Скачать или смотреть Day 35 sunrise from the Ganges 17 February 2026

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We wove through the narrow alleyways, passing barbers giving wet shaves on the street, and descended the steps toward the river. The scene was extraordinary:

Men and women bathing fully clothed
Priests preparing for morning puja
Families offering prayers for ancestors
Devotees lifting handfuls of water to the rising sun

Women dunked themselves under the water several times, then headed to changing rooms to put on dry clothes before sitting with a priest for blessings. The rituals were deeply personal yet completely public, a reminder that in Varanasi, spirituality is woven into the fabric of daily life.

We boarded a small wooden boat and pushed off from the ghat just as the sky began to glow. The sunrise over the Ganga was breathtaking, soft gold spreading across the water, the ghats slowly brightening, the silhouettes of temples and palaces emerging from the mist.

It felt surreal to be gliding along the river on Chinese New Year morning, watching Varanasi awaken in its ancient rhythm. The boat glided quietly on the water, and for a few moments, everything felt still.

From the boat, the ghats stretched endlessly, each with its own character and purpose. Some were crowded with bathers, others quiet and serene, where people practised yoga, meditated, or simply sat watching the river.

The architecture along the riverbank was stunning. Old palaces, mansions, and grand residences built by kings, princes, and wealthy families who once came to Varanasi for pilgrimage. In the days before hotels existed, these buildings served as their temporary homes. Today, many have been converted into guesthouses and boutique hotels, but their faded grandeur still tells stories of another era.

We passed the two major cremation ghats, Manikarnika Ghat and Harishchandra Ghat, where funeral pyres burn day and night. Bodies are brought here from across India because cremation in Varanasi is believed to grant moksha, liberation from the cycle of rebirth.

The process is solemn and efficient:

The body is washed in the Ganga
Laid on a bed of wood
Covered with more wood
Lit with ghee
Burned for 2–3 hours
Ashes scattered into the river

It is confronting, yet strangely peaceful, a reminder that in Varanasi, life and death coexist without fear or separation.

We disembarked near a ghat with a huge Ganesh mural painted on the wall. Two men were bathing right where I stepped off the boat, no health and safety protocols here! We climbed a long flight of steps and re‑entered the maze of ancient alleyways. The houses here are centuries old, leaning into each other like tired elders.

My guide then brought me to the outer area of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, the most sacred Shiva shrine in Varanasi. Non‑Hindus are not permitted inside, and I respected that fully. The temple is an active place of worship, not a tourist site.

The temple’s golden spire, 820 kg of gold, donated by Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1839, gleamed above the rooftops.

Right beside it stands the Gyanvapi Mosque, and between them lies the Gyanvapi Well (“Well of Knowledge”). This area is one of the most sensitive religious sites in India, with a long and complex history.

The core of the dispute is the Hindu belief that the Gyanvapi Mosque was built by Aurangzeb after partially demolishing the original Kashi Vishwanath Temple . For centuries, this has been a source of contention, with Hindus seeking to worship at the site they consider their original temple.

The heavy security presence reflects the ongoing legal and political sensitivity of the site.

We stopped at a small shop selling oils and spices, where I enjoyed a wonderfully spicy masala chai, this one with a hint of saffron. It was warming, fragrant, and exactly what I needed after the intensity of the morning.

As we made our way back toward the pick‑up point, I was surprised to find that it was right outside St Thomas’ Church, one of the oldest Christian landmarks in Varanasi. Its presence in the holiest Hindu city is a striking reminder of India’s long tradition of religious coexistence.

By the time we drove back, the city was fully awake and the traffic had returned to its usual chaos. Thankfully, the journey didn’t take too long.

A full, fascinating morning - intense, beautiful, and deeply Varanasi. And what a blessing to begin the Year of the Horse watching the sun rise over the sacred Ganga.