. Deceased relatives are washed one last time in the river before being cremated on public funeral pyres in front of many spectators.
Twenty meters from this public crematorium, children play cricket and try not to hit the ball into the river. Another ten meters away, an Indian with a cleft lip dressed in an old bomber jacket tries to sell you a slice of hash. Another ten meters further you have to do your best to neatly decline the umpteenth offer for a boat tour, massage or flower garland.
Sounds like an intense experience? It is and that is what makes it so interesting.
2. Body burns
Visiting public cremations is not directly at the top of the bucket list of many backpackers, but your visit to Varanasi is not complete without a visit to the Burning Ghat. It is already an interesting spectacle to the naked eye, but when you start talking to one of the locals you learn that there is so much more going on below the surface.
For example, you learn that the cabinet system is still very prominent and that each cabinet has its own specific combustion location. You can also see from the colors in which the deceased are wrapped, whether someone was married and whether it concerns an old or a young person.
Many people have asked me if it is not sinister to watch these burns, but that is not so bad. Although you occasionally see a half burnt leg sticking out, you generally don't see any faces and that makes it a bit less intense. Of course it also helps that you do not know that person and that the Indians themselves do not cry during the cremation because this would have negative consequences for the soul of the deceased person.
3. Attend the evening ceremony
A ceremony is held every evening for the Ganges. Flowers are sprinkled, candles are lit and bells sound. The ceremony itself may not be very spectacular, after all you don't know what is being said and if you are not religious yourself it can all look a bit like a puppet show. But it remains a feast for the eyes to watch all the Indians put on their best colorful clothes to attend this ceremony.
4. Boating on the Ganges
If you walk along the Ganges, you will be offered a boat trip every 20 meters. “Boat sir, I make you good price. Yes? ” Usually, you will dismiss this offer with a simple 'no thanks' or a more sophisticated lie like 'Sorry, I am afraid of water'. However, the day comes when you think: why not?
A boat trip will not disappoint. From the water you can view the different ghats in peace, while the boat gentleman explains everything to you. A great way to escape the hustle and bustle and enjoy Varanasi.
Get lost in the alleys
As soon as you leave the ghats (steps on the banks of the river) you will find yourself in small alleys. Wandering in these alleys is one of the best things to do in Varanasi. Don't be afraid of getting lost, because you will! In the end you just ask someone where the Ganges is and then you can always find your way.
6. Ramnagar Fort
The Ramnagar Fort is where the King of Varanasi lives. Certain parts of this fort have been transformed into a museum and are therefore open to the public. You will find the royal collection of carriages, carriages, old cars, weapons, stuffed animals and other works of art.
Eat at Café Dosa
Dosas are a kind of crunchy pancakes filled with all kinds of tasty savory things. The best I've eaten in India were at Cafe Dosa in Varanasi. It is a small hole in the wall type restaurant with a friendly owner offering many different flavors of dosas. That these dosas are of exceptional quality is not only confirmed by you but also by a cow who has been coming by every day for two years to eat a dosa! My personal tip: Masala Dosa.
8. Drink Lassi at Blue Lassi
Touristy? Yes, but with reason. This lassi shop offers more than 30 different flavors of lassi and is also located in an interesting location. Tucked away in the alleys, this lassi shop is right on the route used to carry the corpses towards the burning ghat. So while you are enjoying your tasty yogurt drink, you see a body being carried by every 10 to 20 minutes. A different experience. Anyway, that fits exactly with the whole experience called Varanasi.
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