05:40Assi Ghat
Subah-e-Banaras
The sun rises from the far bank. A conch sounds, the boats push off, and the steps slowly fill.
Kashi — older than history itselfकाशी — जो इतिहास से भी पुरानी है
A single lamp is lit in the dark. The ghats wake. The Ganga keeps flowing, the way it has for longer than anyone remembers.
Begin the journeyA day in Kashiकाशी में एक दिन
In a single day the city is born three times: at dawn on the river, at noon in the lanes, and at dusk in the flame of the aarti.
12:30The old lanes
Noon in the galis
The smell of kachori, the flash of brass, silk threads on a loom, and a small shrine at every turn.
18:40Dashashwamedh Ghat
Ganga Aarti
Seven tiered lamps rise together. Bells, conch, smoke, and the whole ghat catches like a single flame.
Places of Kashiकाशी के स्थान
Ghats, temples, stupas, mosques, gurudwaras, churches and the maths of the saints, all in one city. Filter them, find them on the map, and read each one's story.
32 places
Kashi Vishwanath Temple
काशी विश्वनाथ मंदिर
HinduTemple
Dashashwamedh Ghat
दशाश्वमेध घाट
HinduGhat
Assi Ghat
अस्सी घाट
HinduGhat
Manikarnika Ghat
मणिकर्णिका घाट
HinduGhat
Namo Ghat
नमो घाट
Shared heritageGhat
Panchganga Ghat
पंचगंगा घाट
HinduBhaktiGhat
Sarnath — Dhamek Stupa
सारनाथ — धमेख स्तूप
BuddhistStupa
Mulagandha Kuti Vihar
मूलगंध कुटी विहार
BuddhistVihar
Ramnagar Fort
रामनगर किला
Shared heritageFort
BHU & New Vishwanath Temple
काशी हिन्दू विश्वविद्यालय व नया विश्वनाथ मंदिर
HinduUniversity
Durga Kund Temple
दुर्गा मंदिर (दुर्गा कुंड)
HinduTemple
Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple
संकट मोचन हनुमान मंदिर
HinduBhaktiTemple
Kaal Bhairav Temple
काल भैरव मंदिर
HinduTemple
Tulsi Manas Temple
तुलसी मानस मंदिर
HinduBhaktiTemple
Bharat Mata Mandir
भारत माता मंदिर
Shared heritageTemple
Alamgir Mosque
आलमगीर मस्जिद (बेनी माधव का धरहरा)
IslamicMosque
Kabir Chaura Math
कबीर चौरा मठ
BhaktiMath
Shri Guru Ravidas Janmasthan
श्री गुरु रविदास जन्मस्थान, सीर गोवर्धनपुर
BhaktiTemple
Bhelupur Jain Temple (Parshvanath birthplace)
भेलूपुर जैन मंदिर (पार्श्वनाथ जन्मस्थली)
JainTemple
Gurudwara Guru Ka Bagh
गुरुद्वारा गुरु का बाग़
SikhGurudwara
Gurudwara Bari Sangat (Nichibagh)
गुरुद्वारा बड़ी संगत (नीचीबाग़)
SikhGurudwara
St. Mary's Church, Cantonment
सेंट मैरी चर्च, छावनी
ChristianChurch
Chunar Fort (day trip)
चुनार किला
Shared heritageFort
Chet Singh Ghat
चेत सिंह घाट
HinduGhat
Tulsi Ghat
तुलसी घाट
HinduBhaktiGhat
Scindia Ghat
सिंधिया घाट
HinduGhat
Lalita Ghat
ललिता घाट
HinduGhat
Harishchandra Ghat
हरिश्चंद्र घाट
HinduGhat
Kedar Ghat
केदार घाट
HinduGhat
Man Mandir Ghat
मान मंदिर घाट
HinduShared heritageGhat
Darbhanga Ghat
दरभंगा घाट
HinduShared heritageGhat
Annapurna Devi Mandir
अन्नपूर्णा देवी मंदिर
HinduTemple
Loading the map…
One Kashi, every faithएक काशी, हर आस्था
The city belongs to no one tradition. Each has its own morning here, and all share one river. Below, in order of arrival, each with equal room.
In order of arrival in Kashi
Hindu
Shiva's own city, where even death is release.
काश्यां मरणान्मुक्तिः
Kāśyāṃ maraṇān muktiḥ
To die in Kashi is liberation.
Traditional, Kāśī Khaṇḍa
- Kashi Vishwanath Temple
- Dashashwamedh Ghat
- Kaal Bhairav Temple
Jain
Birthplace of Parshvanath, the 23rd Tirthankara.
परस्परोपग्रहो जीवानाम्
Parasparopagraho jīvānām
Souls render service to one another.
Tattvārtha Sūtra 5.21
- Bhelupur Jain Temple (Parshvanath birthplace)
- Sarnath — Dhamek Stupa
Buddhist
Sarnath, where the Buddha first taught.
सब्बे सत्ता सुखिता होन्तु
Sabbe sattā sukhitā hontu
May all beings be happy.
Pāli, Mettā chant
- Sarnath — Dhamek Stupa
- Mulagandha Kuti Vihar
Islamic
The weavers' lanes, a shared Ganga-Jamuni culture, minarets above the river.
بِسْمِ ٱللَّٰهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
Bismillāhir-raḥmānir-raḥīm
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Qur'ān, opening of every sūrah
- Alamgir Mosque
- Panchganga Ghat
Bhakti saints
Kabir, Ravidas, Tulsidas: voices larger than temple or mosque.
मोको कहाँ ढूँढ़े रे बंदे, मैं तो तेरे पास में
Moko kahān ḍhūnḍhe re bande, main to tere pās men
Where do you search for me, friend? I am right beside you.
Kabīr
- Kabir Chaura Math
- Shri Guru Ravidas Janmasthan
- Tulsi Manas Temple
Sikh
The sangat of Guru Nanak and Guru Tegh Bahadur at Nichibagh.
ੴ ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ
Ik Oaṅkār Sati Nāmu
One Creator, whose name is Truth.
Mūl Mantar, Gurū Granth Sāhib
- Gurudwara Guru Ka Bagh
- Gurudwara Bari Sangat (Nichibagh)
Christian
A two-hundred-year-old church in the Cantonment, and the city's schools and hospitals.
Ἐγώ εἰμι τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου
Egō eimi to phōs tou kosmou
I am the light of the world.
John 8:12
- St. Mary's Church, Cantonment
Projects & the new Kashiनई काशी
Beside the old city a new one is being built. Every status here was checked against a source; anything that could not be confirmed is listed as announced.
Status:Under constructionAnnouncedCompleted· Last verified: 7 October 2026
Under construction
Under constructionTransport
Varanasi Urban Ropeway (Cantt – Godowlia)
वाराणसी रोपवे (कैंट – गोदौलिया)
India's first urban public-transport ropeway: 3.75 km and five stations from Varanasi Cantt railway station to Godowlia, near the…
Read more
Under constructionTransport
Varanasi Ring Road
वाराणसी रिंग रोड
A 61 km orbital road in phases: Phase 1 (Harhua–Sandaha) is open; Phase 2 (Rajatalab–Harhua, with a new bridge over the Ganga) opened one…
Read more
Under constructionTransport
Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport expansion
लाल बहादुर शास्त्री हवाई अड्डा विस्तार
A ₹2,869.65 crore expansion approved by the Union Cabinet in June 2024: a new 75,000 sq m terminal for 6 million passengers a year, runway…
Read moreUnder constructionInfrastructure
Varanasi International Cricket Stadium, Ganjari
वाराणसी अंतरराष्ट्रीय क्रिकेट स्टेडियम, गंजारी
A 30,000-seat stadium at Ganjari, Rajatalab, designed around Shiva motifs: trishul-shaped floodlights, a damru-shaped canopy, crescent…
Read moreAnnounced
AnnouncedTransport
Varanasi Cantt (Junction) station redevelopment
वाराणसी कैंट (जंक्शन) स्टेशन पुनर्विकास
The city's main station was listed in 2018 among 90 stations to be rebuilt as 'world-class' hubs, and falls under the Amrit Bharat Station…
Read more
AnnouncedTourism
Heritage corridors & 119 parks renovation
विरासत गलियारे व 119 पार्कों का कायाकल्प
Announced in September 2026: two BPCL CSR MoUs worth ₹69.21 crore in all — about ₹48 crore to renovate 119 municipal parks and develop…
Read more
AnnouncedTransport
Varuna and Ganga elevated corridors (NH-31 / NH-19 to the Ring Road)
वरुणा व गंगा एलिवेटेड कॉरिडोर (NH-31 / NH-19 से रिंग रोड)
Approved by the Union Cabinet in July 2026 to decongest the city: a 43.2 km, 6/4-lane mostly elevated corridor along the Varuna linking…
Read moreCompleted
CompletedHeritage
Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham (Corridor)
श्री काशी विश्वनाथ धाम
A 5-lakh-square-foot precinct that links the Vishwanath temple to the Ganga at Lalita Ghat — 23 buildings in phase 1, including pilgrim…
Read more
CompletedTourism
Namo Ghat (Khidkiya Ghat redevelopment)
नमो घाट
The old Khidkiya Ghat rebuilt across 81,000 sq m with an open-air theatre, floating jetty and bathing areas, a helipad and step-free access…
Read more
CompletedTourism
Ganga cruises & cruise terminal
गंगा क्रूज़ व क्रूज़ टर्मिनल
MV Ganga Vilas, the world's longest river cruise, was flagged off from Varanasi on 13 January 2023 for its 51-day run to Dibrugarh.
Read moreCompletedCulture
Rudraksh International Cooperation & Convention Centre
रुद्राक्ष अंतरराष्ट्रीय सहयोग एवं सम्मेलन केंद्र
A 1,200-seat convention centre at Sigra built with Japanese grant aid through JICA, its façade studded with 108 rudraksha beads and its…
Read more
CompletedTransport
Banaras railway station (Manduadih)
बनारस रेलवे स्टेशन (मंडुआडीह)
Manduadih was rebuilt by RITES for about ₹118 crore into a modern terminal with an airport-style concourse, completed in 2018, and renamed…
Read more
CompletedHeritage
Sarnath redevelopment & UNESCO listing
सारनाथ पुनर्विकास व यूनेस्को सूची
Pedestrian-friendly streets, new sewers and drainage, and organised vending zones around the Buddhist site were inaugurated by the Prime…
Read more
CompletedCulture
Kashi Tamil Sangamam
काशी तमिल संगमम
An annual festival of Tamil–Kashi ties: delegations from Tamil Nadu, exhibitions, music, food and academic exchange between IIT Madras and…
Read moreA year of festivalsउत्सवों का वर्ष
Kashi's calendar runs on the moon. Every month some flame is lit: on a ghat, in a temple, or across the river.
- JanParshvanath Janma Kalyanak, Guru Ravidas Jayanti
- FebGuru Ravidas Jayanti, Maha Shivratri, Rangbhari Ekadashi & Masaan Holi
- MarEid al-Fitr, Maha Shivratri, Rangbhari Ekadashi & Masaan Holi
- AprBuddha Purnima
- MayBuddha Purnima, Ganga Dussehra
- JunMuharram, Ganga Dussehra, Kabir Jayanti
- JulMuharram, Shravan (Sawan) at Kashi Vishwanath
- AugShravan (Sawan) at Kashi Vishwanath
- SepRamlila of Ramnagar
- OctRamlila of Ramnagar, Bharat Milap, Nag Nathaiya, Chhath at the ghats
- NovGanga Mahotsav, Nag Nathaiya, Chhath at the ghats, Dev Deepawali, Guru Nanak Jayanti (Prakash Purab)
- DecKashi Tamil Sangamam, Christmas, Parshvanath Janma Kalyanak
Dates follow the lunar calendar and shift every year; check before you travel.
Ramlila of Ramnagar
रामनगर की रामलीला
On now
For a month the whole town of Ramnagar becomes the stage: Ayodhya, Janakpur and Lanka are permanent sites, the audience walks between them,…
Read moreBharat Milap
भरत मिलाप
Next
For a few minutes at dusk, on a small open ground at Nati Imli, Ram returns from exile and embraces his brother Bharat.
Read moreGanga Mahotsav
गंगा महोत्सव
A five-day festival of classical music and dance on the riverfront, organised by Uttar Pradesh Tourism, with crafts, boat races and food…
Read more
Nag Nathaiya
नाग नथैया
Next
A boy dressed as Krishna leaps from a kadamba branch into the Ganga to subdue the serpent Kaliya, and rises standing on its hood playing…
Read more
Chhath at the ghats
छठ पूजा
Next
Four days of fasting and offerings to the sun, kept mostly by women. At dusk and again at dawn the ghats fill with families standing…
Read more
Dev Deepawali
देव दीपावली
Next
The night the gods are said to descend to bathe in the Ganga. More than a million earthen lamps line every step of every ghat, and the…
Read more
Guru Nanak Jayanti (Prakash Purab)
गुरु नानक जयंती (प्रकाश पर्व)
Next
The birth of Guru Nanak, who came to Kashi in 1507 and spoke with its pandits at the garden now marked by Gurudwara Guru Ka Bagh.
Read more
Kashi Tamil Sangamam
काशी तमिल संगमम
Two weeks of Tamil–Kashi exchange: delegations of students, artisans and pilgrims from Tamil Nadu, Carnatic music and bharatanatyam on the…
Read more
Christmas
क्रिसमस
Next
Midnight services in the Cantonment's churches, carols sung by congregations from across the city through December, and a three-day fair…
Read more
Parshvanath Janma Kalyanak
पार्श्वनाथ जन्म कल्याणक
Next
The birth of Parshvanath, the 23rd Tirthankara, in Kashi itself. Jain pilgrims gather at Bhelupur, the place Jains hold as his birthplace,…
Read more
Guru Ravidas Jayanti
गुरु रविदास जयंती
Next
Last held:
The birth anniversary of the saint Ravidas brings one of the largest gatherings in the city to his birthplace temple at Seer Govardhanpur.
Read more
Eid al-Fitr
ईद-उल-फ़ित्र
Last held:
The end of the Ramadan fast. Thousands gather for morning prayers at Lat Sarai Eidgah and the city's mosques, and then the lanes of…
Read more
Maha Shivratri
महाशिवरात्रि
Next
Last held:
Shiva's night in Shiva's own city. The temple stays open through the night for darshan, and the next day the Shiv Baraat, the wedding…
Read more
Rangbhari Ekadashi & Masaan Holi
रंगभरी एकादशी व मसान होली
Next
Last held:
On Rangbhari Ekadashi Shiva is said to bring Parvati home to Kashi after their wedding, and the temple and lanes turn red with gulal.
Read more
Buddha Purnima
बुद्ध पूर्णिमा
Next
Last held:
The full moon of the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and passing. At Sarnath the relics kept in Mulagandha Kuti Vihar are carried in…
Read more
Muharram
मुहर्रम
Last held:
Ten days of mourning for Imam Husain, martyred at Karbala. Tazias of paper, mica and bamboo, some of the most intricate in north India made…
Read more
Ganga Dussehra
गंगा दशहरा
Next
Last held:
The day the Ganga is said to have descended from heaven to earth. Bathers crowd the steps from before sunrise, and the evening aarti is at…
Read more
Kabir Jayanti
कबीर जयंती
Next
Last held:
Kabir's birth is remembered where he lived and where he was found as a child. At Kabir Chaura Math singers of the Kabir Panth gather for…
Read more
Shravan (Sawan) at Kashi Vishwanath
श्रावण (सावन) — काशी विश्वनाथ
Next
Last held:
Shiva's month. Kanwariyas in saffron fill their pots at the ghats and carry Ganga water to pour over the linga, and each Monday the temple…
Read moreThe taste of Banarasबनारसी स्वाद
Food here is eaten standing, from a clay cup or a leaf plate, and it changes from dawn to midnight.
BreakfastVegetarian
Kachori-Sabzi
कचौड़ी-सब्ज़ी
The city's breakfast: puffed kachoris fried in ghee, served on leaf plates with a thin spiced potato curry and a jalebi…
Read more
SweetVegetarian
Jalebi
जलेबी
Coils of fermented batter fried crisp and dropped into saffron syrup, eaten hot with the kachori or with a cup of hot…
Read more
PaanVegetarian
Banarasi Paan
बनारसी पान
Betel leaf folded around lime, catechu, gulkand and spices, sweet or plain. Granted a Geographical Indication tag in…
Read more
SweetVegetarian
Malaiyo
मलइयो
Milk churned into a saffron foam and set overnight in the winter dew, then served in a clay kulhad with pistachio.
Read more
DrinkVegetarian
Thandai
ठंडाई
Cold milk ground with almonds, fennel, rose, pepper and cardamom, poured over ice.
Read more
DrinkVegetarian
Lassi
लस्सी
Thick curd whipped with sugar and topped with a slab of malai, in a kulhad you smash afterwards.
Read more
ChaatVegetarian
Tamatar Chaat
टमाटर चाट
Tomatoes cooked down with potato, spices and ghee into a hot, sweet-sour mash, finished with crisp namak-para and…
Read more
SweetVegetarian
Launglata
लौंगलता
A pastry parcel of khoya and dry fruit, sealed with a single clove, fried and dipped in syrup. Eaten warm;
Read morePlan your visit
Practical guides, checked against the sources they cite.
Dev Deepawali (Dev Diwali) 2026 in Varanasi: date, ghats, boats and the complete guide
Dev Deepawali (Dev Diwali) 2026 falls on Tuesday 24 November in Varanasi. Date and timing, which ghats to see, boat booking and safety rules, traffic curbs, stays and etiquette.
Read the guideKashi Vishwanath Darshan: Timings, Sugam Darshan, Rules
Kashi Vishwanath darshan guide: temple hours, the five aarti timings, Sugam Darshan fee and booking, gates, lockers, phone rules and when to avoid crowds.
Read the guideGanga Aarti in Varanasi: Dashashwamedh vs Assi, Timings
Ganga Aarti in Varanasi: Dashashwamedh evening aarti times by season, Subah-e-Banaras at Assi, where to sit, boat viewing, flood changes and etiquette.
Read the guideVaranasi ropeway: route, stations, status and fares
The Cantt–Godowlia ropeway: 3.75 km, five stations, about 16 minutes. Who builds it, where trials stand in September 2026, and what fares are expected.
Read the guideHow to reach Sarnath from Varanasi: auto, cab, bus, fares
Distances, auto, cab, bus and train options from Varanasi to Sarnath, ASI ticket fees, museum hours and closed day, and a half-day route through the sites.
Read the guideVaranasi in 2 days: a practical itinerary
Two days in Varanasi: dawn boat ride, ghats, Kashi Vishwanath, Sarnath and the evening aarti, with timings, transport, food, where to stay and what to book.
Read the guideItinerariesयात्रा-योजना
One day, two or three: every plan starts before sunrise and ends at the aarti.
The river at sunrise, the temple, the lanes, and the lamps at night.
Day 1The river, the temple, the lanes
05:30Sunrise
Assi Ghat
Morning aarti, ragas and yoga as the sun rises over the far bank.
06:30
Boat from Assi to Dashashwamedh
An hour on the water past most of the main ghats, including Manikarnika.
08:00
Kashi Vishwanath Temple
Enter through the corridor from Lalita Ghat.
09:30
Kachori-sabzi breakfast
Kachori Gali is a short walk from the temple.
11:00
Walk the galis
Vishwanath Gali, Thatheri Bazaar and the brass and silk lanes toward Chowk.
16:30
Rest at the ghats
Tea on the steps as the light softens.
18:00Sunset
Dashashwamedh Ghat
Arrive early for a place on the steps or a boat.
Named places are described in the Places section
Practicalजानकारी
Getting here, when to come, and how to behave on the ghats and in the temples.
By air
Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport (Babatpur) is 25 km north-west of the city, with direct flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Hyderabad; a prepaid taxi to the ghats takes about an hour.
By rail
Varanasi Junction (Cantt) is the main station; Banaras (Manduadih) and Kashi stations also serve the city. The Vande Bharat from Delhi takes about 8 hours; Cantt to Godowlia is 20–30 minutes by auto.
By road
On NH-19 (Delhi–Kolkata) and NH-31; Lucknow is 300 km, Prayagraj 120 km. Cars cannot enter the old-city lanes: from Godowlia it is on foot or by cycle-rickshaw.
Best season
October to March: cool mornings, clear skies, Dev Deepawali and Shivratri. April–June climbs past 40 °C; in July–September the Ganga rises, many ghats go under water and boat services can stop.
Etiquette
- Leave shoes, leather and phones outside temples; keep shoulders and knees covered.
- Do not photograph cremations at Manikarnika or Harishchandra Ghat; watch from a distance and in silence.
- At the aarti, do not stand in front of the priests' platforms; watch from the steps or a boat.
- Agree boat and guide prices before you start; avoid touts offering 'special darshan'.
- Nothing plastic goes into the Ganga; buy only clay diyas.
- Cover your head in a gurudwara, stay outside a mosque at prayer times, keep quiet during a church service.
The Ganga Aartiगंगा आरती
Every evening, as the sun goes down behind the city, the lamps are raised at Dashashwamedh. The journey that began with one diya ends here, with a thousand.
ॐ नमः शिवाय · Har Har Gange
Come to Kashi. The lamps are lit.