TRAVEL SPECIAL...10 things to do in a few hours in Varanasi

10 things to do in a few hours in Varanasi

FREE
1 Walk by the 100-plus ghats along the holy river Ganga. Taking its name from the legend of Lord Brahma sacrificing 10 horses, Dashashwamedh Ghat, with its daily 7 pm aarti, is the most popular bathing ghat. Other popular ghats include Man Mandir Ghat with its observatory built by Maharaja Jai Singh II of Jaipur and Scindia Ghat with its partially submerged Shiva temple (up-tourism.com).
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2 Mingle with royalty at the Ramnagar Fort and Museum, 14 km from Varanasi. Built by the Maharaja of Benares in the 18th century, the museum houses a vast collection of vintage cars, ornate palanquins and royal garments. The fort also hosts popular Ramlila performances (Ramnagar; 9 am to 12 pm & 2 pm to 5.30 pm; 7).
3 Get a step closer to moksha at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, believed to be one of the holiest Hindu shrines. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the temple has one of the 12 jyotirlingas and is dubbed the Golden Temple for its golden spire. Daily prayers — only Hindus may attend — start with the mangala aarti (for ticket holders) and end with the shayan aarti (+91-542-2392629; shrikashivishwanath.org; Vishwanath Galli, Vishwanatha Khanda; 4 am to 9 pm).
4 Pay your respects to Mother India at the aptly named Bharat Mata Temple, located on the Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth campus. Built in 1936 by Babu Shiv Prasad Gupta, a leader of the freedom struggle, the temple gives pride of place to a marble carving of undivided India, its plains, mountains and rivers depicted in vivid detail (Vidyapeeth Road; 7am – 5pm).
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5 Hop onto a rowboat floating down the Ganga; it’s one of the best ways to get to know the city. If you start early, you will see the city come alive and witness the poojas conducted at the ghats. End the ride, around 6-kmlong, with a view of the aarti at the Dashashwamedh Ghat that is also the best place to hire the boat. Find a boatman the previous evening and negotiate in advance. Be warned: the sight of burning corpses can be off-putting.
6 Visit Vishwanatha Khanda (the Old City), home to places of worship. Beside the Kashi Vishwanath Temple is the Jnana Vapi Mosque, or the Great Mosque of Aurangzeb, on the original foundations of the temple, overlooking the Jnana Vapi (Wisdom Well), accessible only to the presiding Brahmins. Close by is the temple of Annapurna Bhavani and, next to it, a smaller temple that houses a gold image of the goddess open to the public only three days of the year.
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7 Dig into local street food at the tiny stalls on Vishwanath Galli. On offer are bite-sized samosas, kachoris served with a chickpea curry (ghugni), pani puri and much more. Finish the meal with a classic Benarasi paan or a glass of bhaang (Vishwanatha Khanda; from 25).
8 Enjoy Indian food and sunset views at the rooftop Dolphin Restaurant that sits pretty on Rashmi Guesthouse on the Man Mandir Ghat (+91-542-2402778; palaceonriver.com; D, 16/ 28-A, Man Mandir Ghat, Dashashwamedh; 7 am to 10.30 pm; bhuna murg 225).
9 Eat healthy at Brown Bread Bakery, which bakes the best breads in Varanasi and goes organic whenever possible with cheeses, cookies, soups and sandwiches. Part of the sale proceeds go towards educating underprivileged children (+91-9838888823; bakerybreadbrown.blogspot.in; D 5/ 127, Tripura Bhairavi Dashashwamedh; 7 am to 10 pm; lasagna 170).
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10 Drape yourself in the finest silk available at the Mehrotra Silk Factory. Choose from saris (including the famed Benares silk ones), scarves, cushion covers, bedspread sets and even silk boxers and kimonos (00-91-542-2200189; mehrotrasilk.in; SC 21/ 72, Englishia Line, Cantt; other branch: 00-91-542-2435892; K 4/ 8 A, Lal Ghat, Raj Mandir; 10 am to 8 pm; saris from 1,500).
GOOD TO KNOW

• The best time to visit Varanasi is between October and March.

• Do not carry valuables with you after sundown.

• It is not advisable to walk along the ghats late at night. Muggings are not uncommon.

• Pack woollens for chilly nights.

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