Evening bazaar walk and Ganga Arati

Evening bazaar walk and Ganga Arati

E raja hamke Banaras ghumaaida!
Chalke Godaulia ka paanwa khiyada
Dekha Kachodi Gali badi mas-hoorba
Uhaka kachodi hamke khaye be jaroorba!!

Take me to see Banaras my Prince!
Buy me paan from Godaulia
I hear the Lane of Kachodis is famous
I must taste the kachodis there!!

- Popular Bhojpuri song, Dinesh Lal Yadav

What this tour is about:

The bylanes of Varanasi are just as famous as its temples. Celebrated in mainstream songs, Varanasi is a city of winding alleys with bustling markets, each specialising in something. Fabrics, metalware, milk products, snacks, sweetmeats, handicrafts, wedding decorations, temple paraphranelia, bangles – Varanasi has it all. The bazaars are at their colourful best in the evening and best explored on foot and by cycle-rickshaw. The best way to end an evening in Varanasi is at Dasashwamedh Ghat, where you can watch priests perform the evening prayer to the Ganges.

How the tour works:

This tour starts at the Town Hall (Maidagin). From here, we walk through a colourful fabric and saree market to visit a Goshala (a charitable sanctuary for stray cows). At the goshala, you can understand more about the “sacred cow” and see how Varanasi’s bovine inhabitants are cared for. From the Goshala, we will take a cycle-rickshaw ride through the main market thoroughfare of the city to reach Chowk.

From Chowk, we walk again, covering the following:

  • The wedding market (Kinari Bazaar)
  • Kachori Galli (lane of kachoris, these are deep-fried snacks very popular in Varanasi)
  • Khoa Galli (this lane sells milk products including paneer and condensed, sweetened milk)
  • Vishwanath Galli (the most famous of all lanes in Varanasi)

From Vishwanath Galli, we emerge at Dasashwamedh ghat, where you can view the evening Ganga arati. We will help you find rickshaws or your car at the end of the arati.

It is possible to take a boat ride and view the arati from the river. Please let the guide know if you would like to do this. You can view the cityscape and the burning ghats at night from the river. You can pay the boatman directly for the cost of the boat ride.

Duration, Cost and other information:

Total duration: 3 to 3.5 hours

When: All days of the week, starting around 4pm. Start time varies depending on weather, so check with us

Start Place: Town Hall

End Place: Dasashwamedh Ghat

Cost:
Rs 1500 per person for 2 persons
Rs 1000 per person for 3-4 persons
Rs 800 per person for 5-6 persons
Rs 600 per person for 7-8 persons
Our maximum group size is usually not more than 6-8 people. Payment is by cash on the day of the tour

Includes: Knowledgeable English-speaking guide, personalised walk and all taxes.

Excludes: Boat ride.

If you need pickup/drop from your hotel by car, please add Rs 1000.

Tour Notes and Practicalities:

Please wear sensible closed footwear. The bazaars are dense so please keep pace with the guide. Please be sensitive and discreet if you are photographing people, especially mendicants, women or those from religious orders. There are no Western-style toilets easily available anywhere in the vicinity of the walk.