Varanasi

Varanasi has been India's silk-weaving capital for millennia, and a visit to a family-run handloom workshop reveals the extraordinary skill behind Banarasi brocade. Weavers sit at wooden looms, threading gold and silver zari wire through silk warp to create intricate patterns that may take weeks to complete.

The BHU campus is a vast green retreat from Varanasi's old-city density. Tree-lined avenues connect the neo-Hindu Vishwanath Temple (a modern replica of the original), botanical gardens and sports grounds within a 1,300-acre estate founded by Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya in 1916.

The deer park where Buddha gave his first sermon, a major Buddhist pilgrimage site with ancient stupas and ruins..

A labyrinth of narrow alleys (galis) in the heart of old Varanasi, teeming with life, temples, and shops..

A grand modern corridor connecting the Kashi Vishwanath Temple to the Ganges ghats, opened in 2021..

One of the most famous Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva, a Jyotirlinga and the holiest site in Varanasi..

The famous lane leading to Kashi Vishwanath Temple, packed with shops selling silk, brassware, and religious items..

A unique temple dedicated to Mother India, featuring a large marble relief map of the Indian subcontinent..

The vibrant student quarter near BHU, known for street food, bookshops, and a youthful atmosphere..

A colorful and quieter ghat featuring the Kedareshwar Temple, known for its vibrant painted steps..

A historic ghat where five rivers are believed to converge, topped by the grand Alamgir Mosque..

An 18th-century Mughal-style fort on the eastern bank of the Ganges, home to the Maharaja of Varanasi..

A massive 6th-century stupa at Sarnath marking the spot where Buddha gave his first sermon..

The most sacred cremation ghat in Varanasi, where funeral pyres burn day and night..

Kabir Math is the ashram-museum dedicated to Kabir — the 15th-century mystic poet-weaver whose verses transcended Hindu-Muslim boundaries. The simple garden complex contains a library, meditation hall and rooms where devotional recitals of Kabir's dohas (couplets) are performed.

A striking white marble temple inside the Banaras Hindu University campus, modeled on the original Vishwanath Temple..

Beloved temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman, founded by Tulsidas and famous for its resident monkeys..

The southernmost ghat of Varanasi, a popular gathering spot for morning yoga and cultural events..

The main and most famous ghat of Varanasi, known for its spectacular Ganga Aarti ceremony..

A mesmerizing nightly fire ceremony performed by priests on the banks of the Ganges..