Varanasi is the one place that has been at the top of my bucket list for a LONG time!  So when the time came to pick out my destination for my very last trip of 2023, I knew it had to be Varanasi.

The city displays a fascinating contrast between chaos and peace. On one hand, you’re enveloped in its vibrant streets teeming with a lively melange of locals, street vendors, and auto rickshaws. On the other hand, the ghats offer a peaceful respite, with the river Ganga flowing in the background.

Given a chance, I would love to spend a month here, listening to the thousands of stories and myths, visiting temples that adorn the corners of every other street, and eating delicious golgappe and rabdi jalebi every day! 

But I only had five days, so I had to really think about what I wanted to see and do. I wanted to soak up as much of Varanasi as I could in the short time I was there. So, here’s a list of my favourite places and experiences. Whether you are here for a month or for a few days, these are some of the things you absolutely can’t miss:

Kashi Vishwanath Temple

As the clock struck 3 AM in the morning, I was already up and ready to go. Why, you may ask? For Sparsh Darshan at Kashi Vishwanath Temple! 

The temple is crowded at all hours. So, if you want to skip the line, you can pay INR 300-500 per person to get direct entry inside the temple. 

Pro tip: Make your way from gate 1 (the perfect route to capture pictures!), and you’ll quickly find yourself in front of the temple corridor! You can also take the path from Manikarnika ghat that’ll lead you straight here. 

The temple was simply beautiful, from inside and out! It is one of the most important Hindu pilgrimage sites. Legend says that the very first Jyotirlinga was manifested here when Brahma and Vishnu had an argument about their supremacy. In case you didn’t know, it is also a part of the 12 Jyotirlingas! 

The entire complex is huge! There are several shrines inside, along with a well called Jnana Vapi, and a Nandi Bel statue. A city of legends, of course, there’s a story attached to this statue as well. If you ask the pandits of the temple, they’ll tell you that the land that the adjacent Gyanvapi Mosque is built on was once the site of a grander Vishwanatha temple. 

Why? Because this Nandi statue points towards it! They say that a Nandi statue is always supposed to point towards a shivling, and since it points toward this mosque, there are bound to be remnants of an older temple. 

Kaal Bhairav

Lord Kaal Bhairav, a fierce manifestation of Lord Shiva, is believed to be the Kotwal of Varanasi or the guardian of the city.

Long ago, Brahma and Vishnu had a big fight. To settle it, Lord Shiva turned into a beam of light, and the one who found the end would be the supreme god. Brahma lied about finding it, making Shiva angry. This anger created Kaal Bhairav, who chopped off Brahma’s fifth head. But of course, that meant that God committed the worst sin – ‘Brahmahatya’ (Killing of a man). 

To get rid of this curse, Kaal Bhairav went to Kashi and took a dip in Ganga. Lord Shiva, impressed by him, ultimately made him the ‘Inspector of the City.’ Hence, the city’s guardian was born! 

Now, if you think this is the end of the fascinating things about the temple, then you couldn’t be more wrong (because, believe me, I was!). Imagine my surprise when I went inside the temple and alcohol was being offered to God. If you want, you can even get this alcohol as a prasad! 

Street Food

If someone asked me to do the entire Varanasi trip all over again, but with one change, I would probably say more street food, please! Because let’s be honest – if you’re in this city, you can’t go a day without savouring some delicious street food. The Vishwanath Chaat Bhandar was my favourite out of all! And I do not exaggerate when I say that this pani puri was the best one that I’ve ever had in my life. They give this extra teekha paani at the end with lemon and chaat masala – yum! 

Dishes to try: Pani Puri, Palak Chaat, Dahi Puri, Kachori, Tamatar Chaat, Samosa, Puri Sabzi, Kachori Sabzi, Jalebi, Rabdi, Lassi, Bhaang, Baati Chokha(not really a street food but DELICIOUS), Malaiyo, Malai Toast

Popular Places to visit: Vishwanath Chaat Bhandar, Kashi Chaat Bhandar, Baati Chokha, The Ram Bhandar, Blue Lassi, Badal Thandai, Neelu Chaat Bhandar, Laxmi Chai Bhandar, Ashok Chai Wale

You’ll find a chaat wala or someone making jalebis and gulab jamuns on every street. So, go crazy! I would really recommend not just going to popular places. Explore and experiment. Also, very random, but please don’t miss out on Lemon Tea at the Ghats!

I tried almost everything, and you should too!

Boating During Sunrise

Remember how I got up early for Sparsh Darshan? Right from there, after attending a morning aarti at Assi Ghat, I went on a boat ride! 

It was such a simple but stunning experience. It’s early in the morning, so it’s peaceful. You are greeted by the sun over the Ganga. The river glows golden. The bustling life at the ghats comes into view. And then there are these beautiful birds flying around. 

On this particular day, I woke up at 3:00 am, went to Kashi Vishwanath for sparsh darshan, attended sunrise aarti at Assi Ghat, and then went for a boat ride. It was one of the most beautiful mornings of my life! 

PS: Don’t go on motorboats. Go for a chappu boat — a traditional, manually-propelled boat. It’s a little more expensive than the motorboat, but it’s way more fun, and the experience is better. There were 5 of us, and we paid 3000 rupees. So 600 rupees each. It’s better to huddle up and go in groups – it’ll be much cheaper. 

Ganga Aarti

There are just some things in Varanasi that you know you cannot miss, and the Ganga Aarti is, perhaps, on top of that list. Standing on the stairs of the ghat as the priests methodically chant verses and rhythmically move the diyas while the loud bells sound in the background – being in the middle of it all, it feels enchanting, peaceful and dynamic, all at once. I have been to a lot of aartis, but this one– it was almost like watching a play, so in sync and so cinematic! 

Two of the best places to witness these beautiful sights are the Assi Ghat and Dashashwamedh Ghat. In the evenings, you can head to the Dasaswamedh Ghat, where the aarti begins at 6:30 PM and continues for 45 minutes. For the morning aarti, you can go to the Assi Ghat, where it happens at 5:45 AM.

If you want a picture-perfect spot, I’d suggest you go an hour before the aarti starts.

Exploring all the ghats by foot

Emphasis on by foot! When you’re in Varanasi, you’re bound to stumble upon the ghats. I mean… There are 80 of these ghats! Each one of these ghats has its own unique charm that sets it apart. A walk through all of them, and you’ll discover so many new things! Yes, I explored all the 80 ghats on foot. But not in one day. It took me 4 days. I walked 12-13 kilometres every day but it was so worth it!

By far, out of all the ghats I visited, my favourite one has to be the Manikarnika ghat. It is a cremation ground, where hundreds of bodies are burned each day. I know it sounds ominous and scary, but it is the one place that’ll make you ponder over life. You’ll soon realize how grateful you are for everything you have! 

I also found the Assi ghat to be full of life, as well. Since it is a hub for morning aarti and boating, it is quite crowded at all times. If you want to go into the heart of all action, then Dashashwamedh Ghat is the place to be. It is amongst the oldest and holiest Varanasi ghats where the famous Ganga aarti takes place. Legends from Hindu mythology say that Lord Brahma created this ghat to welcome Lord Shiva.

I do love myself some peace and quiet, so the Panch Ganga ghat was amazing. It is typically very, very far away from the touristy crowds. If you want to click some beautiful photographs, head to the Lalita ghat, built by Rana Bahadur Shah, King of Nepal. The ghat is simply gorgeous, with two prominent temples, Nepali Mandir and Lalita Gauri Mandir. I also attended a fair at the Namo Ghat. Go to Tulsi Ghat to immerse yourself in the legacy of the great poet-saint Tulsidas and the epic Ramcharitmanas.

No matter which ghat you choose to make part of your itinerary, you’ll absolutely love them. Each of these ghats is so happening. From melas, festivals, and concerts to aartis and boating, you’ll find yourself lost in its cultural heritage. Just wear your comfiest shoes, get a cup of hot lemon tea, and explore! 

Parshwanath Jain temple

Now, this is one of the places that I visited because I’m a Jain, and I was intrigued. A lot of people don’t know that Varanasi is not just an important destination for Hindus, but also holds immense significance for Jains. 

According to Jain literature, Varanasi was the kingdom of King Aśvasena, the father of Parshvanatha, one of the four Tirthankar. It is also believed that the other three Tirthankar, Suparshvanatha, Chandraprabha, and Shreyansanath were also born in and around this holy city. 

The mulnayak of the temple, which you’ll find inside the main temple, is a black-coloured digambar idol of Parshvanatha that dates back to the 9th-11th century. There’s also a white-coloured shvetambar idol of Parshvanatha here. The temple is far away from crowds and in the heart of Bhelupur town. If you love peace and quiet, this is the place to be! I was literally the only person there.

Oh, and there’s also a museum here where I saw a broken idol, a few other statues, and snippets of history. It’s a really small museum, but fascinating nonetheless. There is also a Dharamshala inside the temple. 

Chandrakoop

If you know me – you know that if there’s a mysterious place, I will go! So when I heard about Chandrakoop, a lesser unknown yet magical place in Varanasi, I knew that I was visiting it! 

It is a beautiful well, far away from the hordes of crowds, located near the Meer ghat inside the Maa Siddheshwari temple. It has several mysteries attached to it, but the most fascinating one is the “shadow and death.” Locals say that if a person peeks inside the well and sees their shadow, they’ll have a long life span! But if they don’t, their death is near. They’ll also realize the time and place of his death at that very moment!

According to the priest of the temple and the people nearby, there are many such stories when a person did not see their shadow here, and then they died within a few months. Another thing that makes this well special is its connection with Manikarnika Ghat. The priests say that there is a tunnel inside this well that opens directly to Manikarnika Ghat. And Manikarnika is called the Maha Smashan. Chandrakoop’s connection with the Maha Smashan makes the legend even more fascinating!

In ancient times, pilgrims used to decide to stay in Kashi or return with the help of Chandrakoop. Those who could not see their reflection in the water used to stay here in Kashi to attain salvation.

The origin story of this well is nothing short of extraordinary as well! It is believed that Chandra Dev, the one who built the temple, was a fierce devotee of Lord Shiva. He was cursed by his father-in-law and turned into a black stone. To get freedom from the same curse, Chandra himself established Chandreshwar Shivalinga in Kashi and built a pond along with it. With the water of this pond, he anointed Chandreshwar Shivalinga for 1 lakh years and finally got freedom from the curse.

I also met an aunty there who told me that drinking water from the well would cure you of all your diseases! Some even say that the well is more ancient than the river Ganga itself.

I can confidently say that this trip to Varanasi was INCREDIBLE. The profound sense of awe and gratitude that I felt throughout the trip was completely indescribable. But while I’ve said goodbye to the city (for now, I’ll definitely be back), it’s time for you to explore and make your own story!