Varanasi, India; Cultural and historical paradise

Girl in the World
Jan 8, 2021
3 min read

Varanasi; easily my favourite place in India, and for most of my friends too. If you’re travelling India in the first places you are most likely interested in the cultures and lifestyles of other countries around the world and how ‘the other half live.’ India is a country that has always been on my bucket list because of its culture, its British Heritage and because of the fascinating fact that a country so small in comparison to other countries such as the United States, manages to be the second most populated country in the world with 1.21 billion people living there.

There were so many places that I visited in India that I loved, but for me, none of these compared with Varanasi. Varanasi is fascinating and has so much to offer travellers seeking to learn as much as they can about the local culture, like me.

One of the first things you will hear about Varanasi, is the 24 hour burning of the bodies. A ritual carried out daily where bodies are cremated by the River Ganges after been dunked in the holy river, to clear them of their sins. The Hindu religion promotes forgiveness of everyone. They believe that by bathing the dead in the holy river makes them pure and holy again. This ritual takes place in many places around India, but Varanasi is considered by most to be the ‘most holy’ city and therefore 400 plus bodies are brought here on a daily basis.

I watched this ceremony twice. Once from above amongst the piles of wood used to burn the bodies and the second time on a sunset boat trip along the Ganges. However neither of these times was I able to get up close, due to the fact that women aren’t allowed near the burning bodies because we’re ‘too emotional.’ I was told a story about a woman who jumped into the fire once years ago where her husband lay burning. Not sure how true this story is but it is one told by locals. Unfortunately for people like myself who are interested in seeing cultural experiences like these, India is quite a ‘traditional’ or old fashioned country, and there is most likely no logical reason why women aren’t actually allowed to watch.

Despite this, the ritual was an emotional and memorable experience, one which enabled me to learn a lot about the Hindu religion. The sunset boat tour, which was provided to us through STOPS Hostel is something well worth going on. Not only do you get to experience this amazing ritual, but you get to see amazing views of Varanasi city from the river, visit the creepy but interesting beach, filled with skulls and bones, and finally the big ceremony that happens every night at the Main Ghat where hundreds of boats gather and light candles which they then let float off in the water. It was a fun and lively ceremony which the locals really get into, singing and dancing around in their boats. Definitely one of the biggest highlights of my whole trip.

But Varanasi also has a lot of other sights to offer tourists, like lots of different Temples to visit, including Bharat Mata Mandir, Sankat Mochan Mandir and Kanaka Durga Mandir, to name a few. Markets are absolutely everywhere and just walking around the streets there is something to see or do that will catch your eye or taste-buds.