A day in Varanasi

Varanasi, India

Morning - Dashashwamedh Ghat

Cold stone under my feet still holds the night's chill, and wood knocks softly where boats are tied. I pause on Dashashwamedh Ghat and watch the river before the huge evening crowd arrives. These primary riverfront steps host the daily prayer, when priests lift brass lamps, incense and bells in synchronised lines.

Morning - A marigold market lane

Marigold garlands hang heavy and sweet above the brick lane, their scent thick in the warm air. I move slowly between the stalls and look up at the old walls. Local women still wear silk sarees woven with zari on wooden handlooms in residential alleys, work that can take weeks or months.

Midday - The Ganges ghats

Heat shimmers off the water and the stone throws back a hard gold light under the midday sun. I follow the long line of ghats as they stretch away along the river. November to February brings the most comfortable days; April to June is intense heat, and the heaviest rain falls in July.

Midday - Manikarnika Ghat

Smoke drifts faintly across worn stone, and the midday steps feel smooth and hot beneath my palm. I keep well back and watch Manikarnika Ghat in quiet respect. This primary riverside cremation ground burns day and night as families perform final rites, an intense solemn place that visitors observe from a distance.

Midday - A city rooftop

Pigeons clap upward into a hard blue sky, and the rooftops radiate stored heat against my face. I look out across the city from a high terrace toward the horizon. Jantar Mantar, built in the eighteenth century on the rooftop of Man Mandir Ghat, holds huge masonry instruments that track the sky and measure time.

Golden Hour - Ganges stone steps

The orange light sits low on the water, and the ancient stone steps feel warm under my feet. I come down toward the river as the banks turn gold in the last sun. At Panchganga Ghat a massive stone pillar near the water once held lanterns to guide travellers on dark nights.

Golden Hour - By the water railing

Wood creaks as boats pass below me, and the amber air smells of the river. I rest both hands on the railing and watch the ghats and distant temple spires. Crowds gather on boats and on the steps at Dashashwamedh while priests perform the evening prayer with lamps, incense and bells.

Night - A street food stall

Hot oil and steam fill the alley, and the lantern light feels warm on my hands. I sit at the stall with a small paper plate while the shop lights glow. Tamatar chaat, potato and tomato with green chillies and ginger, is cooked on a hot iron griddle and served hot in earthenware bowls.

Night - A crowded food market

Sugar syrup smells thick and sweet, and crisp pastry cracks as I bite into it under the bulbs. I eat kachori and jalebi at a crowded stall while steam rises around the plates. This classic morning pair is spiced lentil-stuffed fried bread with potato curry, plus coiled sweets dipped in warm sugar syrup.

Night - The lit stone ghats

Countless small flames flicker on the old stone, and the night air feels cool against my arms. I move away through the lit ghats while diyas shine over the dark river. The daily prayer at Dashashwamedh Ghat draws huge evening crowds to watch priests with brass lamps, incense and bells.