I love going on walks. It can be while having a conversation with someone, talking on the phone back with someone at home, or even listening to an audiobook or podcast. I simply can just go, and go, and go.
Varanasi is a city that allows me to walk as much as my heart desires. This is one of the many things I love about this city.
With the many gullies, streets, and small spaces that many cars cannot go, you can find yourself walking and meeting some interesting sites. Just be careful of the occasional aggressive cow (they usually seem to be aggressive when they are startled or have nowhere to go) and the constant motorbikes, and you’ll be fine.
The most walks I do is when I go from home to work- and there are many paths and routes that I can choose from. But I also have some locations that I find myself coming back to when I need a good walk out of my system. I thought I would share some with you if you ever find yourself restless in Banaras.
- The Ghats
This is always going to be a recommendation. There are over 80 ghats stung along the Ganga. Each ghat has a different story, different look, and different things to discover. Walking along them you can come upon many sites and see a way of life in Varanasi. You might see a pickup cricket match, buffalos bathing in the river, the funeral pyres of the burning ghats, pilgrims coming to bathe, and much more.
Just seeing a few gahts a day can fill your day. I have this little bucket list goal of walking from Assi ghat (the official southern most ghat) to Rajghat (the official northern most ghat). Even if you find yourself walking too far, no problem! Just take a boat back. It shouldn’t be more than 500 INR for a one way lone boat. If you can manage to do a shared boat, it can be around 100-200 INR.
2. BHU
The Banaras Hindu University campus is pretty big! It’s one of the places I know to have a decent amount of tree shade and cover close to Assi. There are plenty of things to find in this campus. Take a walk to the new Vishvanath Temple to sample some cold coffee with ice cream, take a pitstop at the Bharat Kala Bhavan museum to see some of the best sculpture and miniature paintings curated in Varanasi, or simply wander and look at the different buildings and occasional wildlife that can be spotted within the campus.
This is one of the places that I chose to go for my runs in the morning as the traffic is not as congested and the roads are fairly decent. You can also choose to run at the dirt track located in the campus amphitheater.
3. Godowlia
If you want to experience a traditional bazaar and a great place to shop, people watch, and explore, Godwolia is the place to be. It can be overwhelming if you aren’t in the mood for people to call out to you and approach you to buy all different types of wares. Walking down the Vishvanath Lane (the main shopping road in Godowlia), you’ll be met with many other people shopping and exploring, maybe an occasional temple, and the main aarti (puja or worship) at Dasashwamet Ghat in the morning and evening. If you need to get some shopping done while you explore, this is a place you don’t want to miss. It can be around 50 INR from Assi and the same return- or even less if you can manage to get a shared auto.
4. Sarnath
So this is a bit far, but it could technically be called a suburb of Varanasi. Sarnath is quite a different feel from Varanasi. As this is the place where the Buddha gave his first sermon after achieving enlightenment, it’s a main point of pilgrimage for Buddhists. Sometimes Buddhists only come through Varanasi because it’s the closest train station or airport. They may never even see the ghats or temples of Varanasi.
There are so many monasteries and temples from different countries, that it is fun to simply walk around, explore, and see the different architecture from the different countries. If you are feeling a bit warm, take a look inside the air conditioned Sarnath museum that features sculptures and artifacts found in the sites just 2 minutes walk away! It’s open all days except for Fridays. This is also one of the rare places where foreigners and Indians pay the same price!
I hear there is a way to walk from Varanasi to Sarnath that takes around two hours. As you can guess, this is another walk on my Varanasi bucket list. Perhaps, only a one way walk is needed!
There are plenty of other places to talk a walk in Varanasi. Don’t worry if you’re not the “walk for hours” type that I can tend to be, there are plenty of rickshaws, autos, and boats to get around as well!
What are some of your favorite places to take a walk?