Varanasi at Ganges

Varanasi or Benaras is said to be the oldest city in India. Considered holiest by the Hindus it is considered an ideal place to be cremated in order to achieve salvation. The steep embankments on the Ganges River are populated with pilgrims, sadhus, and tourists alike. 

Varanasi is famous for its Ghats of which there are many. The city finds veneration among the Jains and Buddhists as well. It was at Sarnath nearby that Buddha delivered his first sermon under the Bodhi tree.   The city was known as Kashi during the olden times and the Maharaja is the chief cultural patron.   

Maha Aarti at Varanasi

The city is home to greats like Bismillah Khan shehnai players and is associated with Pandit Ravi Shanker the famous sitarist. Being the cultural seat of Uttar Pradesh in North India the city finds many patrons of fine and performing arts. 

In the modern era, Benaras Hindu University is a notable institution in India. There are many reputed technical institutes in this destination. The city is well industrialized as well. The Ganges which I visited at Allahabad is the chief focus here and it is auspicious to perform the holy rites on its banks.  

A large number of foreign tourists visit Varanasi for spiritual quests and sightseeing. They partake in some religious ceremonies as well. Discourse with sadhus is a common practice for pilgrims and tourists alive. Maha Aarti is a grand spectacle performed here. This is an assemblage of priests who conduct prayer sessions on the banks of the Ganges.       

Festivals being one of the seven holy cities of India a number of Hindu festivals are organized here. Besides Diwali, Hanuman Jayanti, Shivratri, and Ramilla are major festivals celebrated in this town.     

Places of interest: 

• Ahilya Ghat 
• Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple
• Kashi Vishwanath Temple
• Jantar Mantar
• Aswamegh Ghat
• Kala-Bhairava Temple 
• Birla Mandir 
• Durga Temple

The Jyotirlinga or Lord Shiva is situated at Kashi Vishwanath Temple. Hence the deity is most important for Hindus on pilgrimage.

There are a number of shopping centers many dealing in artifacts of interest to foreign tourists. Modern Malls, Eateries, and Cinema Houses abound. 

Boating on the Ganges

                                                                              

     In order to facilitate tourism a number of hotels ranging from budget to four-star are established here. The holy city of Varanasi teems with tourists during the winter times. Most of the tourists are inbound but a large number of pilgrims also arrive here from all over India.   

Time to Celebrate

Come October Festivities begin in India. This is when the torrid monsoon ends and fair, sunny weather is in plenty full. The series of Hindu festivals fetch a lot of joy and inundate the ambiance with myriads of mind-boggling colors. Ganesh Chaturthi in praise of Lord Ganesha lasts for 9 days, after some days it is followed by nine days of Navratri in praise of Maa Durga at times in personification as Goddess Kali. Ganesh Chathurthi is celebrated with greater pomp and gaiety in the Maharashtra State of India.  

Nothing expresses better than the empowerment of women except the Hindu Scriptures and Epics. In places, women in India are exploited which is a different matter - a simple lack of understanding and archaic beliefs.          

Navratri is immediately followed by Dusherra or VijiyaDashmi on the tenth day when idols of Durga are immersed in sacred waters. Dusherra marks the victory of good over evil. Large Idols of Ravana, the tyrant ruler of Lanka, and his associates are burnt using crackers all over India.  This festival is celebrated with greater fervor in Bengal the State of India. 

This is then followed by the 4/5 Day Diwali Festival of Lights. The lights dazzle throughout the night and crackers are aflame. The subtle clay lamps accord grace and serenity to the explosive atmosphere.  Diyas, as they are called in Hindi, are the epitome of the divine light of the overpowering darkness. The main festival Badi Diwali marks the return of Lord Rama, Sita & brother Laxman from 14 years of exile back to his Kingdom Ayodhya. This is after a thundering victory of evil Ravana who kidnapped Sita wife of Ram.

Food and sweets galore, the gratification of hunger is essential to all religious festivals the sweeter the better.        

Festival Time: Colors & Sparkling Lights

Hinduism is one of the most colorful religion, liberal, gregarious and open. The practice entwines itself with spirituality in ritualistic manner that unifies mind and body for inner peace. The exemplary myths are what makes and ideology peaceful an benevolent. The rites and rituals may appear to be indigestible to many but they are actually personification of soul and inner self. The apparently unscientific and irrational envelopes the truth and teachings of a civilization thousands of years old. Hidden deep with the spiral maze of invisible quagmire coexist the expression of science and spiritual quest.

The great events and auspicious happenings are celebrated as festivals. The celebrations are celebration of life and the World around us. The celebration of belief in God and his limitless creation. The festival of lights or Diwali is a follow up of series of events some related to Holy Ramayana.    

Navratri/Durgautsav: Dance & Music: This is the beginning of the harvest season whence Goddess  Durga is invoked as thanksgiving. Durga is representation of Shakti (Cosmic Power & Strength) as consort of Lord Shiva is blessed with constructive and potent destructive power. Navratri is celebration of her victory over Mahisasur the demon.  A nine day long ritualistic prayer sessions follow up with lot of fun and gaiety in brightly decorated and illuminated pandals or temporary fabricated structures. This is also the time for culture to manifest itself in traditional dance forms like Garba of Gujarat State. Commercial life except shopping comes to a stop in some states especially Bengal where Durga Puja is celebrated with religious fervor.  Finally the idols of Durga are immersed in the rivers and large water bodies with offerings of prayers.

Dusshera/Vijayadashmi: End of The Battle: It is celebrated for the victory of truth over evil.  This is the day whence Lord Ram killed Ravana the personification of evil. Ram is the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu the preserver in holy trinity. The 10th day is marked as Dusshera whence Ravana was killed by Ram along with his ten heads he!he!. The ten heads are nothing but representative of destructive and evil might of Ravana the King of Lanka. Effigy of the devil king is set to fire for ultimate demise and to signify victory of good over evil.

This event is celebrated with full gusto in many places in India especially in the erstwhile kingdom of Mysore. The palace is the center of attraction decorated with dazzling lights for full 10 days. The royals perform the ritualistic prayers at Chamunda Devi Temple. The festivities galore with the beginning of the precession of Goddess Chamundeswari on elephant back in the streets. The spectacle of singing, dancing and ritualistic fervor is amazing and attracts thousands of tourists to Mysore. The procession is a conglomeration of local audience, tourists, dance groups, live bands, tableaux, decorated elephants, camels and horses.              

Diwali: Lord Returns to Ayodhya: Ram, Wife Sita & Brother Laxman return to Ayodhya from fourteen years of exile after victory over Sita's abductor  Ravana. The return is celebrated as Diwali the festival of light. Illumination of structures by traditional clay lamps or diyas and modern lightening takes place during Diwali. Bursting fire crackers are a way of celebration that can be used for days especially on the Diwali Night.       

The rows and rows of houses and commercial complexes are illuminated with dazzling lights. The night is lit up in urban centers with diyas and modern methods.After the evening prayers the scene erupts and crackers and rockets take to the sky. It is an event of social gathering,  fooding, and night long of fire crackers till exhaustion takes place.

Travel in India during the festival season is a spectacle of huge unmanageable rush. All travel services are fully booked hence travelers to India and holiday makers should book transportation and accommodations in advance. 

Fairs & Festivals in Rajasthan

The people of Rajasthan lead a colorful life and celebrate all joyous occasions with fun fair and gaiety. There Marwari life is full of music, dances, fairs and festivals. The state is mostly desert country, but yet, the most colorful and picturesque in the world.

Rajasthani's celebrate all kinds of fairs and festivals - animal fairs as cattle and horse fair which also offer trading in the live stock, religious fairs and fairs to mark the change of season. The celebrations are almost year around and offer insight into lifestyle of the locals. There are traditional fairs and fairs organized for the tourist attraction like elephant fair, camel race, dances and music . A tour should time with major fairs and festivals in order to experience the golden heritage and cultures of Rajasthan.

Some major fairs.

1) Nagaur Fair held January -February. A cattle fair and offers local sports and traditional music and local cuisine..

2) Kite Festival held on Makar Sakranti on14th January. See the splendor of colorful kites all over Rajasthan. This is the best event for Kite lovers.

3) Desert Festival at Jaisalmer. An exciting journey into the heart of Rajasthani desert life. Main attraction is the exotic city of Jaisalmer.

4) Baneshwar Fair Held on January-February, a festival exhibits religious and traditional rituals. The fair is attended by tribal communities of state of Madhya Pradesh and the state of Gujarat to offer prayers to Lord Shiva.

5) Gangaur Festival - held on March-April at Jaipur. This festival is devoted to Goddess Parvati. On this occasion young girls pray for best grooms while the married women pray for the well-being and safety of their husbands.

6) Pushkar Fair at Ajmer in November. An important pilgrimage center and the venue of a mammoth cattle fairs. Visit bazaars, partake or see cattle auctions. Find lovely music and partake in sports. Find the sole temple devoted to Lord Brahma the creator at Pushkar.

7) Teej Festival at Jaipur in July-August. It marks the coming of monsoon rains. In principle a women's festival decked in exquisite finery with activities in groups and at various bazaars.

8) Mewar Festival - March-April held at Udaipur held welcome the heralds of spring. There are songs and traditional dances, processions, religious music and colorful fireworks during the events.

9) Elephant Festival to celebrate Holi in March or April. Play and throw at each other water colors. colored powder and dyes watch several elephant sporting events.

10) Marwar Festival devoted to the music and dance of the Marwar region at Jodhpur. This is an apt occasion for tourists to understand and enjoy the folk traditions of the state.

11) Camel Festival in January at Bikaner the exotic desert city is live with folk music and dances. The camels and camel race and dances are the key events.

Apart from fairs and festivals Rajasthan offers wonderful tiger safaris tours for lovers of nature. Ranthambhore National Park, Sariska and Bharatpur are prime wildlife watching destinations. The Rajasthani cuisine is unique and world famous. It is an experience of life time to partake this wonder full food.