UP Tourism blog— Explore Varanasi and Sarnath

Uttar Pradesh is at the heart of Hindu spirituality and holds a significant place in shaping the traditional and cultural identity of the country. It is also a populous and politically volatile state; the political party that wins from U.P. significantly influences the formation of the government in India.

For the next few months, I will be embarking on a journey of the northern Indian states and NEPAL (Himalayan country bordering U.P. and Bihar). Some of the things that make the Hindi heartland of India unique; its seeped in politics and has had a bad law and order track record. Much to my discomfort and apprehensions given the 'not so positive' reviews; I ultimately undertook the challenge as a solo woman traveller. Will it work out fine for me or not 🤔 I wondered?!

A slow boat ride on the river Ganges 

But before I set out on this journey, I need to gather my strength. And the best way to do that? Food! There's nothing like a hearty meal to get me ready for an epic adventure. 

A hearty meal of chole bhature 

Now I'm full and ready.... What an amazing meal! I'm now ready to take on this journey. 

DAY 01 

It's time to pack my bags~ 

Today I have an overnight train to catch from Khajuraho to Varanasi. 

Read my previous blog~ The complete Madhya Pradesh tour.

DAY 02

You look lost traveller?!

As the train passed by the glorious green fields, amidst the clatter of hawkers, and chaiwallas~ I asked for a cuppa hot chai to start my day. This was the perfect time to call up my hostel to let them know I'll be there soon... "But why isn't anyone picking up the phone," I wondered. It was almost 8 am.

Varanasi is a maze of gullies, and locating my hostel was getting to be far more stressful than I thought. Neither Google maps nor my cycle rickshawalla could do any more than just follow my instincts ~ 'bhaiya, idhar se right udhar se left' direction. Just as I was about to give up hope, a soft melodic tune drifted through the air. It sounded like a flute or maybe a reed pipe. I followed the sound, my curiosity piqued. It led me around the side of a row of houses where an elderly looking man sat on a low stool, playing a haunting melody. 

He looked at me with twinkling eyes and stopped playing "You look lost traveller," he said, his voice deep and reassuring. At that very moment my phone buzzed in my pocket — it was the hostel. The voice at the other end sounded faint, sluggish and unintelligible. I immediately thrust the phone into the man's hands who to my great relief seemed to know and in turn explained to the rickshawalla.

Ganga aarti at the ghats

The hostel was buzzing with mostly foreign tourists. After a few hours rest in my bunker, I decided to soak in the hostel vibe. Maria from Belarus asked me to join her for lunch at a delightful bhojnalaya down the street. The ambience was homely and cozy while the meal was an elaborate delicious lunch thali.

Thereafter we took a slow boat ride on the river Ganges with the birds for company. We could see the ghats buzzing with activity. It was almost evening and time for the Ganga aarti.

Ghats along the river Ganges in Varanasi 

Maria suggested with take our places in one of the boats right opposite the Dashashwamedh ghat. 

Ganga Aarti at Varanasi is truly an awe-inspiring spiritual experience for both Hindus and non-Hindus alike. It takes place daily at the Dashashwamedh Ghat (दशाश्वमेध घाट)

Timing - 6:30 PM (Summer ) & 7:00 PM (Winter)Duration - around 45 mins

The night was falling fast and the river glistened with numerous diyas 🪔. We made our way out quickly to get past the crowd.

DAY 03

A day trip to Sarnath

Sarnath is located 8 kms NE of Varanasi. This is where the Buddha delivered his first sermon to the first five of his disciples in 538 BCE.

Buddhist temple in Sarnath 

Buddhism flourished in Sarnath between 600-200 BCE, during the period of the Nanda and Mauryan empires— Their patronage and also that of the kings and merchants from Varanasi made Sarnath an important centre of Buddhist studies, art and architecture. 

Beautiful intricate carvings on a Buddhist vihara~ Sarnath, U.P.

A Buddhist vihara at Sarnath, U.P.

The complex is spread over a vast area. Despite Muslim invasions and the destruction of Sarnath in the 12th century, it is heartening to see how the Archaeological dept has pieced together fragments of the viharas and sites in an attempt to restore it to its earlier glory. 

I walked around leisurely admiring the beautifully manicured lawns and sites. Maria rushed out to greet some of her Taiwanese friends. She signalled me, so I went out to meet her. The Taiwanese lady smiled, "Wisdom lies in knowledge," she said while running her fingers along the intricate engravings.  

Wisdom lies in knowledge 

We reached Varanasi by evening. The buzz of pilgrims and tourists filled the air as we browsed through the bustling lanes. I spotted a row of special thandai outlets. The things that make a vacation interesting are the unique experiences — I had read about these concoctions and wanted to give it a shot. The words of the Taiwanese lady rang in my ears as we sipped our bhang infused drink; The best way to find out exactly what you need to know is to experience it. It was all going fine, we later had some samosas dripped in tamarind chutney. 

Maria was rather quiet, but it didn't quite matter. We returned to the hostel with our bellies full. I felt a sense of tranquility... I needed to think it out alone in the dormitory. I sipped some more of the remaining drink before laying down in my bunker. After a while, my head started whirling; I could see a blast of colorful kaleidoscopic designs. It felt as if I was going to fall off again and again.

DAY 04

Varanasi is one of the world's continually inhabited cities. According to Hindu mythology Kashi (ie. its ancient name) was founded by Shiva himself, and is therefore considered as the place to attain Moksha. It is central to the 'life and death' tradition in Hinduism. The lanes leading towards Manikaran ghat throng with pilgrims who have travelled here from afar to cremate their dear ones. 

Among the notable landmarks in Varanasi are the Kashi Vishwanath temple, the Benares Hindu University and ofcourse the ghats. There are many more places worth seeing~ but I had spent over an hour queuing up for a darshan at the Kashi Vishwanath temple. Shiva is called here as Viswanatha (Lord of the Universe) and it is one of the 12 jyotirlinga sites. The original temple was destroyed by Muhammad Ghori. Subsequently the temple was built by Man Singh I and Todar Mal under Emperor Akbar. Thereafter Aurangzeb (Mughal emperor) demolished part of the temple in 1669 and built the Gyanvapi mosque in the site in 1678. Devotees now visit the portion which was retained. 

In 2021, the BJP government initiated and built the Kashi Vishwanath Dham corridor connecting the temple to the river Ganges. 

Signing out for the day

I withdrew some cash on the way back to my hostel. My next destination is Lucknow (via PRAGYARAJ)