Travel to Varanasi

Varanasi Tourism

Oldest Living City on Earth - isn't this sufficient to arouse your desire to travel to Varanasi !! Just imagine a city as old as Babylon still bustling with life and activity without any interruption in between.

Yes this is Varanasi. Walk along the ghats of the rive Ganges teeming with the austere clad yogis sitting on the edges, See the faithful cleanse themselves of their sins with a holy dip, temples, aarti - here you find soul of India. A little away is Sarnath where lord Buddha preached his sermon.

To feel the essence of this four thousand year old Indian civilization, you have to come Varanasi since this city only had been the witness.

Varanasi sums up what Mark Twain once said: "is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend and looks twice as old as all of them put together"

Truly, a travel to Varanasi would take you to the oldest living city of the world where time has lost its course in ancient temples, the sacred river Ganges and the serpentine lanes and by-lanes of the cityscape.

The city is a prime destination in Uttar Pradesh as well as India. The antiquity of the place is the biggest of all tourist attractions in Varanasi. Varanasi finds mention in the epics as old as the Mahbharata and the Jataka tales of Buddhism. Travel to Varanasi to see how the flow of life has remained unusually continuous in this city while contemporary civilizations in different parts of the world have been obliterated in course of time.

Visit the old temples; take a boat-ride along the river Ganges. Abundant glimpses of austere Hindu monks in saffron would mark your travel to Varanasi. Legends and myths linger in the Ghats (numerous concrete pavilions at the riverfronts plunging into the Ganges). Watch how devout Hindus take a dip into the unhygienic water of the river and perform rituals faithfully.

The city has also been the cradle of Buddhism. Take a short tour to the site of ancient Sarnath Stupas as you travel to Varanasi. Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon here.

How to Reach Varanasi

As old as Babylon, Varanasi is the oldest living city in the world. It is also considered one of the holiest cities in India.

'How to Reach Varanasi' is all about reaching this sacred destination where numerous temples, along the lanes and by-lanes, literally dot over the cityscape. The sacred river of the Ganges and the ghats teemed with the Hindu monks along lend a mystic aura to the city.

By Air

Being an important destination in Uttar Pradesh, the city of Varanasi has an airport. Many public and private airlines operate regular flight service to Varanasi from important cities of India namely Delhi, Mumbai, Khajuraho. One can also reach Varanasi directly from Kathmandu. Flights to Varanasi

By Train

Varanasi has two railways stations namely- Varanasi Junction and Kashi Junction. Several important trains connect Varanasi to Kolkata, Delhi and many other cities. Trains to Varanasi

By Road

Varanasi is connected to many key cities in India. Kolkata, Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai are well linked to the city by Road. NH-7, the longest National Highway in India connects Varanasi to the cities of Jabalpur, Nagpur, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Salem, Madurai and Kanyakumari.

Distance to Varanasi

• From delhi - 780 KM
• From bangalore - 1779 KM
• From chennai - 1813 KM
• From pune - 1609 KM
• From kolkata - 680 KM
• From allahabad - 125 KM

Varanasi Distance Chart

Shopping in Varanasi

The city has a tremendously rich tradition of handicrafts, which makes for a wonderful shopping in Varanasi.

Since long, Varanasi has earned global acclaim for exquisite silk saris with intricate floral patterns and elaborate zari (golden thread) works. Strikingly smooth and vibrant colors almost epitomize the feminine grace. These are hugely adored by the Indian women of all corners and are considered precious possessions through out their lives. Do not forget to pick up one or two 'Varanasi' saris while shopping in Varanasi.

Stone carved items of Varanasi are also quite famous. The ace craftsmen of the city chisel out beautiful utility items and objets d'art from stone. Candle stands, ashtrays, jewelry boxes not to mention replicas of Taj Mahal serve as fantastic souvenirs of a Varanasi tour.

Apart from the above, you can also find usual assortment of specialty crafts other from other parts of the state, like: Zardozi from Agra, embroidered fabric from Lucknow, leather works of Kanpur which are also popular items for shopping in Varanasi.

There are quite a few shopping joints in Varanasi. For buying fabrics, the Government-run-shops of Uttar Pradesh Handloom are best bet. Most of the hotels have shopping arcades or showrooms within the complex. Although the prices are generally forbidding, you may give them a shot.

But if you are comfortable with bargaining with the local vendors, check out the shops near Vishwanath temple for shopping in Varanasi.

A visit to the colorful local bazaars and shopping centres is always a unique experience.