Varanasi

Arrival in Varanasi

The train pulled into Varanasi station a couple of hours later than scheduled.. not too bad a start for our first Indian train experience! The guide book was full of warnings about the annoying taxi and hotel touts outside the station but we managed to get a taxi without too much hassle, though as expected the driver did try and put us off going to the hotel we’d chosen in hope that we he could take us to one where he could get commission. The hotel overlooked the Ganges though it was slightly outside the main gahts…which made for some interesting rickshaw rides home in the evening!

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Around Varanasi

On our first wander through the streets we were greeted with stares and choruses of ‘ha-lo’s from the locals. Passing by the cows, pigs and buffalo’s along the road, we headed down to the Ghats to walk along the river. With the monsoon season not long gone they were blasting meters of thick mud from the waters edge to reveal the paved steps along the rivers edge. We took a seat at one of the ghats to watch a ceremony that takes place each evening, involving lots of chanting, incense and fire. The colourful hive of activity round the Ghats comes to life even more first thing in the morning which we experienced on a boat trip as the sun came up. With people bathing in the river, washing clothes and bedding and laying them out to dry in the sun, and the cremations in full swing (luckily our visit to the burning ghats in Kathmandu had prepared us for that one!) there is a lot to look at. On the ride back up the river, the boatman roped Mark into helping him paddle against the current- much to the amusement of the people along the banks!