In my previous blog, I shared how I spent my first day in Banaras, a slow, peaceful day by the Ganga that felt almost dreamlike. The next morning was different. We woke up before sunrise and headed straight for the ghats.
The air was cool, and the sky was still half-asleep. Watching the sun rise over the river was something else. People were taking their morning dip, and we joined them for a holy bath. The water was a bit cold, and I shivered at first, but I soon acclimatized. It felt like time stood still for a few minutes.
After a holy bath, we made our way to the famous Kashi Vishwanath Temple. There’s something powerful and peaceful about being there; we tried to soak in every energy we feel. The city is renowned for its narrow lanes. These lanes were filled with flower sellers, small shops, bells ringing, and devotees.
Once we stepped out, we were hungry, and there began the real Banaras magic. We wandered through the famous streets, trying everything that smelled too good to resist: crispy kachoris, jalebis fresh from the pan, and lassi. Traditional Banarasi breakfast really does live up to the hype!
By afternoon, we went back to rest for a bit. Banaras' heat is not easy to cope with. We decided to explore a few more temples in the evening. Shri Vishwanath Mandir inside the BHU campus. It is surrounded by students and the buzz of campus life. It felt different, modern yet deeply spiritual.
Before calling it a day, we stopped by a 100-year-old paan shop. Of course, Banaras and paan are inseparable! The shop owner was telling us stories while preparing our paan. We ended the evening walking through the lanes again, trying a few more street food stalls because, well, how can anyone resist?
So yeah! That’s how I spent my two days in Banaras in between sunrises, temples, food, chaos, and of course, calm. Can’t wait to witness all of this again.