Varanasi: Where spirituality meets culture!
Whether you are seeking a spiritual awakening or just a good time, this is the motley land that may see your wish come true
- Harshada Rege
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- Apr 23, 2018, 08:30 PM IST
If I’m asked to describe my five-day stay in Varanasi in one word, I would call it intense. While spirituality and religion are closely associated with the place, it is also a location where Google Maps loses its battle in mapping roads. When I whipped out my phone to find a particular restaurant, a helpful soul laughed, “Google is yet to reach here. It’s best to ask shopkeepers around.” This is not the place you come to escape the maddening crowd. Instead, you soak in its unique culture and find your own space in the chaos. Here, vehicles don’t find a way, they make their own.
During one such rickshaw ride, the driver advised, “Take care of both your elbows or a ride later, you may find one missing.” Of course, there’s a constant buzz about buying Banarasi saris and silk, but it’s talk of life, life after death, and moksha that often leads to interesting conversations. After all, it’s said that a person who dies here, is freed from the circle of life and death. From tranquil boat rides to zipping through the traffic-jammed roads, one has to try out everything for a complete taste of this city. My adventure entailed the below...
Pics: Harshada Rege
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A journey to remember | The sunset boat tour is the perfect way to get to know the ghats. My preferred boat ride, however, was the one in the morning. Do check out Subah-e-Banaras, a unique cultural and spiritual event that begins at the Assi Ghat at 4.30 am with an aarti, followed by yagna, recitation of the vedas and morning ragas, and ends with a yoga session at 7.30 am. A boat ride may cost you around `500 depending on your bargaining skills.
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Pause in the chaos | While I had witnessed the Ganga Aarti at Haridwar, I had heard a lot about the magnitude at which the ceremony is conducted here. Noise and chaos take a pause for the duration of the aarti when pandits line up to carry out the many rituals that are a daily occurrence. Podiums are set on the ghats and the crowd gets to see the goings-on either from the chairs there or from the boats that are docked by the Dashashwamedh Ghat.
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There’s always space for more | No doubt, traffic around the ghats can be a nightmare, but there’s a certain rhythm to it. Witty one-liners fly by as the rickshaw drivers try to find more passengers. Frayed tempers are soothed by fellow riders and a way is always found to sort the mess. The maze-like bylanes are extremely fascinating. While at a glance, it may seem that not much can fit here, eventually you find that it manages to accommodate humans, vehicles as well as cattle! It’s quite possible to feel a bit overwhelmed when you step into these alleys, but with time, you will come to see the beauty in this part, which has a lot of history to it.
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For the love of chaat | The chaat here is worth the hype and praise that it enjoys. Though one gets to sample most of these in a city like Mumbai, too, the taste differs a lot. I let the glutton in me take over during one such food walk. From among the fare that I sampled, Tamaatar Chaat (Tomato Chaat) was my favourite, followed by Palak Chaat. I was urged to try the Meethi Pani Puri, which turned out to be another name for what Mumbaikars refer to as Dahi Batata Puri. The Thandaai here is much in demand, too. Kashi Chaat Bhandar is the place to be if you want to sample some of the goodies.
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Café Culture | The area around Assi Ghat is home to some of the best coffeehouses in Varanasi. I recommend Pizzeria Vatika café, where the cooling Nana Mint is the thing to have after walking around in the sun. The pies here are great, too. There’s also Aum Café, which is largely organic and offers a huge selection of teas, including one that can help you battle a nasty cold. Head to Open Hand Café for a big breakfast and good coffee. There are many restaurants if you want to stick to your comfort cuisine.
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Sarnath | Sarnath, 10 km north-east in Varanasi, is a worthy stopover. The Dhamek Stupa is said to mark the spot where the Buddha gave the first sermon to his first five Brahmin disciples after attaining enlightenment. The museum here is home to some great sculptures and artworks and is a must visit as is the 80-feet tall statue of the Standing Buddha, which is said to be tallest in India.
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Sit by the ghats | While there’s a lot you can do in Varanasi, make sure you take some time out to sit by the ghats. From students learning their daily lessons to boatsmen constructing or repairing their vessels, it all happens before the city begins its daily routine in the morning. Luckily for me, I had a room with a view of the ghats. It’s also a great place to be at night as moonlight shimmers on the water of the Ganges, lending a certain tranquillity to the surroundings.
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History lessons | Though Varanasi has expanded and grown, it’s the city’s old part that intrigued me. The many palaces built alongside the ghats by rulers of various states have today been converted into hotels. These are the best places to stay if you are here. They not only boast of a great heritage but also of marvellous architecture. The same holds true for the various temples that dot the city. If you walk around its northern part, you can visit the Dharahara Mosque.
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Street art | The stretch alongside the ghats offers a canvas for artistic expression. While most of them pay homage to Lord Shiva, there are some unique works that can be found here. The one that caught my eye was a realistic portrait of a lady, who I later met in the bylanes at a shop. She was equally amused when I showed her the picture that I had clicked.
10. Kashi Labh Mukti Bhavan
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Seeking moksha | There’s nothing more inevitable than death and yet, it is one thing that most humans will go to any length to avoid. At Kashi Labh Mukti Bhavan, people come and patiently wait for their end. “We are needlessly scared of death. It’s just like changing your worn-out clothes, which cannot be mended any further, and so you wear a new set,” said Bhairav Nath Shukla, manager of Mukti Bhavan. Anyone who dies in Varanasi is believed to attain moksha (salvation). And so, many come here to seek that. Some have to wait for a few days, others even decades. People don’t die here, they get mukti (salvation/freedom).
