Varanasi - The Holy City on Banks of Ganga

There are many hotels and lodges in Varanasi but the better ones are situated in the cantonment area, which is 20 minutes away from the ghats. If you don't mind compromising on luxury, it's best to stay at a small cheap lodge on the ghats to be close to all the action. We decided to stay at Hotel Riverview, a family run lodge, near Brahma Ghat. Apart from great food, our room overlooked the Ganges and had a magnificent view of the entire stretch of the ghats. Varanasi, at first sight, comes across as a rather filthy and dirty town. The narrow gullies in the old city are littered with animal and human waste, trash and slush. You have two choices: Either shake your head in disgust or get used to the litter. Choose the latter and your experience starts. Quaint shops selling eatables, paan shops in every corner, small temples, priests saying their prayers, masseurs, barbers...every nook and corner of these gullies holds a surprise for you.

We spent the first day walking across the ghats and understanding them. Manikarnika and Harishchandra ghats are where the dead are cremated. Dasashwamedha ghat is the most sacred and sadly also the most commercially exploited. Boatmen vie with each other to grab on to tourists, masseurs will beg you to oblige them and beggars will hound you. But things change as the sun sets and the prayer session starts. The place becomes choc-a-bloc with pilgrims and tourists who come to watch the puja and the river, by then spectacular with hundreds of little floating diyas. We decided to watch the "show" from the river and hired boat for Rs. 200. The entire stretch of the river along the ghats takes one and a half hours and you can even stop at Karnataka ghat for some chai served in clay cups.

Manikarnika ghat is where the dead get their ticket to heaven. There are many dharamshalas along these ghats where the old and aged come to spend their last days. It is slightly disturbing to enter these shelters and watch the old, waiting for their death without the slightest hint of despair on their faces.

On an average, three bodies are cremated at Manikarnika and Harishchandra ghats at any given point of time. According to belief, these rituals save the dead from being reborn in this cruel world. Dead children, pregnant women, holy men and the diseased are simply immersed into the Ganges to as to give them another chance to come back to this world. Researchers reveal that on an average, 45,000 bodies are deposited in the river every year. The government has apparently tried many remedial measures to counter water pollution, many of which failed. An organisation even introduced turtles into the river to take care of the bodies but strangely the creatures disappeared. However, scientists have come to understand that like most mountain rivers, the Ganges does have a miraculous property of cleansing itself. Little wonder that it is considered holy by the Hindus.

But Varanasi's huge population does seem to push things a bit too far. The river is used for almost everything, from washing clothes to bathing buffaloes. And that doesn't deter people from taking their holy dip which is an experience in itself. We spent an hour swimming in the river at Scindia ghat which is probably the cleanest and came out rejuvenated and clean of all sins. If you are in Varanasi for that spiritual experience, you have to visit the Kashi Vishwanath temple but remember, only Hindus are allowed. While offering prayers, you will be accosted by many priests who will pull you to their corner and chant mantras.

This again means donations. Apart from being spiritual, a trip to Varanasi can also be a great gastronomic experience. The town is famous for its aloo puri and lassi. Shops in every nook and corner serve these and many other milk products. A great culmination to a heavy meal would obviously be the special Benarsi pan. Another trademark is the silk saree. You will find many shops lined across the main market selling the gorgeous six yards. In all probability, you will be frequently accosted by "friendly" locals who will have a long chat with you by the end of which they will "invite" you to their homes. These are saree sellers and in most cases they "pressurise" their "guests" to buy from them. The best bet would be to shop at the state government run shops.

Entertainment at night could be a visit to the government-run bhang shops in the city. But nothing can be more elevating than sailing down the Ganges watching the lights of the old city shimmer in the darkness of the night.