India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) (258 page)

Earliest accounts of the city go back 8,000 years, and “the city of learning and burning,” as it is affectionately referred to, has attracted pilgrims from time immemorial, not all of them Hindu—even Buddha visited here in 500
B.C.
after he achieved enlightenment, sharing his wisdom at nearby Sarnath. Successive raids by Muslim invaders (the last of whom was the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb) led to the destruction of many of the original Hindu temples, which means that most of the buildings here date back no further than the 18th century. Yet the sense of ancient history is almost palpable. Getting lost in the impossibly cramped labyrinth, you are crowded by pilgrims purchasing flowers for
puja
(offering or prayer), grieving relatives bearing corpses, chanting priests sounding gongs, and sacred cows rooting in the rubbish—an experience you will never forget.

ESSENTIALS

VISITOR INFORMATION
The
India Tourism Office
is located at 15B The Mall, Cantonment (
0542/250-1784;
Mon–Fri 9am–5pm, Sat 9am–2pm). A satellite information counter is open during flight arrivals. The
U. P. Tourist Office
is on Parade Kothi (
0
542/220-6638;
Mon–Sat 10am–5pm); a satellite counter is at the railway station (daily 9am–7pm).

GETTING THERE
By Road
Unless you have a lot of time on your hands, driving to Varanasi means spending too much time on a bumpy road with no interesting stops.

By Air
The airport is 23km (14 miles) from the Cantonment (Cantt.) area, where the large chain hotels are located, and 30km (19 miles) from the riverfront. The flight from Delhi lasts 75 minutes. Best to fly in with
Jet Airways
(reservations
0542/262-2026,
or
airport 0542/262-2795
through -2797), who offer the most reliable and regular flights here, or—for the best-priced deal—with
SpiceJet
(
www.spicejet.com
), which at press time offered flights from Delhi for just over Rs 2,000 (check out their website or
www.yatra.com
for best deals from other destinations). A taxi should run you Rs 450 to the Cantonment, and Rs 500 to Assi Ghat; use the prepaid service and try to inspect the vehicle before jumping in. Ignore all attempts by drivers to get you to stay at hotels they recommend (or “own”).

By Train
Varanasi is conveniently reached by overnight train from Delhi; the Swatantrata Express and Shiv Ganga Express take 12 to 13. Avoid the smelly and non-air-conditioned second class sleeper; the 2-tiered Second AC is generally the most comfortable but if you want to save pennies then even the 3-tiered Third AC should work. It is also connected with a host of other cities and towns. For information, call
1331;
for Varanasi Cantonment reservations, call
0542/220-3475
or 0542/243-1740. Prepaid taxis are available from the station. Be sure to disembark at Varanasi Cantonment station.

Getting Around
By Auto-Rickshaw & Cycle-Rickshaw
The narrow and extremely crowded streets of the Old City and in and around Godaulia (also Gowdalia) are penetrable only by two-wheelers and very determined cycle-rickshaws. These are also useful—if sometimes bone-jarring—ways of getting from your hotel to the area near the
ghats
and other attractions. Once at (or near) the
ghats,
set off on foot. Note that cycle-rickshaws are notorious for not having functioning brakes; their technique of stopping is to merely roll into the cycle-rickshaw in front; hold on and try not to be alarmed, although you must know that they’re very uncomfortable, and tend to have you constantly sliding forward. To tour the environs you’ll need to hire a car and driver; expect to pay at least Rs 800 for a half-day or Rs 1,500 for a full day.

Getting the Better of Transport Tricksters

Remember that Varanasi is a city of transport tricksters, and you have little chance of escaping at least one rickshaw-related con job. Ask your hotel what the current going rate is for any trip in either an auto- or a cycle-rickshaw, and bargain for the correct fare—the best technique is to quote your price and walk away disinterestedly. Be further warned that rickshaw-wallas will readily agree to take you somewhere without having the faintest idea where it is. Once you’ve been onboard for several minutes, you will suddenly be asked where you want to go and, more likely than not, you will end up at a shop where the driver expects to make a commission off your purchase. To avoid falling into this annoying and time-wasting trap, ensure that the driver can repeat the name of your destination (or the nearest prominent landmark), in recognizable English. In addition, avoid the shopping scam by using a bit of trickery yourself. To begin with, never use the word “shopping” with a rickshaw-walla. If you’re heading to the shopping area in Godaulia, ask to be taken to Dasashwamedh Ghat, as if you plan to go there for a stroll. When you’re almost there, you’ll pass the Old City shopping area and Godaulia; stop your rickshaw and get off before you reach the ghats, or get to the ghats and take the 5-minute walk back into the market

GUIDED TOURS
We recommend that you explore the area with a personal guide, if only to know which temples you can enter or which street food to sample, and to avoid getting lost or conned. One of Varanasi’s best guides is
Ajit Kumar Yadav
(
0542/258-1052
or 94-1522-5994; [email protected]; Rs 600 half-day for one to five persons or Rs 800 for a full day), an official, government-approved guide; he’s often engaged for group tours during peak season, so book before you leave. Ajit is perfect for those looking for an understanding of the city that goes beyond its history, covering religious rituals and mythological stories as well. His knowledge of Hinduism and Buddhism (for Sarnath) is unmatched; most important, he never asks if you want to shop, unless you express a strong interest.
Shailesh Tripathi
(
94-1528-7257
), an archaeology Ph.D. from Benares University,
is another government-approved guide with a wealth of knowledge, as is
Devesh Agarwal
(
98-3904-2347
); both charge Rs 700 for a half-day and Rs 1,200 for a full day. Alternatively, you can arrange both guide and car through your hotel, or contact the
India Tourism Office
(see “Visitor Information,” above) to arrange for an approved guide and vehicle (
0542/220-6638
). To hire a boat (with oarsman), head for Dasashwamedh; the price should be around Rs 100 per hour.