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Notes from the Sapta Puri

What we have learned walking the cities we work in — the temples, the ghats, and the places a day away.

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Recent writing

Kardmeshwar Mahadev at Kandwa: a carved sandstone spire beside a pillared hall, under old treesThe temples of Varanasi most visitors walk pastFive temples away from the Kashi Vishwanath queue, each with a reason to stop.Chet Singh Ghat from the river: the red sandstone fort walls and domed pavilions above quiet stepsThe quieter ghats, beyond Dashashwamedh and AssiEighty-odd ghats line the river. Most visitors see two.The ramparts of Chunar Fort high above the Ganga, a single boat on the water belowA day beyond Varanasi: Chunar Fort, Lakhaniya Dari and the waterfallsA fort on the Ganga, waterfalls and reservoirs, all within a morning’s drive.

Things to do

Things to do where we hold houses

Subah-e-Banaras at Assi Ghat — musicians and listeners on the steps at sunrise, mist on the riverSubah-e-Banaras at AssiChanting, yoga and classical music, at sunrise.Ganga aarti — priests on raised platforms swinging tiered brass lamps, the crowd behind themGanga aarti at DashashwamedhThe evening offering to the river, done in full.A wooden boat on the Ganga at first light, the ghats and their buildings catching the sunA boat at dawnThe only way to see the ghats as one thing.Sarnath — the giant seated Buddha statue among trees, one of the modern temples around the siteSarnathWhere the Buddha gave his first sermon.A handloom in a Varanasi weaving workshop, gold zari thread on the warp, the weaver's hands at the shuttleBanarasi silk, at the loomSee the brocade woven before you are sold any.Ramnagar Fort from the river — sandstone walls and balconies above the far bank of the GangaRamnagar FortThe Maharaja's fort, and its magnificently odd museum.The Ram Janmabhoomi temple — carved sandstone pillars and spires above the pilgrim approachRam Janmabhoomi templeThe temple at the centre of the town.Hanuman Garhi — the flight of stone steps up to the temple gate, worn smooth, pilgrims climbingHanuman GarhiClimbed first, by custom, before anything else.Kanak Bhawan — a painted temple courtyard with arched galleries on three sidesKanak BhawanThe house tradition says Kaikeyi gave to Sita.Saryu aarti at Ram ki Paidi — lamps raised above the water at dusk, the broad terraced steps behindSaryu aarti at Ram ki PaidiThe evening offering to the Saryu.Guptar Ghat — quiet stone steps down to the Saryu under old trees, few peopleGuptar GhatWhere Rama is said to have left the world.

Places to eat

Where to eat, all of it vegetarian

Tamatar chaat in two clay bowls topped with coriander and sev, the dish Kashi Chat Bhandar is known forKashi Chat BhandarTamatar chaat, the dish Banaras is known for.A wide iron pan of tamatar chaat ringed with whole tomatoes, as Banarasi chaat sellers cook itDeena Chaat BhandarThe other great tamatar chaat, a few doors along.Kachori with potato sabzi on a steel plate, the Banarasi breakfast Ram Bhandar servesRam BhandarKachori, sabzi and jalebi: the Banarasi breakfast.A clay cup of lassi topped with saffron and pistachio at Blue Lassi in Varanasi's old cityBlue Lassi ShopThick fruit lassi in clay cups, near Manikarnika.The Pahalwan Lassi counter at Lanka, Varanasi, customers crowding under its Hindi signboardPahalwan LassiLassi topped with rabri, near the BHU gate.A vegetarian thali on a banana leaf with a dozen small bowls of dal, sabzi, raita and sweetsShree Shivay ThaliA twenty-dish sattvic thali, without onion or garlic.A tray of baked wheat baati, the bread served with chokhaBaati Chokha RestaurantBaati, chokha and litti in a village-style setting.A North Indian vegetarian meal in a compartment plate: dal, sabzi, salad and rotiKeshari RestaurantA reliable vegetarian sit-down meal at Godowlia.Peda and milk sweets on trays behind a sweet-shop counterKsheer SagarMilk sweets and rabri at Sonarpura.A Varanasi street vendor's pan of saffron-flecked malaiyo, served in small clay cupsMalaiyo in the old citySaffron milk foam, sold only on winter mornings.A vegetarian meal of paratha, dal, raita and kofta curryShri Kanak Sarkar RasoiUnlimited vegetarian thali near Kanak Bhawan.A steel thali of rice, dal, saag and dry sabziMakhan MalaiPure vegetarian dining at Hotel Ramprastha.A round vegetarian thali of rotis with small bowls of dal, curries and curdDalmia's Saffron VatikaFine-dining vegetarian on Ram Path.Puri with potato sabzi, papad and a bowl of curd on a steel plateThe VaidicVegetarian dining with a temple-town calm.A homestyle steel thali of dal, rice, roti, sabzi and saladGhar JaisaFood that tastes like home, by name and by intent.Homestyle roti with yellow dal and stuffed bhindiAmma Ji Ki RasoiHomestyle thali with unlimited refills.Stuffed parathas with a bowl of chutney on a blue plateJanki Mahal BhojanalayaSattvic meals without onion or garlic.Puffed puris in a steel dish with a bowl of dal alongsideAmrut RasoiBudget vegetarian food near Naya Ghat.A bowl of golden besan laddoos, the prasad sold below Hanuman GarhiBesan laddoo at Hanuman GarhiThe besan laddoo offered as prasad.Aloo tikki with green chutney, tamarind chutney and curdStreet food at Naya Ghat and Ram ki PaidiAloo tikki, chaat and kachori by the Saryu.

Festivals

Festivals of the Sapta Puri

Maha Shivratri in Varanasi — the queue outside Kashi Vishwanath before dawn, marigolds and water vesselsMaha ShivratriThe night Varanasi belongs most completely to Shiva.Dev Deepawali — earthen lamps in rows down the ghat steps at dusk, the river dark beyondDev DeepawaliEvery step of every ghat carries a lamp.Ganga Mahotsav — a classical music performance on a lit stage above the ghat steps at nightGanga MahotsavFour evenings of classical music on the river steps.Masan Holi — ash thrown in the air above the cremation ghat, figures silhouetted against smokeMasan HoliHoli played with ash, at the burning ghats.Ramnagar Ramlila — an open-air performance lit by lanterns, the audience seated on the ground around itRamnagar RamlilaA month-long Ramayana staged across a whole town.Nag Nathaiya at Tulsi Ghat — a kadamba branch over the river, boats crowded belowNag NathaiyaKrishna subdues the serpent, from a branch over the river.Ram Navami in Ayodhya — pilgrims crossing the Saryu steps at midday, flags above the crowdRam NavamiRama's birth, observed in the city of his birth.Deepotsav at Ram ki Paidi — tiers of lit lamps covering the steps down to the SaryuDeepotsavLamps in the hundreds of thousands, along the Saryu.Vivah Panchami — a temple courtyard dressed for a wedding, garlands strung between pillarsVivah PanchamiThe marriage of Rama and Sita, kept as a wedding.Sawan Jhula Mela — a decorated swing hung in a temple hall, flowers along its ropesSawan Jhula MelaThe monsoon month, and deities placed on swings.Parikrama — pilgrims walking a marked circuit road at first light, barefoot, in a continuous linePanchkosi ParikramaWalking the circuit that holds the town.