Varanasi

The spiritual heart of India, Varanasi (formerly Benares), is set along the banks of the holy River Ganges and presents the visitor with an unrivalled cultural experience and spectacle. Steeped in antiquity, Varanasi, meaning ‘City of Light,’ is the most sacred Hindu pilgrimage site and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.

Varanasi throngs with pilgrims and effervesces with colour and spiritual fervour. Varanasi’s river ghats (embankments) are backdropped by a magical skyline of temples, havelis, domes and minarets and are the pulsating focus of reverence and ritual. Lying on the western banks of the sacred river Ganges, this city is an ancient centre of learning and has been a magnet for seers and sages for over 5,000 years. Varanasi is also an important pilgrimage place for Hindus who believe a dip in the holy waters will wash away their sins.

Taking an early morning boat excursion on the Ganges, attending the evening Ganga Aarti ceremony, and wandering through the city’s labyrinth of narrow lanes are some of the best ways to experience this extraordinary place. Nearby, the archaeological site of Sarnath is one of the great centres of Buddhism and is where the Buddha preached his first sermon. The magnificent battlements of Chunar Fort are another reason to visit.