Banaras- The City Where Soul Meets God

A few days ago, I packed my bags and went to visit Banaras. This trip was special for several reasons, most importantly, it was the first time in my life I had gone there with my friends. It was a whole new experience for me, filled with fun, excitement, and thrill.

Meet my Bagwati at the beginning of this journey. (I hope Farhan Akhtar won't mind😄)

I stayed in Naila’s cousin’s house. They were really kind and generous people (truly amazing). On our first day, we went to Big Bazaar with Naila’s bhabhi to have some fun with her two cute little kids.

Naila and I with Bhabhi and her cutie Azhaan

The next day, we all arrived at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) at 8 o’clock sharp, where everyone was waiting for the ABP News Channel’s exam to begin. Though it took too long for the paper to get started, in the meantime, we enjoyed the pleasant beauty of BHU. The university is so enormous that people usually book an auto to reach their department, not only that, the university has its own bus service for students and workers to reach their respective destinations. Then I realised that Lucknow University is just a baby in front of BHU.

Breath-taking view of Banaras Hindu University.

After completing the exam, our next destination was Assi Ghat. A movie named "Ranjhana," released in 2013, featuring Sonam Kapoor and Dhanush, had a few scenes shot at this Ghat.

A view of Assi Ghat

The next day, all of us went to Godauliya market first, and from there, we went to Dashashwamedh Ghat, which was the main ghat of Banaras.

Preparation of Aarti at the Dashashwamedh Ghat at the time of dawn.

After that, we took a boat ride where we saw many other ghats.

Reewa Ghat 

 

There was a place called "Brij Rama Palace," which was a luxurious hotel situated on the Banks of the river Ganga.

Brij Rama Palace is one of the oldest palaces of India

 

I met a girl named Laali, who was selling flowers to devotees.

Me with Laali

After that, we went to get a glimpse of the famous aarti.

Aarti is performed by scholars.

 While returning home, we were so exhausted and hungry, and then we tasted the chat of Banaras. It tasted quite different from the chat of Lucknow. I noticed that people from Banaras prefer a little bit of spicy food compared to Lucknowites.

Chat of Banaras, it was tasty😋

All in all, it was a fun trip, and I got a chance to learn a little bit about Banaras, its ghats, and its culture. The majority population is of Hindus here, but what I like most is that no matter what the religion of a person is, people are living here peacefully without any problem and are welcoming others with generosity. I guess this is what makes Banaras a place where soul meets God.