Varanasi: The City That Does Not Look Away

Varanasi is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world - or one of them, depending on who you ask - and it has the confidence of something that does not need to justify itself. The Ganges runs wide and brown here. Pyres burn at Manikarnika Ghat around the clock. Men shave their heads for the dead and young priests swing oil lamps in rhythmic arcs for the living. All of this happens simultaneously, without any separation between the sacred and the commercial. If you want a clean, mediated experience of India, go somewhere else. If you want the real thing, go to Varanasi.

The Ghats

There are 84 ghats along the western bank of the Ganges, a chain of stone steps running 7 km from Rajghat in the north to Assi Ghat in the south. They are the reason to come.

Dashashwamedh Ghat is the main ghat: busy, central, and the site of the Ganga Aarti ceremony held every evening at sunset (roughly 18:00-19:00, depending on season). Priests perform a choreographed ritual with fire lamps, incense, and conch shells that has been running for decades. It is absolutely a performance for tourists and worshippers both, and it is still worth attending. Arrive 30 minutes early for a decent viewpoint. Watching from a boat on the river costs around 100-200 INR per person and gives you a better perspective.

Manikarnika Ghat is where open-air cremations take place, 24 hours a day. Photography is not permitted and should not be attempted. Guides will approach offering access to rooftop viewpoints and then ask for large sums for charity. The charity is rarely what it claims to be. You can watch respectfully from the lower steps of the ghat itself.

Assi Ghat at the southern end is where many of the long-term travellers and foreign students of yoga or Sanskrit gather. The chai stalls and small restaurants along the lane behind the ghat are cheaper and more interesting than the main tourist strip.

Harishchandra Ghat is the city’s second cremation ghat, smaller and quieter than Manikarnika. Often overlooked by tour itineraries, which makes it the more contemplative of the two.

A sunrise boat ride along the full length of the ghats costs 200-500 INR depending on your bargaining. Fix the price before you get in. An hour is enough; two hours starts to feel long.

Kashi Vishwanath Temple

One of the 12 jyotirlingas (sacred Shiva shrines) in India. Entry for non-Hindus was historically restricted; the complex was expanded significantly in 2021 as the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor project widened access. Foreign nationals now need to show their passport and pay a nominal entry fee. The security process involves multiple bag checks and is slow. Allow 45 minutes to get through. Once inside, the atmosphere is intense and the inner sanctum is small and crowded, but it is one of the most significant Hindu temples in India.

Practical note: the surrounding lanes (gallis) are narrow and navigational nightmares. Walk in with a guide the first time or use the corridor’s official entry points marked on Google Maps.

Sarnath

7 km north of Varanasi’s city centre: this is where Buddha gave his first sermon after achieving enlightenment. The Dhamek Stupa (5th century CE) is the main structure, solid and substantial. The Sarnath Museum holds the original Lion Capital of Ashoka, the same sculpture whose four-lion head is now India’s national emblem. The museum is worth 45 minutes; skip the government souvenir shop.

An auto-rickshaw from the old city to Sarnath costs around 150-200 INR and takes 20-30 minutes depending on traffic.

Eating in Varanasi

Blue Lassi on a narrow lane near the Kashi Vishwanath Temple has been making thick, fruit-layered lassis since 1965. It is run by the same family. The line moves slowly. Order the rose or saffron variety if you want something unusual. Around 80-120 INR per glass.

Aadha-Aadha (near Assi Ghat): proper thali restaurant, not a tourist trap, excellent dal.

Baati Chokha (Sigra area): Bihari-style roasted wheat balls (baati) with ghee and chokha (spiced mashed vegetables). Unusual for Varanasi’s tourist circuit and very good.

Kashi Chat Bhandar (Godaulia crossing area): the city’s famous street snack spot. Tamatar chaat (spiced tomatoes) and kachori sabzi are the things to order. Busy, chaotic, and cheap.

Stick to fully cooked food at street stalls. Salads and unpeeled fruit from random roadside stalls are a reliable route to trouble.

Staying

Ganges View Guest House (Assi Ghat): small, comfortable, rooftop with river views, genuinely good value. Book well ahead.

BrijRama Palace (Darbhanga Ghat): converted 18th-century haveli, luxury end of the market, river-facing rooms are the reason to book. Around $150-200 per night.

Rashmi Guest House (near Dashashwamedh): basic, clean, budget option. Stairs are steep, rooms are small, price is honest.

When to Go

October through February: comfortable temperatures (15-25 Celsius during the day), dry, and the festival calendar is richest. Diwali in October/November turns the ghats into an extraordinary spectacle of floating lamps.

March through May gets hot fast, with May reaching 45 Celsius. June to September is monsoon: the Ganges floods some of the lower ghats and the humidity is extreme. The city does not stop during monsoon - it never stops - but visiting becomes harder work.

Auto-rickshaws are the practical choice for distances beyond walking. Agree the fare before departure. The pre-paid stand near Varanasi Junction railway station gives honest rates for the main sights.