Ganga Boat Ride in Varanasi
The holiest city in Hinduism, and one of the most ancient metropolises in the world, Varanasi, or Benares, is synonymous with the Ganges which flows through it, passing the ghats, or riverside steps on the way. The best ways to experience Varanasi are on foot, as well as by boat and we suggest 2 boat trips on the river- dawn and dusk- to get a fuller understanding of the role the sacred river plays in the life of the city and the pilgrimage of the millions who come here every year.
Things To Do
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Temples, prayers and rituals
Join your guide and boatman in the predawn at Dashashwamedh Ghat, where an array of boats make quite a scene. As the oarsman starts pushing the boat out into the serene water, the splashing sounds breaking the early morning silence is like a melody to the ears. Watch the temples located near the ghats blessed with an amazing orange hue in the morning that presents a magical scene (if it's not misty of course!) Slowly the ghats will come to life with people engaging in bathing and praying rituals. Listen to the sounds of ringing bells and admire the rainbow formed by the colourful clothes spread for drying across the banks.
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The end of the day and the Aarti ceremony
A boat ride as the afternoon light fades and dusk comes to the ghats is a very different experience. The end of the day brings the Aarti ceremony, announced with prayers, chants and bells and marked by the release of thousands of tiny oil lamps onto the river. Watching all this from the river as it unfolds on the ghats in front of you is a genuinely unforgettable experience.
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