dperry

i am travelling to india next month. a highlight of my trip is visiting varanasi.
i will have only 2 days. i would like to hear from those of you who have been here,
what would be a perfect day in varanasi?
looking forward to your responses.

lcuy

Get up before dawn. Get a boat from Assi Ghat and negotiate for a one-way ride up to the top of Varanasi, then back to main Ghat. Get out at Main Ghat, wander the shops and temples in that area. Take a cycle rickshaw to the Mata India temple. Eat at Kerala Cafe for lunch. Take the cycle rickshaw along the main road back toward Assi Ghat, stopping at the Art gallery about half way down on the riverside of the street. Stop in for a snack at Bread of Life, then walk down to Assi Ghat. Stop in and chat with the shopkeeper at Silk Paradise, a tiny storefront just before the ghat. (Don't have him make tailored things, but his scarves are a nice bargain)

Just before Sunset take a boat or cycle rickshaw up to watch the Aarti at Main Ghat.

This assumes you are staying near Assi Ghat.

dperry

lcuy- thanks very much. i am staying at taj ganges hotel.
not on river, unfortunately.

any other suggestions from fodorites?

Marija

Even if you're staying at the Taj Ganges away from the river,as we did, you'll have to haul yourself to the river if you want to experience what's unique about Varanasi. There's little of interest in the "suburban" area around the Taj. We enjoyed the sunrise and sunset boat rides as well as the Aarti at Main Ghat. Make sure to take insect repellant, even if it's chilly. If you have a lot of time you can do a half day trip to Sarnath.

lcuy

If you are in the cantonment area, you'll need to leave about 45 minutes before sunrise to do the boat trip. And don't believe anyone about the time of sunrise...they always say 6 am, and that can be way off, depending on the time of year. Allow yourself time to negotiate the price to. you may need to talk to several rowboat guys before they come down to a realistic price (about 200-300 for an hour).

dperry

marija and lcuy, thanks for your helpful responses.
does anyone know what we (2 people) should pay to hire a boat at sunset?
is there a 'best place' to get a boat?
marija- i do plan to spend my entire day around the river, thanks!
where is a good place to watch evening cremation ceremonies?

Cicerone

I think lcuy above has answered your question on what to pay for a boat. However, I would say that Varanasi is one of the places where at least on your first morning, it is <i>very</i> worthwhile to hire a guide (arranged before hand either the Taj if you want, or by yourself the evening you arrive, don’t just go to the riverside in the dark looking for one). The price you pay for a guide will not be high and should include the boat and also transport to the river and they will arrange it so you are on the river in time. I think it is very helpful to have someone explaining everything that you are seeing on the river, as there are different temples, and devotees from different sects are out in the morning performing their ablutions. Even if you have read guidebooks, a guide can still be very helpful, as no guidebook can cover all aspects (and Hinduism is very individualistic in its practice, so the guide may offer different interpretations than the guidebook does, which may explain things better or be more interesting.)

The guide can also take you afterwards to places where you can observe cremations (which occur all day, the “evening Aarti” referred to above is a lovely group song and prayer ceremony that takes places at sunset in Varanasi and several other towns along the Ganges; it has nothing to do with cremation. As it appears you not be familiar with the various aspects of Hinduism, this is why I think a guide may be helpful to you.)

If you have a second morning there, then you can do the boat by yourself if you want as you will have learned the ropes a bit. Sunrisesunset.com will give you approximate sunrise timings for the date of your visit. Use Delhi as the location.

I agree that if you have time, you may want to go to Sarnath if you have an interest in Buddhism. My favourite thing to do is just wander the little lanes near the river.

lcuy

The 200-300 Rs I mentioned is for a private rowboat with a rower (captain??) They hang out on the riverside and will (aggressively) try to sell themselves. Often the person selling will not be your captain, so do not assume that the guy with the great English skills will be in the boat with you.

If you are on your own, figure out what you will pay and stick to it. They will offer ridiculous prices otherwise! Do check the time as you get in the boat; ie 45 minutes is not an hour

I have no idea how much they charge on the bigger group motor boats, but i would not take one of them. Too many people, too noisy, and the vendors who row out to sell stuff will not give up till everyone on the boat has said no or has finished shopping. You will want your own peaceful space on the river. As Cicerone said, since you are so far from the river, having your driver, guide and and boat arranged might be a good idea.

Again, though, insist you want to be in the boat before the sun is visible. Half the beauty is watching the sky light up and the sun appear out of the nothingness beyond the river.

dperry

thank you everyone, for your helpful responses