It was frustrating,end of march and starting of summers. Like most of our plans this was long due. We aimed a long weekend, booked our train tickets from Delhi and Boom! we were headed towards Banaras. One of the holiest cities of the world.
We got down from the station and first thing we saw was the staggering amount of people moving with fierce ferocity in different general directions. The precious smell of street food was drilling down the nose but we decided to check in our hostel first.
"HosteLaVie - Our abode in Varanasi"
"The Ganga Aarti - Enchanting experience"
"Sarnath: Home of the Ashoka chakra"
We got down from the station and first thing we saw was the staggering amount of people moving with fierce ferocity in different general directions. The precious smell of street food was drilling down the nose but we decided to check in our hostel first.
The hostel was amazing. It had a great roof top(unfortunately which was discovered only on the last night by us), great breakfast, smart beds. It was situated just in the front of Assi ghat, giving us a rather amazing Banarasi View.
Our first hot-spot aim was "Kashi Vishwanath". The line was long. Kilometer long. But we were in a new place, the traveler stubbornness kept us from backing down. The temple felt like a large living creature. It was a enormous experience something which is hard to define in words.
After temple we moved down to food. Amazingly good food is luxury in Kashi, luxury available to all. Simplest of the dishes, twisted and given beautiful Benarasi flavor. Hard to ignore sweets. Lassi which you will like feel like gulping down in gallons. Foodie inside me was crying with happiness. One thing which I was not expecting in Varanasi was the availability of authentic south Indian food, my expectations were challenged. Kashi has strong Tamilian roots and it reflected in there food culture too.
"Blue Lassiwala"
They focus and are famous for their flavored lassi menu, overtime this place has become a must see destination for tourists visiting Varanasi and India.
"Boat ride in Ganga"
"You cross ghats sitting in the boat"
The 2 hour boat ride in Ganga was soul touching. It was peace oasis in the chaotic city. Imagine the loudest music in the area playing just in vicinity of your ear. And suddenly there's pin drop silence. With coolest breeze flowing with sun shining brighter than ever. Cool, sweaty and calm, the state in which we were left after our ride.
Varanasi is full of experiences. But when I look back my most vivid experience was Ganga Aarti. The time stopped. We were mesmerized. Awestruck! Everything looked and felt divine. We were in deep meditative phase. There was sync between the priests and the holy water. It almost felt like Ganga is answering the prayers. It took us 15 minutes to get normal after aarti trance.
Next day, we visited Sarnath. Its hard to believe a establishment so near to the Varanasi and it seemed untouched by Kashi's charm(It had its own charm).
By the time we bid good bye to Varanasi, I was already overwhelmed by emotions. It is city of polar opposites. Chaos exist there in order!
"Aur jabbhi har sawal Ka jawab
ek sawal hi hota,
yuhi ghat pe beth jaya karte the,
ghat ki jalti aag,
mano kuch sawalo ko raakh krdeti,
bakiyo ka jawab de deti
Fir kya
Ek chai, do paan aur bas
Zindagi Banaras ho jaya karti thi."
ek sawal hi hota,
yuhi ghat pe beth jaya karte the,
ghat ki jalti aag,
mano kuch sawalo ko raakh krdeti,
bakiyo ka jawab de deti
Fir kya
Ek chai, do paan aur bas
Zindagi Banaras ho jaya karti thi."
By Anonymous"
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