Varanasi Revisited - A Trip Report and Photo Feature

@Summi

Thanks for stopping by to take a look at my post.

In the hindsight, I guess winters are the best time to visit Benaras. Do so if you have not finalized your plans.

I will be there sometime in mid December. Thanks!

Ah, thanks for the report & photos!

I'll be heading there next February after the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad.

Surely the most strangest and special place I have ever visited...

Thanks for stopping by and having a look

Kubh Mela and Varanasi...awesome my friend...lots of photo-ops

Photofreak, excellent post - thank you for sharing your tales and photos with all of us! You write so well, and reading your wonderful story really made me very excited for my first journey there this December I love all the "characters" you met along the way - it definitely sounds like they made the journey both entertaining and memorable Bookmarking your post to read again closer to my own trip! Thanks!

@violetfriday

Thanks for having a look at my post.

You are going at the best time of the year, as far as Varanasi is concerned. Fog over the Ganges adds to the mystique and provides excellent photo opportunities

@violetfriday and @myllymaki

1) Try to avoid visiting Mani Karnika Ghat (the cremation ground) on foot. Use boat to go near it. This way you will avoid lots of touts who lurk around the place

2) Learn some hindi words, such as "Nahi Chahiye", which means not required/not wanted. And say it forcefully when encountered with touts. This should work more often than not.

Otherwise, Varanasi has lot to offer to make your trip memorable. Cheers!

Great tips concerning touts in the area, Photofreak! Thank you so very much It's not easy to judge as a foreigner what to do/where to go in such situations, so it's super valuable when you share some of your own experiences. I appreciate it! And will get started practicing Hindi now...

I am just a beginner with working my dslr but I'm sure it will be a deluge of color and excitement in Varanasi that will make great photos and memories to hang on to!

Oh I forgot to add before, I love how so many of the interesting moments in your story unfolded when you were just chilling out, not rushing around etc...it's nice to hear the other side of the travel coin, where experiences flow as a result of just being and not doing too much. Nice

Photofreak, Thank you very very much for this tip.

@violetfriday

Varanasi is very very photogenic..so start practicing to shoot under low-light conditions (in manual mode)..by the time you visit Varanasi, you should be able to take pictures with still hands at the shutter speed of 1/20 (atleast)

The city is all about observing and experiencing...as you said... no rushing

@Summi

Touts generally do not trouble Indians because their main targets are overseas tourists... but you never know specially in an alien city

Regarding Mani Karnika Ghat, there should not be any problem (atleast for Indians) while visiting the ghat. However, there might be an issue if anybody from among the mourners sees you with a camera. They might consider (and perhaps rightly so) it as an unnecessary intrusion in their moment of grief.

As far as photograping Mani Karnika is concerned, personally I believe that it is an integral part of the cityscape, and any photography enthusiast visiting Varanasi should capture it. However, in my opinion, the focus should be on capturing the form not the content.

When you go from Daswamedh Ghat towards Mani-Karnika on a boat, the river makes an arc after some distance and Mani-karnika is clearly visible from there. According to me, this is the best place to capture Mani-Karnika during the evening with burning pyers creating an imposing sight.

Very nice! I wouldn't bother the mourners and taking pictures of a pyre in an intruding manner would be disrespectful, I understand. The location you mentioned by boat is fantastic idea. Thank you a million times for that!

Touts have always bothered me! Lone backpackers are not considered Indian for some reason in India! I have experienced that all the time.

You have a lot of patience and heart to help people. Thanks!

wonderful! I was all set to go to Varanasi on my trip this year, but something told me not to. next year. and your photos make me want to go even more now....

Photofreak

Awesome photographs and your narration is very lucid. You could (easily) publish a tour guide with your special communication skills.

However, I could not open the attachment that was on page 1 of this thread.

Cheers

Nattusbs

wonderful! I am all set to go to Varanasi on my trip this week.
TFS

@Sama

It was worth writing if I could inspire someone to visit Varanasi..I am sure you will have a great time there

@Nattusbs

Thanks alot for your kind words Sir...I think you had been a bit generous here....Yes the link you refered to is not working so I pasted the same picture (the Bhajan mandali one) along with few others in one of the subsequent posts....have a great day

@Virat

Enjoy your stay at Varanasi my friend...I have heard that most of the priests who conduct the Evening Ganga Aarti are from Nepal..It seems that Nepal and Varanasi has an old connection

Amazing report!
This report has rekindled my desire to explore Benares with my lens.
Thank you.