Stand on the steps of Dashashwamedh Ghat as the light goes and the aarti begins, and the river in front of you fills with lamps, boats and the sound of bells. Behind you, the lanes of the old city narrow to the width of two people, and somewhere above them a temple spire catches the last of the sun.
Varanasi suits travellers who are comfortable with crowds, noise and ritual that is not staged for them. It is a pilgrimage city first, and the river is where its life is most visible. This guide covers the ghats, the temples and the archaeological and observatory sites that the sources describe, with practical notes on how to fit them together.
Distances along the river are short, but the old city is dense, so plan on walking and on allowing more time than the map suggests. Many temples in Varanasi are off-limits for non-Hindus, and the cremation ghats call for quiet and restraint rather than photography.
Top things to do in Varanasi
1. Dashashwamedh Ghat
Known as the main ghat, this is the site of the large evening aarti ceremony. The ceremony starts right after the sunset and lasts for around 45 minutes.
Time your day so that you are on the ghat or on the water when it begins, and arrive early enough to find a place to stand. It pairs naturally with the lanes of the old city, which you can walk through afterwards.
2. Manikarnika Ghat
This is the main cremation ghat, where Hindus cremate their dead in full view. Remain quiet and avoid taking photographs. Scams are plentiful here, so be alert to anyone who approaches you with an offer of guidance.
The ghat holds the Ratneshwar Temple, a 74 m (243 ft) temple that leans by 9°, more than the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Its sanctum is generally underwater most of the year, except during the summer.
3. Ganges boat trip and the ghats
The western crescent-shaped bank of the river is flanked by a continuous stretch of 84 ghats, or series of steps leading down to the river, stretching for 6.8 km. You can walk along the river and see all of the ghats, but the best option for viewing them is to charter a boat and see them from the river.
Traditional rituals and bathing occur at all times of the day, so there is no single best hour for the water. On the eastern banks the river is flanked by a 300-m-wide sand belt, beyond which lies a green belt, a protected area reserved for turtle breeding.
4. Kashi Vishwanath Temple
The most famous temple in the city, dedicated to Lord Shiva, and one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Shaivism. The temple was destroyed multiple times by Mughal invaders and was reconstructed by Hindu kings who followed them.
There are four gates to enter the temple. The main gate, called Ganga Dwar, is accessible from the Manikarnika Ghat, and a wide corridor leads to the main temple. Security is tight, making entrance to the main temple difficult and sometimes completely off-limits to foreigners. Bags, mobile phones and pens are not allowed inside the main temple, though they are allowed within the corridor, where you deposit them at the mobile lockers.
5. Assi Ghat
A popular place for tourists, long-term students and researchers to stay, with many hotels, restaurants and internet cafes nearby. The morning aarti, known as Subah e Banars, is held here.
Because of the concentration of places to stay and eat, this ghat works well as a base. The name Assi comes from the small stream in the southern part of the city that, with the Varuna in the north, bounds the old city.
6. Panchganga Ghat
Panchganga Ghat is the meeting of the five rivers. The Alamagir Mosque overlooks it and is a great place for a bird's eye view of the area.
Combine the two in one stop: see the ghat from the water or the steps, then take in the view over the river from above.
7. Harishchandra Ghat
This is a cremation place, the one where Raja Harishchandra did the last rituals of his son. Like Manikarnika, it is a burning ghat, where Hindus cremate their dead.
Approach it as you would Manikarnika: quietly, without photographing the cremations, and with attention to anyone who tries to draw you into a paid arrangement.
8. Kedar Ghat
Brightly painted in stripes and busy with bathers, this ghat is very photogenic.
It sits within the continuous stretch of ghats along the western bank, so it is easy to include on a walk between the better-known ghats rather than as a separate trip.
9. Jantar Mantar (Man Mandir Observatory)
On the terrace of Man Singh Ghat, this observatory consists of a series of masonry structures of unique form, each with a specialised function for astronomical measurement. Jai Singh, king of Amber, built five such observatories across northern and western India; apart from Varanasi, the others are at Jaipur, Delhi, Ujjain and Mathura, and the one in Mathura no longer exists. The Varanasi Jantar Mantar is much smaller than those in Delhi and Jaipur, and houses six instruments of five types, including two Samrat Yantra or sundials.
The Man Mahal also houses a Virtual Experiential Museum showing a series of light and sound shows, including one on the mythology of the Ganges and its course. There are models depicting life in Varanasi, among them a model of a pan shop, and an interactive musical gallery.
10. Rajghat
North of Malviya Bridge next to Rajghat, this archaeological site was the result of a chance discovery in the 1940s when the Kashi Railway Station was extended. After a couple of excavations, a structure was unearthed dating back to the 2nd century BCE, and the archaeological evidence suggested the place was continuously inhabited since the 8th century BCE. Today it consists of several scattered brick structures rising only to a height of 3 ft (0.91 m).
It is open 9AM to 5PM, and the ticket is the same as for Lal Khan Tomb. The two sites sit next to each other north of Malviya Bridge, so visit them together.
11. Lal Khan Tomb
North of Malviya Bridge next to Rajghat, this is the tomb of Lal Khan, minister and commander of Balwant Singh, King of Varanasi from 1740 to 1770. His last wish was to be buried where he could keep an eye on the gateway of the royal palace, and the king granted it by building him a magnificent tomb on the northern edge of Varanasi.
The tomb stands at the centre of a Mughal garden, marked with four chhatris on four corners, of which three stand today. It stands on an elevated square plinth that also houses several graves, and is crowned with a single dome flanked by chhatris on four corners; each side has three arches, with the central arches slightly higher than the side ones. The highlight is the decorative multi-coloured tile work, though the colours have faded. It is open 9AM to 5PM, and the ticket is the same as for Rajghat.
12. Bharat Mata Temple
This is the only temple dedicated to Mother India, located in the Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth campus. It was built by Babu Shiv Prasad Gupt and inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi in 1936. The statue of Bharat Mata is built in marble and is a model of undivided India, depicting the mountains, plains and oceans.
The most peculiar thing about the temple is that instead of the customary gods and goddesses, it houses a relief map of India carved out of marble.
13. Durga Mandir
Built in the 18th century, the Durga temple was made as a tribute to Goddess Durga, and it is one of the well-known temples in Varanasi.
Note that many temples in Varanasi are off-limits for non-Hindus, so check before you plan a visit around the interior.
14. Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple
The Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple is among the notable temples in Varanasi, alongside the Kashi Vishwanath Temple and the Durga Temple.
As with the other temples in the city, expect restrictions on entry for non-Hindus at some sites, so treat a visit as something to confirm on the day rather than assume.
15. Gauri Matha Temple
The devi at this temple is supposed to be the sister of the lord Kashi Vishwanath. It is a tradition to visit her just before you leave Kashi. You buy sea shells at this place and offer them to God, saying that the virtues of donating the shells go to her while you keep the virtues of having visited the holy shrines in Kashi and bathing in the Ganges. The trip to Kashi is expected to yield results only after completing this custom.
Because the visit belongs at the end of a stay, keep it for your last day rather than fitting it in early.
If you only have one day
Morning. Start at Assi Ghat, where the morning aarti known as Subah e Banars is held, and where the surrounding streets have the hotels, restaurants and internet cafes that make an early start easy. From there, walk north along the river through the continuous stretch of ghats, pausing at Kedar Ghat, which is brightly painted in stripes and busy with bathers.
Afternoon. Continue to Dashashwamedh Ghat and then to Manikarnika Ghat, the main cremation ghat, where you should remain quiet and avoid taking photographs. From Manikarnika you can reach the main gate of Kashi Vishwanath Temple, called Ganga Dwar, and follow the wide corridor towards the main temple, depositing bags, mobile phones and pens at the mobile lockers within the corridor. If time allows, cross to the terrace of Man Singh Ghat for Jantar Mantar and the Virtual Experiential Museum in the Man Mahal.
Evening. Return to Dashashwamedh Ghat for the large evening aarti, which starts right after sunset and lasts around 45 minutes. If you would rather see the ghats from the water, charter a boat instead, which the sources recommend as the best way to view them.
Frequently asked questions
When does the evening aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat take place?
It starts right after the sunset and lasts for around 45 minutes.
Can I take photographs at the cremation ghats?
No. At Manikarnika Ghat, the main cremation ghat, you should remain quiet and avoid taking photographs. Scams are plentiful there, so be careful about anyone who approaches you.
What is the best way to see the ghats?
You can walk along the river and see all of the ghats, but the best option is to charter a boat and see them from the river.
Can non-Hindus enter the temples?
Many temples in Varanasi are off-limits for non-Hindus. At Kashi Vishwanath Temple, security is tight, making entrance to the main temple difficult and sometimes completely off-limits to foreigners, and bags, mobile phones and pens are not allowed inside the main temple, though they are allowed within the corridor.
Decide how many days you can give to the river and the old city, then start planning around the aarti timings and the ghats you most want to walk.