Western Ghats

Varanasi, India trip 2016 (HD 1080p)

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• published: 18 May 2016
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Varanasi, India trip, Varanasi Tourism, Best of Varanasi, River Ganges, Varanasi travel guide Sponsors (( http://www.gct.com & http://www.oattravel.com )) Travel Videos HD, World Travel Guide http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=World1Tube Varanasi, once known as Benares or Banaras and Kashi, is a historical city in northern India. The city is sacred to Hindus and Jains and also one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, with settlements dating back to the 11th century BC. Many Hindus believe that dying in Varanasi brings salvation/nirvana and so they make the trip to the city when they realize that they are close to death. For some, the culture shock of the burning corpses in plain view and the feces overflowing from the Ganges can be a bit overwhelming. However, the scene of pilgrims doing their devotions in the River Ganga at sunrise set against the backdrop of the centuries old temples is probably one of the most impressive sights in the world. The city can be scorchingly hot in the summer months so, if possible, time your visit to fall between October and March, and bring something warm to wear for chilly days and nights, instead. See in Varanasi, India trip ================== Varanasi is not a city with distinct tourist destinations; the experience is in watching the spectacle of life and death on the river and meandering through the alleys of the old city. Ghats and the River Ganges --------------------------------------------------------- The River Ganga is a sacred river for the Hindus and you will see traditional rituals and bathing occurring at all times of the day. On the Eastern banks, the River Ganga is flanked by a 300m wide sand belt, beyond which lies a green belt, a protected area reserved for turtle breeding. The western crescent-shaped bank of the River Ganga is flanked by a continuous stretch of 84 ghats, or series of steps leading down to the river, stretching for 6.8km. These ghats were built by Hindu kings who wanted to die along the Ganges, and they built lofty palaces along the river, most of which are now hotels, to spend their final days. You can walk along the river and see all of the ghats, but the best option for viewing the ghats is to charter a boat and see them from the river. Hindus consider it auspicious to die in Varanasi, so some ghats are known as burning ghats, where over 200+ corpses per day are cremated in full view before their ashes are eased into the Ganga. Some of the most popular ghats, from north to south: ----------------------------------------------------- Panchganga Ghat - the meeting of the five rivers Manikarnika Ghat - the main cremation ghat; a must-see, but remain quiet and never take photographs (note: scams are plentiful here; see the "Staying Safe" section) Dasaswamedh Ghat - known as the 'main' ghat, this is the site of the large evening aarti ceremony Rana Ghat Kedar Ghat - brightly painted in stripes and busy with bathers, very photogenic Narad Ghat - the ghat on which bathing with spouse is not advised because the legend of contention Harishchandra Ghat - the cremation place where Raja Harishchandra did the last rituals of his son. Hanuman Ghat Shivala Ghat Tulsi Ghat - site of the large water purification plant Assi Ghat - a popular place to stay, with many hotels, restaurants, and internet cafes Other sights ============= Banaras Hindu University, A very green and peaceful campus. Few actually know that this University was built during the Indian freedom struggle and is known as Oxford of the East. This is the largest residential university of Asia, with 124 departments. You can also visit Bharat Kala Bhavan, a museum of Art and Archeology inside the university. There is also a huge white marbled temple called Vishwanath Temple which was bulit by Pt. Madan Mohan Malviya, the founder of the university. Chunar Fort, (15km southwest of Varanasi). A 2,000+ year old fort. Kriti Gallery, Raman Niwas, Mahmoor Ganj, Varanasi (opposite All India Radio Station), ☎ 9839058007, [8]. 11-6 pm. A place to interact with contemporary art in the city of Varanasi. Man Mandir Observatory. Ramnagar Fort, (Located on the eastern bank of the river, opposite Tulsi Ghat). The fort of the King of Kashi. Built in 1750 in the Mughal style. Do in Varanasi, India trip ================ Watch Indians bathing in the Ganges - Over 60,000 people come to the ghats every day to take a dip in the sacred waters of the Ganga, most notably at sunrise. This is a fantastic sight to see. However, due to the sewage pipes that discharge feces into the river, along with sunken corpses, there is a risk of infection from numerous diseases such as hepatitis and bacteria such as e-coli. Reports have shown that the Ganges water has a fecal coliform MPN of 88,000 per 100ml, compared to a desirable fecal coliform MPN of 500 per 100ml. Boat rides - Very popular, especially at sunrise and sunset. Boats can either be rowboats or motorboats.