What to do in Varanasi, India

This city is quite dirty, but it is also mystical and photographic. I think the mystical word is the best description for Varanasi, the city of God Shiva.

There are settlements on the left and right in the street of the city that goes down to the Ganges (locally called Ganga). The streets are like a maze and quite narrow. In these streets, life flows as fast and loud as possible with pedestrians, motorbikes and street vendors. Life is a mess and it is a photographic paradise filled with women walking around in colorful clothes, street barbers, street vendors and even street dentists. However, it is not easy to take photos in this mess.

In India, when the ignition of any motor vehicle is turned on, the horn is used almost as if it were connected to an automatic. "Blow Horn" is written on the back of all trucks. Everyone moves forward without pressing the brake and continues on the road by pressing the horn all the way. So much so that they continue on their way without stopping in small accidents. The same is true for narrow streets. There are small vehicles called motorbikes, bicycles and tuk-tuks that continue at full speed by pressing the horn.

Abundant garbage heaps on the streets, the cows that eat them, and the ferrets, mice and dogs accompanying them form the natural picture of Varanasi. Also, let me not forget that cow dung is everywhere.

When you go down to the edge of the Ganges river, you get rid of the horn sounds and watch the rituals in the river. Every day here, twice a day, people enter the Ganges and bathe on specially made steps to welcome the rising day, bid farewell to the setting day, and get rid of their sins. These steps are called the Ghat. During this bath, they greet the day by filling small bowls with Ganges water and pouring it towards the sun. If you rent a boat very early in the morning, you can photograph the rituals in the Ganges and the city in a misty and mysterious state with the first lights of the day.

In the evening, a ceremony called Aarti is held at the edge of the Ganges every day. Sound, fire, water, smoke and rose petals are used in the ceremony. This ceremony is watched by hundreds of people filling the square and from time to time everyone accompanies the ceremony with hymns. It is a magnificent visual ritual and this ceremony is repeated at 18:30 every day for 365 days regardless of the weather conditions.