Varanasi, India
Varanasi: The City That Unexpectedly Stole My Heart
I’ve been to Varanasi twice now, and this city quickly became one of my favorite places in India, if not one of my favorite places in the world. Before my first trip, I did so much research, which honestly made me a little worried. TikTok had completely skewed my expectations. I had seen endless negative videos of people saying things I don’t even want to repeat. But once I got there, I chose to put on my rose-colored glasses, and what I saw wasn’t what the internet had warned me about. Instead, I saw one of the holiest cities in the world, bursting with history, spirituality, and culture. The moment I let go of all the negativity I had absorbed online, I realized I had just stepped into a place that would hold a piece of my heart forever.
Where We Stayed: Radisson Hotel
Both times I visited Varanasi, we stayed at the Radisson Hotel, and let me just say—the food? 10/10. We ate at their restaurant multiple times, and every single dish we ordered was amazing. Like, I even ordered Maggi noodles, and somehow they made it fancy! Their breakfast buffet was delicious as well. So many options. If you’re looking for a comfortable stay with solid food, this is the place.
Our First Glimpse of the Ganges
As soon as we checked into the hotel, we were excited to explore all that Varanasi had to offer. Our first stop was the ghats. The ghats are a series of steps leading down to the Ganges River, where people gather for prayers, rituals, and even just hang out. These ghats are the beating heart of Varanasi. In total, there are 88 of them.
We grabbed a rickshaw from outside the hotel, and the driver took us as far as we could go before we had to continue on foot. Now, this is where things got a little sus. Our driver—who, by the way, was wearing a long blonde wig (???)—motioned for us to follow him through these tiny, twisting alleys. And listen, if some random guy with a fake blonde wig told you to follow him into a maze of dimly lit passages, how would you feel? Exactly.
But we kept walking. And suddenly, we stepped out of the alley, and there it was—the Ganges River.
I swear, I got chills. And no, not because it was cold—it was literally 105°F outside. But something about that moment just hit me. I don’t even know how to explain it, but seeing the Ganges for the first time made me emotional. It felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be. The first picture I took when I saw the Ganges is on the left.
The Magical Evening Aarti
Our rickshaw driver led us down the steps to the water, where we got on a boat and started floating down the Ganges. As we drifted along, we made our way to Dashashwamedh Ghat, where the evening aarti was about to start.
Aarti is a form of worship in Hinduism that involves diyas (lights) and singing of hymms. Every single night, pundits (priests) perform a synchronized ritual, offering fire, flowers, and prayers to the river. They move in perfect harmony, waving large flaming lamps while chanting mantras. Even from afar, this was truly amazing to witness. The sound of drums, bells, and conch shells fills the air. The energy is unreal—hundreds of people gather on the steps, while boats, like ours, float nearby, all watching, praying and singing along.
There was something so powerful about seeing an ancient tradition being performed with such devotion. Every single day they perform these rituals and you will see the locals flooding the streets to be here. The devotion I witnessed here will stay with me forever.
And then, just as we were about to leave, our boat broke down.
Yup. Our engine just stopped working in the middle of the river. We sat there for a while, confused on why we weren’t moving, until another boat finally came along and pulled us back to shore. Fun times!
Holi in Varanasi: Pure Chaos (in the Best Way)
The next morning, we stepped out of the hotel and were instantly covered in color. It was Holi—the festival of colors, and let me tell you, celebrating it in Varanasi was one of the coolest things I have ever experienced. As soon as we walked outside, people were throwing colored powder at us, shouting "Happy Holi!" and “Holi Hai” meaning “Holi is here” and laughing.
We ended up making some “friends” (aka random strangers who wanted to play Holi with us) and got completely drenched in colors. We took a rickshaw back to the ghats after this, and this is where the real madness began. People were singing, dancing, and throwing colors in every direction. We didn’t know anyone, yet we had a whole group of people that we celebrated with.
At one point, someone threw water at us, and let me just say—it smelled bad. I don’t even want to think about what was in that water. We definitely needed a shower after that. But aside from that one questionable moment, Holi in Varanasi was insane in the best way possible. The streets had color all over and there was water everywhere too. Seeing Varanasi during Holi was completely different than the day before- it went from a holy, sacred town to vibrant streets filled with laughter. Of course it was still holy and sacred, but the vibe was completely different.
The cutest puppy who looked like he played Holi too!
After cleaning up from Holi celebrations, we headed to Durga Kund, a temple dedicated to Goddess Durga. As soon as we arrived, we were drawn in by the bright red exterior and the peaceful atmosphere surrounding it. Right outside the temple, we bought flowers to offer from a local vendor, who carefully wrapped them in leaves and handed them to us with a warm smile. The temple was filled with the sound of bells ringing and chants in the background. As we made our offerings and took a moment to soak in the spiritual aura, I couldn’t help but admire how places like this manage to feel so deeply personal, even in a city as lively as Varanasi. The temple itself is known for its sacred water, believed to have holy properties, and while we didn’t take a dip, we did spend time just watching the devotees around us, appreciating the deep faith that makes Varanasi so special.
After we left the temple, we saw strobe lights down the street so we wanted to see what was happening. There were a couple shop stalls, but more importantly, there were people dancing in the middle of the street! They started blasting their music and ending the Holi celebrations by dancing. This was so fun to see and to get the full experience of Varanasi on Holi.
Sunrise on the Ganges & The Kashi Vishwanath Temple
The next morning, we did a sunrise boat ride on the Ganges, and I genuinely think this was one of the most peaceful moments of my life. The river was so still, the air was crisp, and everything felt calm. We missed the morning aarti, but honestly, just being out on the water at sunrise made up for it.
After the boat ride, we visited the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, one of the most famous Shiva temples in India. Now, getting in was a bit of an adventure. Someone told us that we need to act like locals, or they won’t let us in. Half of our group spoke Hindi, so they were fine. The other half—including me—barely knew anything. So, I just kept my mouth shut and nodded at everything. It worked!
Inside, the gold-plated temple was incredible, but you don’t get much time to stop. The lines keep moving, and no phones are allowed. We did our offerings, took in as much as we could, and then made our way out.
Oh, and then? Someone tried to steal my shoes.
I was getting my shoes back from the shoe area, and this man (literally like 6 feet tall), put MY tiny shoes on and just started walking away! We had to tell him those were mine and then he gave them back. But sir… why were you trying to steal my shoes at a temple???
Sacred Cows & Final Thoughts
As we walked back, I saw something so wholesome—a cow, halfway inside a temple, just chilling there, while people walked by and gently patted it on the head. It was so normal, yet so special.
In Hinduism, cows are sacred and symbolize prosperity, motherhood, and non-violence. They are deeply respected, and seeing one standing in a temple, getting love from everyone around it, felt like the perfect representation of Varanasi—a city where the spiritual and the everyday coexist so effortlessly.
Varanasi is a city that I know I’ll keep coming back to. It’s a place that completely changed the way I see India and left me with some of the most unforgettable experiences of my life. And this was just my first visit—I'll definitely be writing about my second trip soon.
