Benaras the city of light. Varanasi, Benaras, Kashi - a cluster - TopicsExpress

Benaras the city of light. Varanasi, Benaras, Kashi - a cluster of thatched umbrellas on the banks of the Ganga, a city of Pandits where the smoky haze of the funeral pyres is broken by the sound of the temple bells. It is Ground Zero for devout Hindus who come here to die in the hope of breaking out of the cycle of Karma and Rebirth. Varanasi as old as Babylon draws us for different reasons- the lure of the Ganga, the depth of the Hindu culture or simply a spiritual quest. Dev Deepawali has a mythological legend that the first ruler of Kashi, Debodasa banned the Gods and Goddesses from entering Benarus. They however entered in disguise for a holy dip in Panchganga Ghat where 4 rivers confluence with the Ganga. After persuasion Debodasa withdrew the ban and on the day of Kartik Purnima the Gods celebrated their victory. Dev Deepawali, a festival of lights, enlightenment and victory is witnessed by lacs of people from across the world. At sunset the Arti on the Dasashwamedh Ghat , the floating diyas, the crowds joining in by pulling at the strings of the bells, the gongs and dumroos reverberate to the beat of the chants- all this to be experienced from a bajra on the river, makes it a memorable experience. After a gap of 3 years , Chickworld takes immense pleasure in informing you that owing to several requests we have decided to view this extravaganza once again. We have been working on getting Hotels for 2 nights since December 2012 , but unfortunately managed to book rooms in 2 different properties. · Suryauday Haveli on Shivala Ghat which takes you back in History to the 20th Century, built by the Royal Family of Nepal. This is for those who wish for the best Ghat experience. · Ramada Plaza- elegant and contemporary, located just outside the crowded city, amidst all other hotels like Taj, Radisson and Clarks We ensure that in the our true Chickworld spirit , we will give you the best. One of us (Krishna/ Vinita) will be staying at either hotel and will supervise all arrangements respectively. Here below is the final plan: 15th November Friday – Departure by Kalka Mail from Howrah at 7pm and arrival in Mughal Sarai on 16th at 630 am. In case you would like to take a flight, you may take the only direct flight (Dep 1500 Arr 1650) on 15th or 16th based on your convenience. If you choose to take the flight on the 15th , do let us know if you would like us to make any arrangements (at your cost) For those arriving from other cities we just need to know your arrival time on the 16th. Whatever may be your mode / time of arrival, we will receive you at the airport / station. Please ensure that you do your travel arrangements soon as this is the busiest time for Varanasi. If you would like us to do the bookings let us know the option that you have chosen and we will do the needful. 16th November Saturday - On arrival at 630 am , we are trying to book some rooms at Jaipuria Dharamshala – for a bath and breakfast , as our rooms will not be available before the check in time. After breakfast , we go through the city of temples exhibiting a mosaic of Indian Cultures. Other than the Kashi Vishwanath temple which we will visit later , we shall visit the other major temples in the city- the Jagannath temple on Assi Ghat , the Lakshmi Narayan Mandir, Durga temple, Tulasi Manas temple, Bharat Mata temple and the Sankat mochan temple. At the end of this visit , we arrive at the Suryauday Haveli, where a sit down thali lunch awaits us at the Terrace – the perfect Ghat experience on the roof of the haveli with a delectable vegetarian meal prepared by the maharaj. After lunch, you may check in at your respective hotels and we then proceed to Sarnath 13 kms NE of Varanasi the deer park where Gautam Buddha first taught his Dharma. The museum here houses the National Emblem of India – the magnificent Lion Capital of Ashoka. We now return to our hotels and after a short rest , meet for dinner at the Taj Varanasi or at The Great Kabab Factory at Radisson – the details of this dinner are still being worked out. 17th November Sunday – Kartikka Purnima or Dev Diwali After breakfast we meet at Assi Ghat at 9am. The city posseses a strong force of spiritual magnetism. It is the city preferred by Gods, Demi Gods, sages , kings and the common man. It is supposed to be ‘out of this world’ and you have to see it through the eyes of a Banarasi . Only by walking and by getting lost in the maze of lanes can one realize that. Our explorers who are the ‘grassroot voices of the city’ have organized a personalized walk for us and will take us through the mystical landscapes of poets , sacred temples and holy ponds , or the Bengali Tola with hidden shrines and scenes from the daily local life , or even the paths that lead to the mandirs and masjids including the burning ghats along the river. After the most intriguing 2 hours we will meet at the famous Pizzeria Vaatica Café for a quick early lunch. This is a travellers hot spot on the banks of the Ganga. The most authentic Pizzas and Apple pies ever , made by the enterprising Gopal Krishna Shukla. After lunch , we go back to our hotel for a short rest and must arrive back at Assi Ghat by 5 pm (latest) for our sensational evening. Judging the traffic situation on that day, and the easiest ghat to embark from, we will decide specific timing of departure from the hotels. A Bajra will be waiting for us at one of the Ghats (probably will be unknown till that day) . As we go along the river we will watch the myriad of lighted lamps along the ghats and floating on the river face as the festival reaches its climax. The Aarti on Dasashwamedh Ghat is a visual extravaganza. Young pandits in their saffron robes conduct this choreographed ceremony , synchronizing the chants of the hymns and the sounds of the cymbals. As we enjoy the evening , we feast on the best Banarasi chaats which we have organized on the boat to make it a complete experience. After this we proceed to the Korean / Japanese café – IBA for a light dinner / coffee / dessert etc. 18th November Monday A very early morning for those who are interested in the visit to the most revered Kashi Vishwanath temple (around 430 am). For others, we meet at 630 am to experience the synthesis of diversity along the Ghats. The sunrise at the bank of the Ganga provides a scene of transforming colourscape. Every morning around 20,000 people take a holy dip and on Dev Diwali this number is estimated to go up to a million. We take a boat up the river witness the lives of people and the riverscape. There are 84 ghats forming a symbolic chain of holy sites. We will organise some tea and snacks on the boat for you. After this historic boat ride we return to our hotels.. You may rest/ have breakfast / go out / shop , in short do what you wish , but you must check out of your rooms by 11 am. Do let us know what you decide to do so that we may make necessary arrangements for you. Lunch will be organized at Ramada at 1.00 pm from where we will proceed to the airport for our flight which departs at 5 pm. For others who are leaving for other cities, transport will be arranged for you as and when you may require. Needless to say you are not compelled to participate in these activities as mentioned above on any of the days. In case you would like to do some thing else at any specific time , or not move along with the group plan, do let us know and we will try our best to accommodate every request . All transport has been arranged in Innovas which gives some amount of flexibility to move around in smaller groups. Please ensure that you are one car full at any given time and that we are informed in advance of any change. We look forward to hearing from you soon. The natural setting, the spirit of the place and the continuity of cultural traditions have all blended together to create a preserve and unique lifestyle known as Banarasi. Layers of time and tradition are superimposed upon one another and now festivals like Dev Deepwali have been revived in the original style with modern touches. An amazing sight for tourists and a time to worship for the devout Hindu. Come witness with us this festival recorded by Ptolemy and Huang Tsang and let us celebrate together with the Gods.. Krishna , Vinita.