Varanasi is synonym of Ganges. The Hinduism sacred river, where many people do pilgrimage at least once in their lives in order to perform the bath rituals. When possible, they also try to to be cremated here, as there is no better place to rest than the Ganges. For Hinduists, the river is the PERSONIFICACION of the Goddess Ganges in Earth, who came down in order to save the World from the Demons who perished in its waters. It is also a pilgrimage place for buddhists, as Buddha said his first sermon in Sarath, in the outskirts of the current Varanasi.

This sacred characteristic can be felt in every corner of the city, but especially in the narrow streets near the river, and the Ghats, the streets ending in stairs leading to the river, and which host most of the activity in town. People go there in thousands to perform the sunrise ritual bath, but also during the rest of the day there are people meditating, walking or just observing the vast river.

Two of these ghats host crematories, with hectic activity during all day, as people from outside Varanasi come in their last days here to have the honour of have their remains be spread in the Ganges river. I find quite interesting and surprising to see a town grow so much thanks to the death business. Everyone shall be cremated, except the saint people (holy men, kids, animals, pregnant women -they have kids inside), and others to avoid annoying the Gods (LEPROSOS, and those who died because of a snake bite)… The weird side of this rule is that those people are thrown directly to the river, so it is not unusual to see dead animal bodies floating in the river, and locals playing to guess what animal it is from the distance…

For me, Varanasi was a highlight in the trip. It was the most interesting place from all we visited. It probably helped that, following some previous travellers’ recommendations, we hired a local guide, as we had been told that Varanasi could be too intense to get lost. It was particularly useful, as the river water level was very high, and the easy walk on the riverside became impossible, so we had to wander around many small streets which did not feel as the safest place on Earth.

As there are some morning people, there are some cities which shine the most also in the morning. Varanasi is one of these places, and the best place to live that is from a boat ride at sunrise. Observing the city waking up from the calmness of the sacred Ganges is an unforgettable experience: the ghats getting the many first people to have morning bath rituals, some having travelled long distances for that specific moment, others who have the blessing of having that as part of their daily routine, the crematories starting their daily famous activity, some people meditating in calmer ghats, and many boats full of local tourists fascinated and happy for being able to live this at least once in their lives.

Apart from that, a plain tourist can enjoy walking up and down the bazaars in Varanasi, which are more adequate for the international taste than others, visit one of the many temples in town, like the busy Monkey Temple, or walking around the green areas in the University… But after many years, you may forget them, or not be sure whether it was Varanasi or somewhere else… but you will not forget the river… and everything else.