25 Must Visit Places of VARANASI | Mind Blowing Facts | Rare Darshans - GKD
Explore the spiritual heart of India with this guide to Varanasi's most captivating destinations. From the sacred Ganges ghats and ancient temples to vibrant street food and serene corners, discover the timeless essence of this ancient city.
Varanasi
An ancient and sacred city in India, also known as Kashi and Banaras, located on the banks of the Ganga river and known for its ghats, temples, and spiritual significance.
Kashi Vishwanath ji
A gold-clad temple built by Ahilya Bai Holkar of Indore in 1780, dedicated to Baba Vishwanath ji, one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Bholenath ji.
Baba Vishwanath ji
A revered deity whose temple, Kashi Vishwanath, is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, housing a Shivling with 36 kilograms of gold in its central point.
Dashashwamedh Ghat
A ghat in Banaras where devotees gather for the Ganga Aarti, a nightly ritual with Vedic mantras and the sound of conch shells.
Baba Vishwanath's temple
A temple in Banaras that the narrator makes sure to visit, along with the Bank of Ganga Maiya.
Tulasi Ghat
The ghat where Swami Tulasi Dasji composed Ramcharitmanas and Hanuman Chalisa and where he is believed to have left his body.
Harishchandra Ghat
A ghat named after Raja Harishchandra, known for his honesty, where he worked burning dead bodies and was eventually taken to heaven.
Manikarnika Ghat
The burning ghat of Varanasi, where dead bodies are cremated continuously, and believed to be supervised by Mahadev.
Kashi Karvat
Also known as the Leaning Temple of Banaras, built by Ratna Bai and dedicated to Ratneshwar Mahadev, known for leaning more than the Leaning Tower of Pisa and being submerged in the Ganga for six months of the year.
Ratneshwar Mahadev temple
Also known as the Leaning Temple of Banaras, built by Ratna Bai and dedicated to Ratneshwar Mahadev, known for leaning more than the Leaning Tower of Pisa and being submerged in the Ganga for six months of the year.
Kaal Bhairav temple
A temple dedicated to Kaal Bhairav, the chief police officer and protector of Kashi, believed to have manifested from Shiv and is His angry form.
Temple of Siddheshwari Mata
A temple known for the Chandra Kup well, where one's reflection is said to predict their fate, and dedicated to Siddheshwari Mata, the 9th incarnation of Durga Maiya.
Krsneshwar Mahadev
A Shiv Ling established by Lord Krsna Himself 5000 years ago, during the time of Mahabharata.
Pizzeria Vatika Cafe
A vegetarian cafe in Banaras, known for its thin-crust pizzas and apple pie with ice cream, recommended for its unique vibe and suitability for offering to Thakur ji.
Blue Lassi
A shop with over 150 varieties of Lassi, famous for its unique atmosphere where customers put up their passport-size pictures to build memories.
Kashi chat bhandar
A shop known for its Tomato Chat, made with 16 different masalas.
The Ram Bhandar
A 136-year-old shop known for its Kachori, Puri, Sabzi aur Jalebi.
Sriji Sweets
A 150-year-old sweet shop known for its world-class malayio, made from milk boiled for 2 hours and available for only 2-3 months of the year.
ISKCON Varanasi
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness in Varanasi, a place where devotees learn and where temples of Krsna, Radharani ji, Sita Ram, Jagannth, and Gaur Nitai are located.
Bindu Madhav ji
A deity of Lord Vishnu whose temple was destructed by Aurangzeb and later reconstructed by Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
Assi Ghat
An important Ghat (bank of river) in Kashi.