Things To Do In The City Of Ghats – Varanasi

The serene city of Ghats Varanasi receives a lot of Hindu devotees all around the year. Situated in Uttar Pradesh on the banks of River Ganga, this city is also known as Kashi and was amongst one of the favourite places of Lord Shiva. This city finds a place in the holy texts of Hinduism and that’s why is deeply revered as an important Hindu pilgrimage site. The cool flowing breeze along with a sense of calmness gives you the much needed detox in a spiritual atmosphere here. When you visit here you should include the following things in you to do list to have a complete and fulfilling experience:

1. Taking a holy dip: River Ganga is regarded as the most sacred of all rivers by the Hindus and this river flowing through Lord Shiva’s favourite place makes an extremely sought after destination for devotees. Going to Varanasi and taking a holy dip in River Ganga thus go hand in hand. There are some people who come to the city for this sole purpose. Legend says that taking a dip in the Ganges washes away all your sins committed knowingly or unknowingly and cleanses your soul to the core.

2. Visiting temples: Varanasi has as many as 2,000 temples and people from all over the world and India flock these temples to offer prayers. Since Varanasi is among the oldest surviving cities in the world, it has many temples which date back to olden times adding to its importance. One should definitely visit Kashi Vishwanath Temple which is dedicated to the worship of Lord Shiva (destroyer force in the trinity of Hindu Gods)

3. Strolling along the ghats: A view of holy ghats in Varanasi soaked in quietness will give you the much needed relaxation from the hustle-bustle of metro life. You can take a walk along the ghats enjoying the calmness that this city embraces in its surroundings. We would like to tell you that not all ghats are for praying, there are some ghats which are for cremation, bathing or clothes washing purposes. You could know about them as you walk along.

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4. Attending the evening prayers: Every evening, the surroundings in Varanasi echo with prayers offered at the ghats. The prayers invoke divine blessings of ‘Ganga Ma’ or Mother Ganga as it is fondly referred to by the devotees. At this time the ghats look splendid in the light of fire lit brass lamp. The aroma of incense sticks and flowers and blowing ‘shankhs’ renders the atmosphere a spiritual feel and makes it free from negativity.

Tip: Please assemble for the aarti well before the scheduled time as crowd starts gathering one hour prior.

5. Taking a boat ride: A boat cruise on the sacred waters of Ganga is not to be left out. Sailing over the water sparkling under the sunshine and listening to the beautiful sound of ripples created by the oars and helm of the boat as it moves ahead will be an experience that you’ll remember for the whole of your life. 

Tip: If you are a morning person, you can go for a boat ride at sunrise. At this time, the experience will be altogether different and magical.

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6. Sari Shopping: Sari weaving is the traditional craftwork pursued by many people in Varanasi so taking the traditional Indian dress Sari as a souvenir for your female friends and family members is a very good idea. You can shop for the very famous Banarasi Sari. These heavy saris having golden thread weaving in beautiful patterns look lovely. 

7. Walking through the streets: Varanasi has narrow streets running through it like a network of veins. You can go on an exploration of these streets, observing the local people, studying their cultures, tasting the local cuisine, shopping souvenirs, business trends of the city. You can also have a candid chat with some vendors if you are really inquisitive about anything. 

{ Get more Information about Varanasi Travel Guide }

8. Sitting on the stairs: Stairs on the river ghats offer a scenic view of the whole place. You can sit and just relax here. If you are a person who loves to capture moments through the lens then this is a place where you can get excellent opportunities to take some ‘out of the world’ pictures! And as every day in the evening Varanasi gets lip up with myriad earthen and leaf lamps flowing on the waters of river Ganga, you can watch the resplendence in the moonlight while sitting on the stairs.

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