Varanasi day tour packages will provide an opportunity to a traveler to have a deeper peep into a chosen aspect of Varanasi. The name Varanasi is derived from its being located between the two rivers- Varuna and Asi. Among the seven holiest cities of the Hindus, Varanasi is the holiest and most sacred. Each year, it welcomes millions of pilgrims and Hindus at the twilight of their lives who come to die here: their ashes are immersed in the Ganges. They thus gain direct access to nirvana and escape the cycle of reincarnations. This city is undoubtedly one of the most captivating of the country. Pedestrian traffic in the ghat district is sometimes chaotic, between pedestrians, two-wheeled vehicles and cows! Varanasi is also an important center for the study of Sanskrit language and also for the manufacture of silk. Varanasi day tours have been designed to show you silk saree weavers in action.
Being the oldest city in the world, Varanasi, the city of Lord Shiva, attains very strong religious dimension. Hinduism is deeply implanted here.
Though there are several temples of extreme religious reverence but those are least historical, archaeological or architectural value. The old
temples in Varanasi
had been razed by the Muslim invaders out of religious intolerance. The houses of the old city of Varanasi are crammed behind the ghats. In this labyrinth of
alleys, one can easily spot people carrying a dead body covered with a white sheet for the crematorium. The Golden Temple of Varanasi, also called
Kashi Vishwanath Temple, jealously hidden in the maze of alleys oozing out smells of spices and incense, is the most sacred temple in the Hindu world,
containing the Shiva Lingam. Non-Hindus are not allowed access into Vishveswara Temple. A heritage day tour of Varanasi will definitely take a visitor
to walk through these alleys.
Abandoned palaces of maharajahs stand on stone-built Ganges ghats facing the holy River Ganga is an unforgettable sight. On the
ghats of Varanasi, old men and sadhus wait for death. Enjoy a boat ride along the stone-built
ghats of Varanasi on the banks of the Ganga. The best time for boat ride is the early morning hour of sunrise. The great & classic
scene is to observe the life and activities on the banks of the Ganga from Dashashwamedh Ghat, the main ghat, just before sunrise.
Observe the spectacle of the sun emerging from the horizon, religious ablution and, on certain ghasts like Manikarnika Ghat, cremations.
It is said that pyre-fire has never extinguished since millennia at Manikarnika Ghat. Manikarnika Ghat is a very pious place where the
goddess Parvati lost an earring requiring the intervention of Shiva who dug a basin to recover it. The basin is now filled with offerings
(ban on taking pictures).
A Varanasi Day tour has been designed to enjoy this spectacle from close quarters. Just sit at the edge of the Ganges and watch the fascinatingly unique spectacle. Walk along the Ghats to have a chance to discover the religious and cultural practices of the inhabitants of Varanasi. Indeed, part of the daily activities takes place on the banks of the Ganges: purchase of food, yoga practice, massage, etc.
At sunset, Dasashwamedh Ghat becomes centre of Ganga Aarti, the evening puja of Mother Ganga , a ceremony of offerings. The ghats are the steps that allow access to the Ganges. Take full advantage of this opportunity to immerse into this mystically sacred ritual, thronged and watched by thousands of faithful daily. Day tours in Varanasi address this demand of the guests.
Each of Varanasi ghats (small or large) is marked by a lingam and is inscribed in the religious geography of the city. The ghats are
crowded from the first rays of the sun until late in the evening. Here you can see people taking their baths, priests offering the puja,
and practicing meditation and yoga. Hindus believe that Gangajal (water from the river Ganges) is the water that cleanses the body of a
human and releases the soul of a dead man. This city occupies an important place in history. Famous for its handicrafts, Yoga, astrology,
cuisines, alleys, religious fervor, education, Buddhist monuments in Sarnath, temples, religious rituals etc, Varanasi offers immense
opportunities for cultural exploration.