Vanarasi Ghats - Shores of Spirituality
Stretched for some 3 km along the west banks of holy river Ganges, the Varanasi ghats or ceremonial stairs are undoubtedly the prime attractions of the city. It is widely believed that a dip in the sacred river may bring salvation leaving you free from all sins. You may also take a bathe and mingle with the crowd in the ghats and you will be amazed to know the immense belief people are having for these customs and traditions being celebrated for centuries. A number of boat rides are arranged along the river and you can savour the true flavour of the ghats of Varanasi.
Divine Legendary Ghats of Varanasi
Dasasvamedha Ghat is the main bathing destination in the city and you will always find it crowded with pilgrims, salvation seekers and tourists. It is said that Lord Brahma performed Dasasvamedha (das meaning 'ten', aswa meaning 'horse' and medha meaning sacrifice) Yajna here and hence the name. Bathing here is said to give the same merit as received by doing the 'ten horse sacrifice' that was performed here. Manikarnika Ghat and Kund is another attraction of the city and is associated with a number of legends and myths of Hinduism. Manikarnika means 'Jewelled Earring' and it is said that Lord Shiva's earring fell here, which gave it the name. You will be mesmerized to see the Lord Vishnu's footprints at Chakra-Pushkarini, which is located between Kund and the river. This is said to the holiest spot in Varanasi and Manikarnika is considered to be the holiest of all the ghats. The cremation ground just next to the ghat is hugely visited by the tourists coming to Varanasi. Harishchandra Ghat is another cremation ground in Varanasi. It is believed that those who leave their body in Varanasi attain moksha (liberation) at once. Panch-Ganga Ghat is one of five main ghats of Varanasi and the five holy rivers Ganges, Yamuna, Saraswati, Kirana and Dhutapapa are said to meet beneath it. Bathing here during the month of Kartika (Oct-Nov) is considered to be auspicious.
Life on Varanasi Ghats
As you enter in the ghats of Varanasi, the door to a different world of divinity and spiritualism is opened to you. You will never be bored by taking a stroll in the ghats rather will be engulfed by the activity of the various people accumulated here for various purposes. But most of the crowd are here in search of the nirvana which is believed to be gained by taking a dip into the holy waters of the Ganges. The life in ghats keep on changing as the sun rotates in the sky. In the morning the place is filled with hustle bustle of devotees rushing to take bath and offering 'puja' to the rising Sun. Chanting of Sanskrit mantras by the Sadhus make the ambience even more mesmerizing. The evening comes with a different flavour when the ghats are lighted with thousands of earthen lamps floating in the river carrying some wishes with themselves.
Fascinating Boat Ride Along the Ghats
As you take up a boat ride in the Ganges in Varanasi, the exclamatory expressions start to come out of you naturally and effortlessly. People coming to Varanasi make it a point to take up this charming boat ride along the river preferably in the morning. The boat ride starts from Dasashwamedh Ghat and ends at Manikarnika Ghat, which starts at 3 am in the morning. You will be mesmerized to see the morning life at the ghats involving daily routine and religious activities of the devotees. The nature also comes to bedazzle you as it melts golden red into the river when the sun peeps in the East. Enjoy this moment to have an everlasting memory.
Tourism
Varanasi attracts thousands of Hindu piligrims every year.
Probably due to its unique culture, Varanasi is a major tourist destination for foreign tourists in India.[citation needed] A number of hotels are present in the city, as well as more efficient housing for Western student researchers.
Varanasi is a noted centre for Banarasi silk weaving and brassware. Fine silks and brocaded fabrics, exquisite saris, brassware, jewellery, woodcraft, carpets, wall hangings, lamp shades and masks of Hindu and Buddhist deities are some of Varanasi's shopping attractions. The main shopping areas include the Chowk, Godaulia, Vishwanath Lane, Lahurabir and Thatheri Bazaar.[14] Assi Ghat, a midway point between Godaulia in the heart of downtown and youth culture of Benares Hindu University, is the district where most young, foreign, long-term residents stay.
Climate
Varanasi experiences a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cwa) with large variations between summer and winter temperatures. Summers are long, from early April to October, with intervening monsoon seasons and are also extremely hot, even by South Asian standards. The temperature ranges between 32°C – 46 °C (90°F – 115 °F) in the summers. Winters in Varanasi see very large diurnal variations, with warm days and downright cold nights. Cold waves from the Himalayan region cause temperatures to dip across the city in the winter from December to February and temperatures below 5 °C are not uncommon.[24] The average annual rainfall is 1,110 mm (44 in).[25] Fog is common in the winters, while hot dry winds, called loo, blow in the summers.
Through a combination of water pollution, new constructions of upstream dams, and increase in the local temperature, the water level of the Ganges has recently gone down significantly, and small islands have become visible in the middle of the river.
GeographyThe city of Varanasi is located in the middle Ganges valley of North India, in the Eastern part of the state of Uttar Pradesh, along the left crescent-shaped bank of the Ganges river. It has the headquarters of Varanasi district. The "Varanasi Urban Agglomeration" — an agglomeration of seven urban sub-units — covers an area of 112.26 km2 (approximately 43 mi²).[23] The urban agglomeration is stretched between 82° 56’E - 83° 03’E and 25° 14’N - 25° 23.5’N.[23] Being located in the Indo-Gangetic Plains of North India, the land is very fertile because low level floods in the Ganges continually replenish the soil.
On a local level, Varanasi is located on a higher ground between rivers Ganges and Varuna, the mean elevation being 80.71 m.[24] As a result of absence of tributaries and canals, the main land is continuous and relatively dry. In ancient times, this geographic situation must have been highly favorable for forming settlements. But it is difficult to ascertain the original geography of Varanasi because the city's current location is not exactly the same as the one described in some old texts.
Varanasi is often said to be located between two confluences: one of the Ganges and Varuna, and other of the Ganges and Assi, (Assi having always been a rivulet rather than a river.) The distance between these two confluences is around 2.5 miles (4.0 km), and religious Hindus regard a round trip between these two places—a Pancha-kroshi Yatra (a five mile (8 km) journey) ending with a visit to a Sakshi Vinayak Temple as a holy ritual.
