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20 Must-Visit Tourists Destinations in Varanasi

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Varanasi, one of Hinduism’s seven sacred towns, is a sight to behold. While it is a liberating and unfettered experience to travel to Varanasi, it is tiring as well. Varanasi’s magnificent temples and ghats, as well as other popular tourist attractions, attract millions of visitors each year. It is a popular tourist site not only among Indians, but also for people living outside India. Although Varanasi is famous for its ghats, tempes, and music, there are many more noteworthy places to see and enjoy during visit there. One of India’s oldest cities surrounded with old-world charm, Varanasi is rich in culture and religion. Gold and silver thread work, wooden toys, carpet weaving, glass bangles, perfumes, a range of handicrafts, and creative brass goods are all popular in the city.

Varanasi has no shortage of interesting locations to see. Here is a list of all the popular sites to explore around Varanasi with your loved ones. Take a peek at these locations and make sure you don’t miss any on your pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

Dashashwamedh Ghat

Dashashwamedh Ghat is one of the oldest, most spectacular, and significant ghats in Kashi, located on the Gange near the old Vishwanath Temple. This ghat is a sacred site where many rites are done. The location is a popular site for asthi visarjan vidhi.  

 

 

Tulsi Manasa Temple

Lord Ram is honoured at the Tulsi Manas temple. It is thought to have been constructed on the site where Tulsidas penned the classic Indian epic Ramcharitamanasa. The Ramcharitammanasa, the Hindi version of the Ramayana, is carved on the walls of the Tulsi Manas temple with poems and scenes.

 

Bharat Mata Mandir

Bharat Mata Mandir is a one-of-a-kind shrine devoted to our motherland, India. There is no god in the temple, only a relief map of the country etched in marble. Babu Shiva Prasad Gupta, a liberation fighter, was the inspiration for the temple. It was erected in 1936 and opened by Mahatma Gandhi, and it has remained the world’s only one dedicated to a country ever since. 

 

 

Asi Ghat

The Asi Ghat is known for the big Shiva Lingam that is built under a peepal tree at the confluence of the Assi and Ganga rivers. It has a great deal of religious significance and is mentioned in the Puranas as well as many stories.

 

Banaras Hindu University

Batuk Bhairav Mandir, known for being a centre of worship for Aghoris and Tantriks, is believed to be of enormous religious value. The temple is devoted to Lord Shiva’s incarnation, Batuk Bhairav. The sacred Akhand Deep, which has been blazing for centuries, is a fascinating element of the shrine. This lamp’s oil is supposed to have medicinal properties.

 

 

Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple

Lord Hanuman is honoured at Sankat Mochan Temple. Since there are so many monkeys inside the premises, this shrine is also known as the Monkey Temple. It is one of Lord Hanuman’s sacred temples, as well as the focal point for Hindus’ many religious and cultural events.

 

 

Ganga Aarti, Varanasi

Every morning and evening, on the banks of the holy Ganges, Ganga Aarti is an essential ritual performed on a big scale. At Dashashwamedh Ghat, priests perform the Aarti. The entire Ghat is bathed in a divine light that may be powerfully felt. Huge brass lights are ignited with oil throughout the beautiful rite, and priests sing sacred chants that resound over the entire region.

 

Manmandir Ghat

Maharaja Mann Singh created Manmandir Ghat in the early 17th century. The Maharaja built a palace on the Ghat and Savai Jaisingh II built an Observatory in 1710. A stone balcony on the northern side of the Ghat offers visitors a spectacular view of the River Ganga.

 

 

Kashi Vishwanath Temple

The Kashi Vishwanath Temple is one of the most well-known Hindu shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple, which is located in the centre of Varanasi, is a centre of faith for millions of Hindus.

 

 

ISKCON Varanasi

Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada founded ISKCON to spread Krishna Consciousness and educate people about Lord Krishna’s teachings as found in the Bhagwada Geeta. Poojas, kirtanas and chanting sessions are held on a regular basis. Everyone is welcome to attend these seminars, regardless of race or gender. 

 

 

Vishwanath Gali

Varanasi’s Vishwanath Gali is known for its street shopping. The bustling gali sells a wide range of things at reasonable prices. Modern or traditional clothing, household supplies, home decor items, brass idols of deities, and so on are readily available. Local appetisers and desserts are also popular at the Gali.

 

New Vishwanath Temple, BHU

This temple, which is located on the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) campus, is devoted to Lord Shiva and contains statues of many Hindu Gods and Goddesses.

 

 

Durga Temple, Varanasi

Durga Temple was constructed in the 18th century beside the Durga Ghat on the Ganga’s bank. It is one of Varanasi’s biggest temples and features an imposing image of Goddess Durga.

 

 

Alamgir Mosque

The Alamgir Mosque was built in the 17th century by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb on the site of a Shiva Temple that he demolished. The mosque is an aesthetically gorgeous structure with beautiful minarets and lofty domes, designed in the Indo-Islamic style. 

 

 

Nepali Temple

Nepali Temple is a 19th century shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva and is one of the city’s oldest temples. It was built by the King of Nepal and is a near-identical replica of Kathmandu’s Pashupatinath Temple. The structure’s traditional architecture of stone, terracotta, and wood carvings draws a great number of people.

 

Kedar Ghat

Kedar Ghat is one of the oldest ghats located in Varanasi. The water in this kund is considered to have medicinal effects. The Kedar Ghat’s Kedareswara Shiva Temple has significant mythological significance, and it is said that anyone who visits this temple receives the same blessings as those who visit Kedarnath Temple.

 

Tibetan Temple, Varanasi

The temple, which is built in a traditional Tibetan architectural style, features a statue of Shakyamuni Buddha, or Buddha in the Resting Position. The Tibetan Temple is known for its Thangka or Tibetan Buddhist paintings and frescoes, and many of these may be found on the walls and ceilings. When you rotate the prayer wheels in the clockwise direction, they release paper scrolls with chants written on them, just like in most Buddhist temples.

Gyan Vapi Well

Gyan Vapi Well, located within the grounds of Kashi Vishwanath Temple, is a sacred well for Hindus. Before it was defiled by pilgrim contributions, the water from the well was thought to be more holy than the water from the Ganga. When Aurangzeb besieged the old temple, it is reported that the temple priest tossed the Shivalinga into the well and dived in to defend it.

 

Batuk Bhairav Mandir

The Batuk Bhairav Mandir, also known as the Laat Bhairav Temple, is thought to be a nursing incarnation of Lord Shiva. Several miracles and myths are associated with this centuries-old temple in Varanasi. There have been no changes in this temple for many years. This temple might be a good draw for Buddhists and Aghoris alike.

 

Shivala Ghat

Shivala Ghat is both religiously and historically significant. You’ll find a number of historic sites around the ghat. The King of Nepal’s house, King Sanjay Vikram is close to the Ghat, as well as the Chet Singh Fortress. The Ghat offers a beautiful perspective of the river.