Disorienting labyrinth of crooked alleys, chaotic yet colorful neighborhoods, famous Ghats (series of steps leading to the water body), flurries of activities around temples, and a burst of spices into your mouth: there are no adjectives that can define Varanasi accurately.
Once known as Kashi (City of Life) and Benares, Varanasi is not just a city but an overwhelming experience which may very well alter the course of your life. Vivid, intriguing, and mind-boggling, Varanasi is amongst the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world. Most revered and the holiest of the seven sacred places of Hinduism, Varanasi is located along the holy River Ganges making it the cultural center and spiritual capital of India.
No amount of preparation and reading can prepare you to face the immensity of faith and spiritual high that this Indian city will expose you to. Don’t visit Varanasi if you are looking for an easy, relaxed vacation but do visit Benares at least once in your life if you are ready to delve deeper into the matters of religion and spirituality.
You will have to discover Varanasi on your own. You will find answers here, as many of the western travelers do. If not, you will at least go back with an experience unparalleled to any other under the sun. Here are our top picks of activities you must do in Varanasi.