It had been a long-pending wish of mine to re-visit a city that shaped me from a shy and unassuming 10-year-old kid to a confident and outgoing 18 year-old young man. So as the Covid situation improved, and train travel normalised; we (me with my family) planned for a weekend trip to Benaras.
Once I got the rail tickets (all waitlisted) done
for the 18th to 21st Nov trip, my friends
pointed out that 19th Nov–would be ‘Kartik Purnima’- a festival
during which the devotees take a holy bath in the Ganges and I should expect a huge
crowd in the holy city of Kashi. It is believed that on this auspicious day,
Lord Shiva descends on Earth and becomes one with the entire Universe.
For once there were multiple doubts in my mind
about whether to cancel or postpone my trip but on second thought I made up my
mind to go ahead with my plans, after all, this was our first trip in 2 years, all
thanks to Covid Pandemic, which wreaked havoc all around the world.
By the time we boarded the train (04006- Lichchivi
Express) from Anand Vihar (Delhi) railway station at 6 pm, two of our four
tickets got converted to RAC. We braced ourselves to spend the night sitting.
Despite this little discomfort, the excitement of traveling after two long
years was way higher. As the train left Kanpur station at midnight, for our
good luck the TTE finally managed to get us one more birth which made our
onward journey a bit more comfortable.
19TH NOV 2021
As we started for our hotel from the railway station
we saw a huge crowd on both sides of the road moving towards the direction of
the ghats. Once we reached our hotel and freshened up, we decided to skip
visiting the ghats on day 1 due to the heavy rush. Instead, we planned to visit
the other side of the city.
By the time we came out of our hotel, we were
hungry, so we decided to pit stop at a shop which was witness to many of my
breakfast breaks during my childhood period post our morning cricketing
practice at Banaras Hindu University (B.H.U.) grounds.
‘Pehalwaan Lassi’ shop is a small outlet at
Malviya Chauraha on Lanka road which could be easily bypassed if you don’t know
about it beforehand. I remember this shop was a tiny 8 by 8 outlet during my
childhood and it looked just the same even after close to three decades albeit
two more branches have come up in the city since then.
The shop owned by a family of a wrestler from the pre-independence period offers a mouth watering lassi in kulahds which the locals and tourists swear by. The tiny shop is always crowded and hardly has a place to sit in.
Apart from lip-smacking lassi they also offer
Doodh, Malaiyo, Malayi, Rabri, Samosa, Kachori Sabzi and Jalebi. Your order
will be swiftly presented and you have to stand and eat if you wish to savior
the delectable dishes.
Having filled our empty stomachs with such
delightful variety, we moved a couple of km ahead towards the ‘Vishwanath
Temple’ built inside the B.H.U. premises which is dedicated to Lord Shiva.
It has the tallest temple tower in the world even higher than the Kutub Minar,
with a height of around 250 feet.
Shri Vishwanath Temple's
construction took 35 years to complete and was completed in the year 1966. The
temple is one of the tallest in India. The total height of the temple is
approximately 77 meters. Temple's design was inspired by the original
Kashi Vishwanath Temple and is made mostly of marble.
Although it’s a Lord Shiva temple, it also consists of nine
temples within. The Lord Shiva temple is on the ground floor and
the Lakshmi Narayan and Durgaji’s temples are on the first
floor. Other temples within Shri Vishwanath Temple are Natraj, Mata
Parvati, Lord Ganesha, Panchmukhi Mahadev,
Hanumanji, Saraswatiji, and Nandiji. The entire text of Bhagvad
Gita and extracts from sacred Hindu scriptures are inscribed with illustrations
on the inner marble walls of the temple which looks mesmerizing. The temple is
surrounded by lush green lawns and is a sight to behold.
As we exited the B.H.U. campus a strong urge took me towards a
road to the right leading to my alma mater - SUNBEAM SCHOOL, Bhagwanpur which
was less than 2 km from there.
The School,
a far bigger campus than what it was 3 decades ago is a changed structure now
but the feeling it brought within me standing in the premises could not be
described in words and it surely brought back school time memories.
From there we moved about 2 kms towards ‘Sankat
Mochan Hanuman Mandir’. The temple was established by famous Hindu preacher
and poet saint Sri Goswami Tulsidas in the early 16th century. This temple has the unique distinction of having
Hanumanji facing his Lord, Rama, whom he worshipped with steadfast and
selfless devotion.
In the temple, Prasad is sold like a special sweet
(Laddoos and Pedas). We bought the Pedas and believe me they tasted exactly the
same even after 3 decades. The temple is attended by thousands of Rama and
Hanuman devotees who chant Hanuman Chalisa and Sundarkand and the
atmosphere is just out of this world.
Next to Hanuman Mandir (about 1.2 km) is ‘Tulsi
Manas Mandir’. This temple has a great historical and cultural importance
since the ancient Hindu epic Ramcharitmanas was originally
written at this place by Hindu poet-saint, reformer and
philosopher Goswami Tulsidas in the 16th century.
The temple is constructed in white
marble and beautiful landscaping is done all around the temple.
Verses and scenes from Ramcharitmanas are engraved on the marble
walls all over the temple.
Right next to it (550mts) is ‘Shri Durga Mandir’.
This temple has great religious importance as it is dedicated to the
Maa Durga. It was constructed in the 18th century by a
Bengali Maharani- Rani Bhabani of Natore.
Next to the temple, is a kund (pond) which was
earlier connected to the river Ganges. It is believed that the existing icon of
the goddess was not made by a man but appeared on its own in the
temple. The temple is painted red to match
the colours of the central icon of Durga, the goddess of strength and
power.
Next
on the cards was a visit to my primary school-SUNBEAM SCHOOL JUNIOR WING which
was right adjacent to Durga Mandir. This was where my formative days were
spent.
The small open area right behind the
green main gate was our assembly area and the corner window on the first floor right
above the painted banner opened into my classroom. This is where I made friends
for life. It all felt so nostalgic. I wanted to go inside and re-live those
precious memories but since it was a holiday and a festival, even the guard at
the gate seemed to be enjoying somewhere inside the premises.
Next
up was my erstwhile residence which was a mere 500 mts from my school. I
visited my house where I spent good 7 years, met the current tenant- an old
lady, said a quick hello to her, and politely requested her to allow me and my
younger son a quick tour of the house ( I deliberately took him along with me.
After all a man with a young boy accompanying is not that threatening). To my
good luck, she agreed and we had a nice tour of my childhood house.
As
we were coming out of the house after thanking the old lady for her generosity
of letting me (a stranger) inside her house, the barrier was broken. She
smilingly bid us goodbye with a request to come back again. It was as if she
knew me for ages. This is the beauty of a small town; the people are so welcoming,
simple, and
warm.
Then
after having lunch, the family decided to move back to the hotel as we were
dead tired by now.
After
resting for a few hours our batteries were recharged and we went out again.
This time our plan was to visit the ever famous ‘KASHI CHAT BHANDAR’.
Their famous ‘Tamatar chat’ was right up there on our priority list
which was high on recommendation from one and all.
Guys!
Let me take this liberty here and now, if you plan to visit Varanasi and you
miss having this special dish then your visit to this holy place is incomplete.
I swear this was the BEST ‘Tamatar Chat’ I have ever savored in my life. Its
slightly burnt flavor is absolutely wonderful. A visit to Kashi Chat Bhandar is
a MUST if you are in Benaras…Period!!
Now,
this outlet is right on Girja
Ghar Chauraha in Godowlia just 600 mts from the Ghat. This place always
witnesses a lot of rush which invariably spills right onto the road. You need
to be quick and vigilant to get a seating space inside the shop as the seats
fill as fast as they get emptied.
Before I forget, let me tell you their large size
piping hot Gulab jamun which quickly melts in your mouth, Crispy Palak Patta
Chaat and delicious Chuda Matar are a must-try too as they come close second to
the Tamatar Chat. Prices are reasonable and service quick despite the
rush.
After filling our stomachs with such delicacies we
were left with only one option, which was to head back to our hotel and call it
a day.
DAY 2
20TH
NOV 2021
The 2nd day began with a scrumptious
breakfast at a non-described small cafe in a by lane just next to the subzi
mandi which leads to the ghat, called ‘NIYATI CAFE’ run by a sophisticated
Sharma couple.
The owner Ravi Sharmaji was courteous, friendly,
and very welcoming. We reached a bit early while he was just opening and
setting up the cafe but he welcomed us with a warm smile and was quick to
deliver our order. The food was reasonably priced, homely, and tasty; the space
was tiny with only 5 tables but was clean and cozy.
I liked it and recommend it to one and all visiting
Varanasi. At times Google takes you to a hidden gem like this which leaves you
with a wonderful experience for a long time.
So after filling our stomachs we were all set to
visit the most important attraction for the day, which was – The Dasashwamedh Ghat. This Ghat is located close to Vishwanath Temple
and is probably the most spectacular ghat of all. As we walked towards it, the first glimpse of
the vast river Ganges (Ganga Maiya for us) took us in and we stood there
with folded hands on top of the stairs leading right to the bank of the river
Ganges for a few minutes admiring the beauty and vastness of the holy Ganges.
The whole atmosphere was magical. The sun was shining bright, a soft
breeze was flowing across, and devotees were busy taking a holy dip and doing
their prayers while several colorful boats sitting idle on the river bank
waiting to take the tourists and devotees for an unforgettable
ride.
We decided to
head for a boat ride first and hired a motorboat that took us on a wonderful
ride across the ghats. The boatman doubled as a tourist guide as well gave us
running commentary about all the ghats as we approached them one after the
other (video link below).
https://photos.app.goo.gl/7mReBo9xnrCMEqpM6
Benaras has close to a hundred ghats. Most of
these are bathing and puja ceremony ghats, while two ghats, Manikarnika and Harishchandra,
are used exclusively as cremation sites.
We
also crossed the river and alighted on the opposite bank where we were greeted
with far less crowd and a sandy beach-like feeling with horse and camel rides
to amuse us. I took the camel ride and relived my childhood days. There were
small shacks selling chips, biscuits, and titbits too (video link below).
https://photos.app.goo.gl/UyfLe5DTuLfjsjux8
The kids had a wonderful time playing in the sand and refused to get on
the boat to go back for a long time.
The return journey back to the Ghats
was equally unforgettable as several pelican birds flocked onto our boat and
literally ate from our hands. It was an awe-inspiring experience!!
As we alighted on the Manmandir Ghat after
the boat ride we were greeted by a majestic Palace in front of us which drew us
towards it.
The locals told us that this was Raja Savai
Jai Singh’s Palace who made a Jantar Mantar Observatory in the 17th century
on the roof of the palace. Savai Jai Singh, the king of Amber estate in
Rajasthan was a genius of a most unusual kind, an expert mathematician and
astronomer as well as an enlightened ruler and builder.
We visited the Palace and quickly made our way to
the roof. The Observatory is a replica of what is there in Jaipur, Delhi,
Ujjain, and Mathura (all made by the same King). The accuracy of time,
altitudes, planets and even eclipses even after so many years always astonishes
me at these places. What master craftsmen these people were! What would have
been their level of understanding and knowledge of celestial planets, and
astronomy that they were able to create such masterpieces? Grand salute to
them!!
The roof also gives a splendid view of the
Holy River Ganges with colorful boats on its shores.
As we descended from the roof we saw various
Tableau depicting the city’s culture and attractions on the ground floor.
The most heart-touching and mesmerizing was the sound and light show depicting a 15 mins film on the “Descent of the Ganga”. Believe me, it was a treat to watch and a must experience when you visit Benaras next time (Sharing the link of the film video made by me. Use headphones for better sound quality).
https://photos.app.goo.gl/2gPJR6mqymZZYcBc9
Our next stoppage was at just 400 mts away and was
the ultimate one. Finally, the time had come to pay our respect to Baba
Vishwanath and witness the new and more spacious Shri Kashi
Vishwanath Temple premise which was the talk of the town.
For those who don’t know, The Kashi Vishwanath Temple is one
of the 12 jyotirlingas in India and draws lakhs of visitors from India and abroad every year.
Unfortunately, no phones or cameras were allowed
inside but you have to witness the new premise by your own eyes to believe it.
I had been to the temple some 3 decades back and
lanes leading to it were so congested that one cannot pass through them without
pushing other devotees, overhead electric wires used to make a dense net and
the corners were splashed with filth and dirt but here the approach of the
temple was a vast open space with grand gateways and
ornamental arches in heritage architecture style in four directions.
The work for the corridor was still on at full
swing. Once the project is completed, the devotees could take a dip in the holy
Ganges at the Lalita Ghat and can come straight to Baba Vishwanath for Darshan
which was impossible earlier as they had to pass through congested streets to
reach the temple from the ghats.
As you enter through the carved doors, you are
greeted with stone-made sculptures
of Bharat Mata, statues of Saint Adi Shankaracharya and Maharani Ahilyabai
Holkar. Maharani Ahilyabai is believed to have constructed the temple in the
17th century. In the 19th century, Maharaja Ranjit Singh had got the temple
crowned with a golden 'Shikhar'. In the middle of the open premise, the actual temple
structure stands tall with its trademark golden canopies high and tall.
We felt a lot of peace as we bowed our heads in
front of Baba Vishwanath. This was the moment we were looking forward to and
completely soaked ourselves in the atmosphere in and around the holy temple.
You can’t come out of the temple premise without chanting “Bam Bam Bhole” and
“Har Har Mahadev”.
As we came out it was time for the evening tea so
we headed towards the much recommended- Laxmi Chaiwala which
was a mere 500 mts from there. Now you will ask what is so special about
this chaiwala, so let me tell you this small outlet in a dingy by lane serves
tea with ‘Makkhan toast’. Yes, you read it correctly- toast with white
makkhan not with yellow Amul butter and that is the USP of this utterly and
insanely famous Tea shop. The toast is heated directly on coal sigadi with fresh white
butter. Do visit once for
the experience of having tea with white makkhan toast.
After filling our stomachs with makkhan toast and tea with headed back for the Dashashwamedh Ghat. Why ?? For the splendid Ganga Aarti off course.
The whole atmosphere despite the heavy crowd was absolutely magical. You just don’t want to leave the place in a hurry but stay there just a bit more to absorb the resplendent mood of the surrounding with echoes of holy chants and bright lights of the Aarti ( Do watch the Ganga Aarti video in the link below).
https://photos.app.goo.gl/MUmJ6uf8852jgnFu5
After being intrigued thoroughly, it was time to
head back to our hotel room for a peaceful sleep as day 2 of our Benaras trip
came to an end.
DAY 3
21st
NOV 2021
Today was the last day of our trip and we wanted to
make the most of it so we checked out of our hotel quickly and took off
for Sarnath which was a good 10 km from the city of Benaras.
Now Sarnath for those who don’t know is famous as the site where Gautama Buddha first
taught the Dharma, or where Buddha preached his first sermon. Sarnath has been developed as a place of pilgrimage
for Buddhists from India and abroad.
As
we got down at Sarnath it was still early from the tourist standards so we
decided to have breakfast and let the sleepy village open up. We entered this
quirky-looking restaurant.
The walls of the restaurant
were plastered with posters that had peculiar lines on them. It looked as if
the owner had picked them up to lend an eccentric look to the place.
Despite the quirkiness, the food served
was warm, homely and economical. Do visit this joint whenever you are there in
Sarnath next.
The
restaurant’s back door opens into a small Zoo which houses
emu, crocodile, porcupine, cranes, deer, and various birds but there is nothing
to write home about as this is the worst-kept zoo I have ever seen. It was so
saddening to see the pathetic state of the animals in those dirty cramped
enclosures. I hope the authorities take measures to improve the situation.
Just
next to the zoo is The Mahabodhi Temple. It is one of the
most ancient temples in India. It is where Lord Buddha attained
enlightenment.
After
this, we visited the Thai Temple- A well-known
attraction in Sarnath. It displays the Thai style of architecture. The temple
is set amongst beautiful gardens and is managed by Thai Buddhist Monks offering
calm and peaceful surroundings.
Next
in line was the impressive Dhamek Stupa which is extremely
popular among tourists. It is the
place where Buddha gave his first sermon after attaining enlightenment, in which
he explained the four noble truths and the teachings associated with them.
Also on the site are ruins of monasteries and
buildings established by the Indian Buddhist ruler Ashok. It is also
home to the legendary lion capital memorial pillar built by King Ashoka, the
current Indian national emblem. Nearby, an Archaeologic Museum houses
relics from the site.
From there we moved back to the city to visit the Bharat
Mata Mandir. This temple is built on the campus of Mahatma Gandhi
Kashi Vidyapith.
Instead of traditional statues
of Gods and Goddesses, this temple has a huge map
of Undivided India carved in marble brought from Makrana (now in Pakistan) which makes it unique and a
must-visit place. It shows Afghanistan,
Pakistan including Balochistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar as Burma, and Sri Lanka as
Ceylon all part of undivided India. My kids were thrilled to see such
a huge map of India.
The map depicts a detailed layout of 450 mountain ranges and peaks,
vast plains, water bodies, rivers, oceans, and plateaux. It
also shows the scale and depth of the geographical entities mentioned on it. This temple is one of its kind
in the whole world. Bharat Mata Mandir was constructed
in 1936 and was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi.
Twentieth-century
Hindi poet Maithili Sharan Gupt, fondly called Rashtra Kavi composed
a poem on the inauguration of the temple which is also put up on a board in the
building.
The
water bodies depicted in the map are filled with water and the land areas are
decorated with flowers on Republic Day and Independence Day.
One
inch of the area in the map covers 6.40 miles on land and from a window
installed at the ground level in the basement; the difference among the heights
of the various peaks is clearly visible.
Although
the surroundings of the temple are not well maintained, the temple visit is
recommended due to its uniqueness.
This
brought curtains to our much-awaited trip to Benaras with many childhood
memories revisited and lots of new memories made in the course of 3 days.
We
boarded our train-12381-Howrah-New Delhi Special from the newly rechristened
spotlessly clean Benaras Railway Station (erstwhile Maduadih Railway Station).
As our train rolled out of the station, I thought Varanasi had surely changed
from what it was 3 decades ago. Looking at this station and the city in
totality, this was a much awaited welcome change.
Hope
you enjoyed reading my blog. Don’t forget to share your thoughts in the comment
section. Until next time…bye tc.
