Ganges - Ghats in Varanasi
India,  Religion and Spirituality

The magic of the Ganges: Evening aarti at the Varanasi ghats

Evening is falling, and I am in a boat on the Ganges. We are at the Varanasi ghats, the broad promenade leading down to the river, and have made our way downtown by cycle rickshaw, pedalled through slums and down busy city streets to the water’s edge. It’s late March and the air is warm; the lights on the river bank are bright and the sounds of India are floating across the water.

Discover the magic of the evening aarti, which takes place nightly on the Varanasi ghats. What makes it so special, and why should you visit? | Ganges Varanasi | Ganga puja Varanasi | What to see in Varanasi | Visit Varanasi | Varanasi Ganges | Places to see in Varanasi | Tourist places in Varanasi | Visit Varanasi India
The chaotic banks of the Ganges in Varanasi

We are here for the evening aarti, the Hindu ceremony or puja which is performed every evening here on the ghats along the river. Our boat is one of dozens, maybe a hundred, which makes its way slowly to the spot where the priests are already in action on the steps leading up to the town. We cram together, most of us tourists, some Indian but many westerners, like me understanding very little but soaking up the sights, sounds and smells of this moment. It feels like a festival, and it’s hard to believe this takes place every evening here in Varanasi.

The city is the epicentre of the Hindu faith, the destination of a lifetime for many Indians, and I’m very aware of how lucky I am to be here. At the same time, the city can be overwhelming, especially here down by the river. Much of Varanasi is a typical Indian city, with middle-class districts sitting side-by-side with extreme poverty, but as you enter the old town the wide streets give way to winding alleyways lined with cycle rickshaws, traders and cows – the stereotypical image of India. Arriving on the ghats above the river itself, the swirl of colour is infused with the incense and bustle of religious devotion. Men and women alike bathe – separately – in the great river, the men stripping down to shorts and knee-length dhotis, the women submerging fully-clothed in brightly-coloured saris. Holy men lounge on the steps down to the river, bearded and hennaed but still happy to smile at visitors and pose for photos. And behind us, many-storeyed buildings in various colours and stages of disrepair rise up in a colourful backdrop to the river below.

Discover the magic of the evening aarti, which takes place nightly on the Varanasi ghats. What makes it so special, and why should you visit? | Ganges Varanasi | Ganga puja Varanasi | What to see in Varanasi | Visit Varanasi | Varanasi Ganges | Places to see in Varanasi | Tourist places in Varanasi | Visit Varanasi India
A holy man on the Varanasi ghats

Before I visited India for the first time, I expected the whole country to be like this – noisy, crowded and intimidating in its strangeness. The friendliness and gently unthreatening bustle of India was a surprise, and I fell in love with the unapologetic openness of life here. But now, standing in Varanasi, I can see where the image of overwhelming, chaotic India has come from. But I know the country better now; I take a deep breath and let the confusion wash over me until it starts to make a little more sense.

Everyone here is in their own world, worshipping in their own way. I see young monks in training lining the ghats to pray, washermen laying out the sheets and towels of the fancy hotels to dry in the sun, and families come to enjoy the joyful chaos of Hindu devotions. Varanasi is built along the northern bank of the Ganges; in the distance are the low plains of the opposite shore, and in between them, wooden boats make their way up and down the river. In the distance, we can see the smoke rising from the cremation ghats, a practice which I expected to scare me, but it makes sense here. Every facet of life is played out along the river.

Discover the magic of the evening aarti, which takes place nightly on the Varanasi ghats. What makes it so special, and why should you visit? | Ganges Varanasi | Ganga puja Varanasi | What to see in Varanasi | Visit Varanasi | Varanasi Ganges | Places to see in Varanasi | Tourist places in Varanasi | Visit Varanasi India
Evening aarti ceremony, Varanasi

And so the light falls, and we board our boat to watch the evening puja, striking out into the river for a better view of the priests chanting on the ghats in front of us, lit by lamps that glow orange in the darkness. We buy offerings from passing salesmen, burning tealights in straw boats beautifully decorated with flowers including the marigolds which are omnipresent in India. I buy one as a prayer to whichever gods we are praying to (to be honest, I’m not sure, but anything is worth a try). With a silent entreaty to protect family and friends who need the help, I carefully float the offering down the river.

Discover the magic of the evening aarti, which takes place nightly on the Varanasi ghats. What makes it so special, and why should you visit? | Ganges Varanasi | Ganga puja Varanasi | What to see in Varanasi | Visit Varanasi | Varanasi Ganges | Places to see in Varanasi | Tourist places in Varanasi | Visit Varanasi India
Young monks on the river bank

We are packed close together in our boats, but this is a friendly gathering in the wide open spaces of the river. However, I don’t escape completely unscathed, as the oar of a neighbouring boat, in a wonderfully inexpert move, splashes Ganges water right over me and my camera. Thankfully the camera survives, and despite being warned that the river water is filthy and bathing is not recommended, I am able to say that I have been blessed by Mother Ganga regardless. But I wash my hands thoroughly before dinner.

I'm Jill, and I'm a British blogger who has been travelling for two decades, visiting more than 70 countries on 6 continents. I love to travel both solo and with groups, and to discover the cultures and peoples of the countries I visit. And I love to share a good story or two along the way!

10 Comments

  • Josy A

    Heh! I love that you were blessed (ish) by the rogue oar Jill!

    This is bringing back fantastic memories. I visited the Varanasi ghats yeeears ago (I think it was 1999) but it looked a lot less busy back then. The water was pretty gross, but I really loved seeing it all.

    • Jill Bowdery

      I was convinced I was going to catch something from the water! I can imagine it’s got even busier in recent years, but it was still surprisingly peaceful out on the river. I wouldn’t have missed it anyway, despite the crowds…

  • Ruth Holt

    This brings back many memories of when I visited in 2001 during monsoon time and most of the ghats were flooded. Lovely to read! I remember being near to the cremation ghat as there was a constant stream of bodies being carried down ready for cremation. Really quite surreal!

    • Jill Bowdery

      It’s really strange – I expected to feel much more uncomfortable than I did. I guess it’s just a normal part of life. Hard to imagine Varanasi with the ghats flooded!

  • Ryan K Biddulph

    Jill what a fascinating environment. I’ve long followed Ganges-themed posts from rocking travel bloggers. This area gives off a beautiful vibe. Fabulous post.

  • Dina Dubinsky

    This is such a beautiful depiction from the perspective of a tourist of the most sacred Hindu ritual – I actually have goose bumps! While I think it’s impossible to discover every crevice of India in even two lifetimes, a night at Varanasi for this ritual must be in the top 10. I have loved India with each visit, although admittedly, I have not made it to Varanasi yet. I love that you accepted being splashed by the Ganges waters with grace and didn’t panic or get grossed out like so many foreigners do. And fully agree that India’s chaos has a harmonious rhythm to it that shouldn’t questioned or challenged – it works! I really hope to visit one day soon and that to experience is as profound as yours :).

    • Jill Bowdery

      Thanks so much Dina! If you’ve loved India so far, you will love Varanasi! It’s true about the tourist perspective – it’s easy to lose sight of the fact it has such spiritual significance for Hindus. Having said that, I saw nothing but respect from tourists, which is always wonderful to see!

  • the Curious Pixie

    This looks incredible Jill. I’m a Hindu and it’s my list of places to go with my family. Loved reading about your experience.

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