Dan's Adventure

The Shanti Lodge Hotel in Varanasi offers free sunrise and sunset boat rides along the Ganges river which gives an excellent opportunity to witness all the activity taking place on the ghats. I missed the opportunity for a sunset boat ride but I did make it up early enough on one morning to see the sunrise from the river. I was met at the hotel at 5.30am and taken down via Manikarnika Ghat, the main burning ghat, to the boat. During the hour long boat ride I was taken down to Dasaswadmedh Ghat, the main ghat, where many people were gathered, praying, taking part in their daily rituals and figurines of gods were being floated in the river. All along the ghats people were washing, clothes were laundered and bodies cremated at the two burning ghats. Although you can walk along the ghats, a boat ride gives a different view on the activities taking place on the ghats so in my opinion is an essential Varanasi experience. The Ganges river is considered holy which is the reason for bodies being cremated beside it, their ashes ending up in it, for washing in it and for praying at it.

The Old City of Varanasi is the area that runs behind the ghats, a series of narrow alley ways filled with bazaars, temples, shrines and guest houses. Cows roam freely in the alley ways along with goats and dogs so there is a distinct smell of cow dung throughout the city. Its got the feeling of being a very lived in city. Winding alley ways make it very easy to get lost, on my first day there I got lost going back to the hotel so had to pay someone to show me the way back. Its hard to walk for more than five minutes without someone in the Old City offering you some form of drugs, whether its marijuana or opiates, it becomes annoying very quickly.

Rickshaws are not allowed to enter the alley ways of the old city, but motorbikes and bicycles are free to terrorise the alleyways. I swear my ears are still ringing from the horns of motorbikes being blasted from right behind me. Squeezing between people and animals the motorbikes fly along the alleys, rarely slowing down for corners, so you really need to keep alert for them coming.

Armed guards are gathered at every entrance to Vishwanath Temple, aka the Golden Temple, due to security issues and tensions over the temple. 800kg of gold was used to plate the tower and dome of the temple which was added to the temple 50 years after its construction in 1776. Its the most popular Hindu temple in Varanasi, but is just one of many. Walking the streets of Varanasi you will come across a temple or shrine at almost every corner.

Varanasi is a city steeped in history and culture. There isn’t too much to see, a walk along the ghats, the alley ways of the old city, a boat ride and viewing a few temples and you’ve seen pretty much all there is to see. I spent several days there because it was nice to just relax and take things slowly. The roof top restaurant of Shanti Lodge was a very social place and had great views over the ghats so it was very easy to lose an entire afternoon sitting there.