Posted in India, streets to visit, things to do, varanasi

Ganga Aarti

During the evening we decided to witness our first Ganga Aarti .The Ghats were getting prepared for the pooja with 6 stands for the priest to perform the pooja beautifully lit and decorated .All the buildings are also lit so colourfully. Behind the stands there was arrangement for people to watch the pooja. Also there were also arrangements to see the Aarti from front view from the boat which costs 50 per person, it’s not very expensive and if you are witnessing the Ganga Aarti for the first time you must sit here n watch it, you can see the beautiful Ganga Aarti been performed over here.

Ganga Aarti starts at the sunset and stretches up to 15 to 20 minutes. Ganga Aarti which is being performed by 6 priest all dressed in uniform of Maroon  sweater and cream colour dhoti with cream colour veshti.As they perform Pooja with different procedures  by lighting  the lamp in all four directions. This Pooja is being offered to the Holy River Ganga and it happens every evening and every morning in the same method. It is so mesmerising to view that Ganga Aarti it is like magic the synchronisation of the priest and the bhajans which is being sung in the background everything is so magical it is a lifetime experience to see that because you go into that essence of the Pooja and you get spell bound in its whole essence, it is very beautiful.

Note: After the Ganga Aarti there is a Devi temple over there and they distribute Khichdi as the Prasad because simultaneously with the Ganga Aarti Evening Aarti in the temple also starts and finish at the same time so after attending the pooja.

Al so second day we went to watch the Ganga Aarti from dashashwamedh Ghat but from behind this time also it was as magical as it was from the front view because this pandit perform the pooja from all the four sides north south east west so whenever you are sitting you can witness the pooja as the grand as it is. The ambience when Ganga aarti is performed and everyone is involved its prayers and bhajans is mesmerising.

 On the third day and last evening in Banaras to be decided to watch the Ganga Aarti  from Shitala Ghat and this time we felt that dashashwamedh Ghat has much more elaborate Ganga Aarti than shitala Ghat the difference between both is  Dashashwamedh ghat is dedicated to Lord Shiva and Shitala Ghat is for Goddess Parvati  so all the bhajans which are sung in Shitala Ghat is regarding Devi and there will be difference in the way they perform the pooja and the number of priests performing the aarti were also less. The Ganga aarti in Dashashwamedh ghat is extravagant however in Shitala ghat is much more subtle.

Ganga aarti Varanasi

Fourth day we decided to visit the Ghat in the morning to watch the morning Pooja and so what we saw the difference is in the morning there is only one priest which performs the Ganga aarti in the dashashwamedh Ghat as compared to 6th priest in the evening This is a different experience to see Ganga aarti before the sunrise.

Posted in India, varanasi

Interesting facts about Varanasi

Banaras ki galliyan

The best part about Banaras is its gullies and these are very narrow lanes which I have never seen in an Indian city .Gali is mean Street. The roads are so narrow that only one auto is the maximum which can fit into the road but still the drivers there very understand that they help each other while riding through these lanes. As a passenger it was so difficult for us to even think about riding in such narrow lanes.

Pic from pinterest

Temples everywhere

There is temple in every nook and corner of the city and you will find lots of devotees gathered and performing pooja .Another interesting thing which we saw was the Khichdi baba where the temple would give free khichdi to everyone and the vessel in which this khichdi is made keeps on rotating while it is made. As it’s named as Lord Shiva’s place you can find a Shiva linga in every street.

p.c. :Times of India

Travel Ecofriendly: Electric Rickshaws

The whole town is filled with these cute electric rickshaws which takes the passengers to nearby places. Well the pace of this vehicle is slow and if you are on a vacation and want to relax and enjoy your ride in and around the city then this is the best means of travelling. It’s definitely a fun ride and prices are much more affordable than the regular autos.

Paintings

The city is made beautiful with paintings everywhere. On the way from the airport to our hotel the city is beautifully decorated with paintings all over pavement walls, on the bridge, on the and wherever your eyes could go.

Milk and milk products

You get fresh milk and milk products in almost available every dairy product store of Varanasi. The milk is fresh and is available so much in surplus in the city. The curd is tasty and perfect which results to amazing lassi and buttermilk. The paneer is soft and creamy. And of course the sweets made with the milk and khoya is absolutely tempting.

Flavoured milk

Chaat Varieties

As we all know that north India is famous for chaat and Chatpata snacks. And Varanasi has some more delicious varieties of chaat to offer and it’s very tasty and anyone would feel like having more. Starting from Pani Puri, aloo chaat, tamatar chat, dahiwada, ragda chaat, sev puri etc each and every item has its own charm and is a must have.

Sweets

The variety of sweet which Varanasi has to offer is endless and everything is so fresh. The best which we could choose from was the Rabadi jalebi, gulab jamun, peda ,besan ladoo and Rasgulla.All the sweet items are worth trying and packing them for your loved ones too.

Banarasi silk

One of the favourite categories of silk for most of the north Indians is the banarasi silk.Banarasi silk is one of the finest variants of silk produced in India. Primarily weaved in the holy city of Varanasi or Banaras in Uttar Pradesh, this silk attracts attention due to the zari and brocade work in gold and silver thread on the fine fabric. Banarasi silk saris are known all over the world for their splendour and exquisiteness. With their vibrant colours, intricate designs, and beautiful embroidery with gold and silver threads enhances the value of Banarasi sari and often finds a place of pride in the trousseau of an Indian bride.

benarasi saree

Paan

“Ab banaras aaye aur paan na khaye aise kaise ho sakta h” (coming to Banaras how can you miss the banarasi paan). Banaras is super famous for the paan and my father was very keen in tasting it and guess what it is special and tastes amazing. Also have the paan and sing the son “ Khaike paan banaras walaaaaa”.

Banarasi paan

Aghories

Varanasi is known as the land of aghoris and they are everywhere . You can either find them meditating or roaming in the cities or in the temples praying. For people who have never seen aghoris they may see very scary especially for children , but they are harmless and they are actually in their own world of trance and are not bothered about the surroundings.

 Chillum

You can find a wide varieties of chillum , beautifully wooden carved , in different shapes and sizes .They all are handmade and in each and every street shops you would find something different

This is what we bought from the market

Souvenirs of deities

The streets which leads to ghats and to Kashi Vishwanath temple is filled with small shops and street vendors which sells of all sorts of souvenirs and items required for daily pooja. What I found intresting is the idols made of brass and the quality is very good.Bargaining is the key for shopping here so negotiate as much as possible.

p.c. Shutterstock

Varanasi is a city of religious significance in Hindus, has the best street food and variety of things to shop. So have fun while exploring the spiritual capital of India

Posted in India, varanasi

How to spend a day at Sarnath

On a saturday we decided to visit Sarnath, which one of the four main centres for Buddhism in India. Sarnath is a Buddhist pilgrim spot located near Varanasi. The city is famous for being the first place where Lord Buddha preached for the first time after gaining enlightenment. Later, kings who followed Buddhism like King Ashoka built a lot of stupas and structures here that are focused on Buddhism.After gaining the knowledge of life Buddha gave his first teachings to his student here sitting under a banyan tree and that tree is still preserved there .

How to Reach Sarnath

Sarnath in Uttar Pradesh India is a little town lying close to Varanasi.

The Varanasi airport is 24 km is the nearest airport to Sarnath. One can hire a taxi from the airport to reach Sarnath directly. The main railway station is also at Varanasi as only a few trains halt at the Sarnath railway station. One can hire a taxi from the airport to reach Sarnath directly.

Sarnath is well connected to nearby cities in the state via an excellent network of roads. Regular state-run buses move to and from Varanasi. One can also opt for a cab from Varanasi. Hiring an autorickshaw from Varanasi to Sarnath can also be considered.Local buses are the most convenient way of travel within the city. Autorickshaws are not available in Sarnath. It is also preffered by many tourists to explore this small area on foot.

 We took  a  local auto and went sarnath well we did some bargaining for the price which included to n fro trip for a day which was reasonable.

Places to Visit in Sarnath

Thai Buddha Vihara

Dhamek stupa

Chaukhandi

Chaukhandi Stupa

Archaeological museum

The museum has archaeological excavations of buddhist history.the meusem is beautifully maintained and its under continuous surveillance and you are not allowed to take your mobile phones and cameras inside.

Archaeological museum

Deer park or Ishipatana

Jain Temple

Digambar Jain Temple

Another interesting thing which you can do is shop a handloom banarsi and jamdani silk from the nearby local weaving centres in Sarnath.Quality wise and price wise its affordable nad the designs are also authentic.

Posted in about us

About Us

Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken.

Oscar Wilde

We are Akhil and Maya ,two super magnetic souls who loves to travel together.We love sharing our experiences to people who also love to travel.

“Travel brings in a new essence to life”

Harrytinkers

Akhil is an Business analyst by profession and is very passionate about traveling and he loves to drive.He loves adventure and loves to try new things everytime.He always feels that travel can make you learn through new experiences and when you meet new people it’s wonderful to know their stories as well.He is an amazing photographer and he says that wish the camera could capture the beauty of a place as our eyes captures it.

Maya is a fashion designer by profession and explorer by passion.She views each and every thing with her creative perspective.She loves nature and travel rejuvenates her soul.Its her wish to travel the whole world and explore different cultures and taste amazing cusines.As a artist she gets her inspiration from where ever she goes.

We met through a matrimonial site and both of us were miles away from the thought of marriage but fate brought us together at the right time and we are happily married now we explore each day of our lives together like an adventure .

Come see this beautiful world with our eyes.