I was really looking forward to visiting Varanasi for a reason which I can’t even explain. I felt attracted to that place for a very long time. And it didn’t disappoint. Varanasi has a very good atmosphere. There is something magical about this place. To make your stay easy and at least as memorable as ours we want to share these amazing things to do in Varanasi. Planning to visit India in winter? Read about the Top things to do in India in winter.
How to get around
Getting around Varanasi is a bit more complicated than other cities in India. If you are looking for a transport further from Ganga riverside you will find many auto rickshaws there. You can use Uber. The closer you get to the river the harder it gets. In many of the streets here you can only use cyclo-rickshaws. In most of the narrow streets right next to Ganga it is only possible to walk. Motorised vehicles are not able to get to certain streets.
Where to stay
I don’t know how about you but we came to this city mostly to experience river Ganga and all that’s happening around it. The burning ghats, boat rides, rituals… Since transport is very limited around the river we recomment staying as close to Ganga as possible. You can find many cheap guesthouses and hostels as well as more luxurious hotels in the narrow streets just a few minutes of walk from Ganga. Try to find something around this place on the map.
6 Top things to do in Varanasi
1. Visiting Manikarnika - main burning ghat
Experiencing and seeing the cremation process with your own eyes is unforgettable cultural experience. It felt a bit strange to go watch dead bodies being burnt. But once we arrived it changed. The families did not mind us being there at all.
Let me tell you something about the cremation process. At first families bring the body to ghat. It is covered in many sarees. They bathe the body in Ganga for the last time and let it dry on the sun afterwards. Sarees are put down and only one cover is left. The family goes to the back of the ghat to buy wood. They circle the body five times (expresses five elements) with the sacred fire and burn it. The fire that is used is said to be burning for thousands of years. The hips of women and chest of men never burn fully, so they have to throw it to the river. Ashes are collected and then they are thrown to Ganga.
On the first photo below you can see men collecting gold, silver and other precious metal from the dead bodies. They usually stay in Ganga. This group will take them out and sell them. On the second photo you can see the place where families buy the wood.
If you go a bit to the back, you will notice many men in barber shop getting their beard and hair cut. It is a tradition. Usually it is the oldest son. Right above the burning ghat there is a tower. You can actually go upstairs and check it out. This is the place where the higher casts are performing the cremation process. They also pay more money.
OUR TIP: As soon as we came we were approached by multiple locals claiming it is prohibited to take photos and videos in the ghat. A special permission is required which can only be obtained at a police station nearby. We didn’t know what to think about it. The price was around 300€/hour. We stopped shooting.
We returned another day but we came from other side. We saw one local guy from Mumbai with a camera making photos. We asked him about the permission. He said it is not necessary and IT’S A SCAM. He even told us that it’s embarassing to ask families for permission. We stayed with him a few hours and took many photos. No one told us anything. We came back the next day and again guys told us not to film. When we told them it’s a scam, some of them just left and some got aggressive.
It’s hard to say where is the truth. We didn’t find anything online. If you come here in order to film this or photograph, just try to stick to the locals.
2. Visiting secondary burning ghat
The second ghat is much smaller and less visited. If you want to avoid the crowds come here instead. There is only a few spots for cremation. It’s just 15 minutes walk from the main ghat. Unfortunately, when we came we were not allowed to walk anywhere (unlike in the main ghat). We had to stay outside on the edge of ghat. One guy also asked us politely to stop filming in order to respect the process, funeral and the family. He explained the whole process to us and told us many interesting things. It was actually very nice meeting.
In the photo you can see Sadu – holy man. Varanasi is full of them. Usually they are in orange sarees. Their hair is long and their face is painted. They live in ashrams, temples and rely on help from others. That’s the reason why you see them on the streets asking for money. People praise them and from time to time someone comes to them, performs a little mantra, gives them money and goes on. Very often they didn’t want to be photographed.
3. Explore around the streets
Streets of Varanasi are full of life. We loved the narrow streets next to Ganga the most. There is many shops with hippie clothes, street food, groceries etc. The main streets are crowded. There is a lot happening. It is very busy, loud and hectic. We could only stay there for a while before going crazy from constant honking and watching out for cars and scooters.
4. Try different street food
Varanasi is full of street food. When it comes to this, it was probably our favourite city! You can find many street stalls and small restaurants with different meals at every corner. And it’s so cheap! We loved it! Unfortunately I (Nika) was sick for the most of our stay. I had some health issues and diarrhea so I couldn’t really enjoy it that much.
I want to share some of our favourite places around Ganga where we ate:
- Baba Lassi (map) – the most delicious lussi full of fresh fruit, they have aroudn 30 different tastes! (and special lassi, too)
- Imok cafe (map) – decent coffe from a coffee machine
- Shri Guesthouse (map) – rooftop restaurant with great view of Ganga and Aarti ceremony
- Blue Lassi (map) -another delicious lassi shop
- Sha Chicken hut (map) – the best butter chicken, many other types of chicken too
5. Go for a sunset boat ride
Price: 500 rupee/hour
You should definitely not miss a romantic sunset boat ride. If you want to save some money, go with a group. We prefered a private boat for only two of us. You don’t have to worry about searching for a boat. Just walk on the Gangas shore and you will be approached by many people. We paid 500 rupee for 1 hour (5.6€). Expect to get many higher offers, some guys told us 1000 or even more. Definitely bargain. The best time to go on a boat is sunset or sunrise.
6. Watch Aarti ceremony
Aarti is a religious ritual performed every evening on the shores of Ganga. The men are offering different object to the Gods. It is very popular and important among Hindus. And that only means one thing – crowds. People come more than 1 hour before the ceremony even starts to get the best spots. So make sure you come earlier, too.It is wonderful to experience this. There is so much energy coming from the crowd. The ceremony starts around 6pm and lasts 45 minutes. There are no fees.
