Varanasi morning Sunrise boat

The ancient city of Varanasi come to life as you make your way down the scenic Ganges River by boat. Observe Hindus practising their morning rituals as the sun comes up along the banks of the river and learn about local customs and traditions from your expert guide. You have a chance to observe the Hindu way of life along the bank of the Ganges River (Ganga Ghat or Banaras Ghat). Varanasi presents a unique combination of physical, metaphysical and supernatural elements. According to the Hindu mythology, Varanasi liberates the soul from human body to the ultimate. It is the Ganga Ghats of Varanasi that complement the concept of divinity. The Ganga Ghats at Varanasi are full of pilgrims who flock to the sacred river to take a dip in the holy Ganges, which is believed to absolve one from all sins. Watching people come down to the river in the early morning, taking a bath in the mother Ganga, performing rituals, worshipping the Sun is a unique experience.

There is a number of temples on the banks of the Ganges River in Varanasi. The old buildings, ashrams and palaces along the riverside look as colourful as a rainbow when the sunlight hits them. It is at the Banaras Ghat where we can see life and death together. There are numbers of Ghats alongside Ganges River in Varanasi. There are numbers of Ghats alongside Ganges River in Varanasi. Some of the prominent and popular Ghats at Varanasi are the Dasaswamedh Ghat, Manikarnika Ghat, Harischandra Ghat, Assi Ghat, Shivala Ghat, Man Mandir Ghat, Darbhanga Ghat, Ahilyabai Ghat and the Kedar Ghat.

After the boat ride, take a small walk into the oldest part of Varanasi where is famous for its narrow streets. Stop by the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, also known as Golden Temple, and see the outside of the beautiful temple. 

We took an early morning boat ride from Assi Ghat. We saw the sunrise. You have to negotiate hard for the boat. They start from Rs.1000/- for an individual boat and we ended up paying Rs.300/- for a boat for the two of us. Later we gave Rs.100- tip as we saw this old man and his grandson manoeuvring the motorboat.
Assi ghat is almost city end of the historical &; an ancient place called Banaras. This place is full of versatility. One can find People from all over the world at this place. Accessibility to this place makes it more lucrative than other ghats. Very beautiful.  Assi Ghat where pilgrims take a dip before paying Lord Shiva in the form of huge lingam situated under a peepal tree. At evening arti perform by priests.

This is the Best Ghat of Varanasi - spacious, not overcrowded or over commercialized, yet buzzing with life. The Ghat is particularly captivating at dawn / early morning. The morning aarti at Assi ghat is highly recommended. 

Also, the long tea available on the ghat is a must try. Subah e Banaras makes the mornings special. You must go there in the morning to see the public yoga. It is very good to see so many people practising at the same time.

Also, a walk to the other ghats from Assi ghat is quite relaxing.

Some other parts of Varanasi we explored during our morning walk.