Tag: Varanasi

Trip to Varanasi – Witness the Celestial Magnificence of Events on Dev Deepawali in 2021!

Are you scouting for the best place on your north India trip this year? If you have scheduled a travel plan around Dev Deepavali, a trip to Varanasi can leave you awestruck with the grandeur of lights and a majestic vibe that stays forever!

Celebration of Dev Deepavali on Your Trip to Varanasi This Year

Festivals in Uttar Pradesh have their fragrance and a charismatic vibe that is simply blissful. Do not mistake it with the Deepavali celebration. Also known as Dev Diwali, this festival occurs on the auspicious night of ‘Kartik Poornima’ (Full Moon) in November month each year. Travelers visit to witness the eye-pleasing plight of Varanasi Ghats, where thousands of Diyas (Earthen Lamps) decorate the complete surroundings. If you are planning on dev Deepavali to Varanasi, get ready to unfold the splendid series of events that mark the celebration of Dev Deepavali.

It marks the waking up of Dev (Lords), after which the pomp of weeding celebrations gear up in full swing. A trip to Varanasi on this auspicious day can leave you with some unforgettable memories, followed by the events near the Holy River, Ganga. After the Diwali festival celebration on ‘Amavasya’ (No Moon) night, the Dev Deepavali festivities lit up the surroundings fifteen days later. On this auspicious occasion, the native lit diyas and pay a holy tribute to the River Ganga. The celebration of this festival here is mesmerizing and falls somewhere in November month each year.

Myths About Dev Deepavali

It is amongst the most popular festivals in Uttar Pradesh, and there are numerous mythological tales synced to it. On this holy day, the Hindu Gods descend to Earth to applaud and celebrate the Victory of Lord Shiva over the demon Tripurasur. It is also marked as the end of ‘Ganga Mahotsav’ that starts on ‘Prabodhini Ekadashi’ or (11th day of the Kartik month) every year. Dev Deepavali is celebrated in full grandeur all across the country.

On this day, the Indians do ‘DeepDaan,’ and it’s a religious act of paying tribute through diyas. Apart from this, devotees in massive number from all over the world make a trip to Varanasi for taking a dip in the Holy Ganga. They come over to purify their souls to get rid of all the sins. Apart from diyas, your eyes can witness the appeasing sight of devotees offering light clay lamp, flowers, and earthen lamps in the evening time.

On your North India trip, visit Varanasi during Deep Deepavali is a sheer paradise that enchants your soul with the divinity of diyas all around. At every staircase of the ghat, you can get stunned with the millions of diyas and lamps. It is indeed a captivating sight for the visitors coming here.

Varanasi- A Heaven to the Spiritual Seekers

Do you really wish to see paradise on earth? Does your mind need an inner peace and relaxation? Stay in Varanasi during Dev Deepavali includes a lot of activities and religious acts performed by people. Travelers and lovers of Indian tradition worldwide visit here and plan a couple of days’ stay to get the complete festive gist here. You can also find people meditating across the holy banks of the Ganga River. There are also many temples to visit here on this auspicious day and capture the unlimited glimpse of diyas all over.

Events to Attend on Trip to Varanasi During Dev Deepawali

It is an elaboration to the grandeur of Diwali that keeps the festive vibes intact and instead marks a new series of events altogether after the Diwali celebrations. The festival begins by offering flowers and prayers to Lord Ganesh, and hundreds of saints perform Ganesh Vandana. Along the Ghats of Ganga, you can please your soul with the magical scene that stays in memory forever.

21 brahmins and 41 small girls chant spiritual and Vedic mantras in the background to celebrate the festival. Devotees coming here also perform ‘Kartik Snan’ at this festival, and there is ‘Akhand Ramayan’ performed in many houses along with Brahman Bhoj (Feast) to the people.

Tribute to Maryrs

Along with religious rituals and activities on your trip to Varanasi, Dev Deepavali also makes you acquainted with the tribute given to martyrs during the Ganga Aarti. It is done by performing prayers to the Ganga Mata by the Ganga Seva Nidhi.

This organization places Diya at the Amar Jawan Jyoti on the Dashashwamedh Ghat and the Rajendra Prasad Ghat. Honorable officers of all three armed forces and the police officials perform this maha AArti together. You can hear the sounds of goosebumps giving patriotic songs along with ‘Divya Aarti.’

Ghats Lit Up With Diyas

Dev Deepawali is amongst the famous festival in Uttar Pradesh that beholds the natural feel of Varanasi in it. Every ghat or temple and even house in this city is lit up with the earthen ghee diyas all around. It’s a belief that gods take a holy dip in Ganga on this day and the miraculous splendor of the place makes you believe in it for sure. Enjoying the elaborate aarti here has some magic that they only cannot understand until they witness it for real.

Every traveler can get taken aback by the exquisite beauty of the ghats in Banaras. Whether it’s Reeva Ghat, Kedar Ghat, Panch Ganga Ghat, or the Man Mandir Ghat, there is magic and panorama of Dev Deepavali celebration everywhere.

Music, Dance and Theatre Acts

The North India Trip to Varanasi on Dev Deepavali continues with the traditional musical acts and dance performances by veteran artists. Maestros such as Ali Khan, Birju Maharaj, Ustad Amjad, and Pandit Chhanulal Mishra have embraced the spectacular occasion with thoughtful performances and divine acts. Every year the place takes a bath in the fantastic aura of festivities on this occasion of Dev Deepavali, and the celebration goes from dusk to dawn.

Relish the Delicacies of Varanasi

After a mind soothing aarti and performances on this auspicious occasion, it’s time to savor the local flavors of Banaras. Travelers visit the mini-fair that offers tasteful delicacies such as Bati Chokha, Banarasi Chaat, Mughlai, and a wide variety of continental treats. With so many mouth-watering delicacies followed by fresh sweets, one has to stretch their appetite to enjoy all the meals here.

Evening Boat Rides and Sight of Migratory Birds

While soothing your mind around the banks of River Ganga, you can spot hundreds of migratory birds who seem like crossing miles to touch the feet of the sacred Ganga river. It is blissful to hear chirps of vibrant birds from all over. After a day’s travel on your trip to Varanasi, the evening boat ride can be a natural therapy that can calm down your minds and hearts.  Sights of Varanasi Ghats adorned with earthen Diya bring a holy nostalgia that struck in minds forever.

Wrapping Up

So, now, if your mind is all set to enjoy the Dev Deepavali on your next trip to Varanasi, it is ideal for making your bookings well in advance. Due to the holiday season, the place might be packed, and making pre-bookings could give you a better experience on the upcoming trip. Even solo travelers can get a large number of moments on their journey here. Pep up to visit the 84 ghats of Varanasi decked up in celestial lights on the occasion of Dev Diwali.

Varanasi city is hugging the meandering Riven Ganga, and Dev Deepawali is the right time to explore its every inch. Just head over a boat and join the fleet of devotees immersed in the divinity of holy chants and prayers all around. It is an experience and a feeling that you can never off from your heart until the last breath. So, what’s stopping you from taking the real tour to the festivals in Uttar Pradesh?

FAQs

Q. What is the Reason for Celebration of Dev Deepavali in Varanasi?

A. Diwali of Gods or the ‘Dev Deepavali’ is celebrated on a massive scale along the ghats of the Ganga river. It’s a belief that gods descend towards Earth for a holy bathe on this auspicious day.

Q. Which is the first ghat where Gods descend for a holy bath?

A. It’s a belief that on Kartik Purnima, gods descended to the ghats of Kashi for taking the first-ever holy bath, and it marks the beginning of dev Deepavali.

Q. Which are the Most Celebrated festivals in Uttar Pradesh?

A. After the celebration of Holi and Diwali, the grandeur of dev Deepavali is indeed worth taking a tour in your trip to Varanasi. It is a celebration of positivity on Earth, and you can get its real vibes with a personal visit here.

Q. When Does Dev Deepawali Occur?

A. Dev Deepavali is celebrated 15 days after the Diwali festival and marks the beginning of the wedding season in India. This is a wonderful festival to cherish the festivities of India at their best.

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Spiritual Hubs

Delving into Mukti Bhavan, Varanasi

Varanasi, the holy city that is known for the thin line between life and death and where death isn’t looked at as some malicious thing but as something peaceful and what grants you deliverance from life and its hardships. In the heart of Varanasi is such a place that grants you ‘Moksh’ i.e deliverance from rebirths. The place is called Mukti Bhavan and it is like a Death Hotel only with lesser room service and more funeral services.

No matter how it sounds, it isn’t as gloomy. Really sick and dying people just check into this hotel and are allowed to stay up to 15 days to fulfill their last desires of dying by the banks of Ganga in the holy city of Varanasi. Legend has it that anyone who dies here achieves what Hindu mythology calls ‘Moksha’ and does not have to suffer the cycle of rebirth again. And what Hindus want more than the dreams of heaven is liberation from the trepidations of life. Achieving ‘Moksha’ on your death-bed frees your soul ever after and you never have to be born again.

But only the truly sick and dying are allowed staying here, sometimes even free of cost if they cannot afford even rent and lighting. The manager Bhairav Nath Shukla prays for the salvation of people’s soul and at this point can even calculate when the person will die. The Salvation Palace has 12 rooms and a temple for the priests and for the family of the dead to pray and perform funeral rites.

Though the whole deal sounds quite spooky, it has become normality for the manager’s family and you can even see the kids playing in the playground. They have gotten used to the dead corpses and the grieving people. Because they don’t see death as something the people who come there are afraid of. They come to the palace ready and asking for peace in the form of death. However, the place comes with its own sets of terms and conditions and no one is allowed to stay here for more than two weeks, after which, the guests are asked to move out and make space for other dying people.

The place has attained a great name over the years and even had a movie made on it. While other salvation houses did open up in Varanasi, Mukti Bhavan remained the oldest one in town. Thousands of visitors visit the place throughout the year. But just to clarify, it isn’t a place for someone to commit suicide or even mercy killing. Only the people die naturally are allowed to stay here while the priest performs rituals to free their soul from this earth.

A man Girish Kumar, 85-year old who can barely walk into this dimly lit hotel checks in waiting to take his last breaths, never hoping to get out of this hotel alive. Why would a person travel through long and tiresome roads when he can barely walk, just to stay in a hotel? He came there to die. More specifically, to achieve Moksha. While there are many other paths people choose like taking a dip in the Ganges to wash off their sins, for those with no one to take care of them, Moksha Bhavan has become kind of a sanctuary to come and lie in peace while breathing the last breaths.

But the problem arises when people refuse to leave even after having waited their two weeks for death. Those stubborn guests refuse to pave the way for other people waiting to have their chance at redemption and wait for months at length. This is the reason the hotel has started admitting only patients that the doctors have termed terminally-ill.

Kalawati Devi, aged 99 years has been living in Moksha Bhavan for over four months now and each day they think she is going to die, she lives to see another day. This definitely slows down the entries into the Salvation palace because no one can give a certain date for when someone will die. All doctors can do is give an estimation or an indication as to the health and thus, a rough time period accordingly.

This turns out to be a problem for such hospices because managing the money turns out to be difficult. A Salvation house isn’t something you open for commercial purposes because sometimes the people asking for a place to stay can’t afford it and they are coming there to die. Managing the finances for electricity and the funeral wood can be hard on the owners of these hospices. Mr Bhairav Nath Shukla has been praying for the salvation of souls for 44 years and you can say Varanasi which is known to be the city of life is getting popular for its death tourism now. Over the years, Mr Shukla has seen over 12000 deaths of both the rich and the poor in the same rooms, praying for peace. Some people come with their relatives and for others, it has been years since they saw their own child.

More than the pilgrims who visit the city for their religious beliefs is the population of people coming there to die now and it is hard to comprehend how well that bodes for the city. But as long as the people are terminally ill and there is no meddling with the law, it is all about the religious sentiments of people and the procedure they believe in. As for the institutions, it has already been established that hospices like Moksha Bhavan are for people who can afford it and even for those who can’t so it is a good thing for everybody especially the dying who can die with the knowledge that their soul will be free after the act. Those peaceful last moments is all anyone can hope for and as long as the place provides that, it is a good thing. Just an understanding needs to be accomplished with the people staying there for months, refusing to leave till they die because one never knows the particular time of death and it just hijacks some other person’s shot at deliverance.

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North India Spiritual Hubs

Kashi Vishwanath Temple the center of faith for millions of Hindus

Located right there in the heart of holiest of holy city Varanasi, Kashi Vishwanath temple is one very important pilgrim for the Hindus all over the world. Varanasi is the oldest civilized city in the entire world and there was the time when students from all over the world who were seeking the all-around education, used to come to the city. The religious centre of the country, Kashi or Varanasi’s heart lies in the Kashi Vishwanath temple.

The temple is old and it has faced some extreme conditions over the years and still it is there, standing tall, helping millions of people from all over the world in attaining moksha, the liberation from Maya and the true freedom from the vicious cycle of life and death.

Some less known facts

The temple was built in 1490 and since then, it has seen many different rulers having their own concept about the religion and spirituality. Call it a blessing of the holy river Ganga, that flows just on the side, the temple faced it all and is standing right there in all its grandeur. While all other temples were destroyed by moguls and then remade again, this one survived everything. Mogul emperor Akbar gave the permission to build the temple and the final shape and restoration work was done by Rani Ahilya Bai Holker. Aurangzeb had destroyed the temple and built a mosque in its place. The ruins of the old structure can also be seen even today.

Sightseeing

The architecture of the temple is an engineering marvel in itself. The golden chhatra at the top of the temple is known to be quite auspicious and it is said that one who is able to get a glimpse of the chhatra, their wishes get fulfilled within days. After the temple was rebuilt by the queen of Indore, Raja Ranjit Singh from Indore donated a lot of gold to the temple in order to pay his respect to Lord Vishwanath. The towers of the temple are about 15.5 metres high and are just magnificent to look at. The temple is also having an inner sanctum that is having a linga made up of black stone that happens to be placed in a silver altar on the floor. Towards the south of the temple, there are three little shrines and around the temple, there are five shivlingas and together they are known as Neelkantheshwar temple.

The temple is open to the visitors all around the year and they come from all over the world. You can guess its popularity just by looking at the sheer number of foreign devotees. Five aartis are performed in the temple every day and in case you are planning on witnessing them, this is a sight you will never forget in this life at least.

Best time to Visit

The temple is open to the visitors all around the year yet.October and November are the months when the festivities make it this temple all glowing and enthralling.

Visitors flock from come from all over the world and you can guess the popularity by merely looking at the sheer number of foreign devotees.

The Aartis

Five aartis are performed in the temple every day. Their timings are as below

  1. . Mangala Aarti :- 3.00 – 4.00 am (Morning)
  2. . Bhoga Aarti :- 11.15 am to 12.20 pm (Day)
  3. . Sandhya Aarti :- 7.00 to 8.15 pm (Evening)
  4. . Shringara Aarti :- 9.00 pm to 10.15 pm (Night).
  5. . Shayana Aarti :- 10.30 pm -11.00 pm (Night).

How to Reach

In order to reach the temple, one has to pass through the Kashi Vishwanath Gali. The Gali is famous for its shops selling pooja items and sweets. Ladies can stop by the popular ladies corner in that gali. After the darshan of Lord Shiva, devotees can also go out on an affordable shopping spree.

Varanasi railway station is the best way to approach the temple which is only 5 km from the temple. If you are commuting from anywhere in the city, it is ideal to board a taxi or an auto rickshaw for reaching the place.

Any months all around a year is good to visit the city. But around October and November, the festivities make it all glowing and engrossing.

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Spiritual Hubs

Formerly known as Mrigadava, Sarnath is a must visit sacred destination

 Overview

Situated near the holy confluence of Ganges and Gomati rivers, Sarnath still has celestial traces of Gautam Buddha who for the first time preached Dharma in the city. This place in the heart of the Varanasi reflects enlightenment in every essence. Thousands of tourists from across the world visit this holy pilgrimage site to pay their tribute to Shreyansanath, the eleventh Tirthanakara of Jainism. Some of the major attractions in Sarnath include Tibetan Temple, Chaukhandi Stupa, Ashoka Pillar, Archeological and Excavation Area, Archeological Museum, and Thai Temple among others.

How to reach

The nearest airport is Varanasi Airport (VNS). Varanasi is well connected via train, flights across India.Sarnath is around 9 kms away from Varanasi airport. Here is the list of items you shouldn’t mind visiting whilst you are at Sarnath

Chaukhandi Stupa

Built in 5th century by the Gupta dynasty, Chaukhandi Stupa is a Buddhist stupa that was developed in the memory of the Lord Buddha who preached Dharma in the city. The stupa also depicts the Lord Buddha’s meeting with his disciples.

Thai Temple

Developed by Thai Buddhist monks, Thai Temple is one of the major attractions in Sarnath. It is surrounded by a variety of beautiful gardens. It’s Thai style architecture helps its stand out from other attractions in the city of Dharma and Enlightenment.

Archaeological and Excavation Area

This particular area in the holy city of Sarnath is renowned for Buddhist relics that according to historians date back to 250 BC to 12th century AD. Tourists can find traces of old Buddhist monasteries. There is also a Jain temple in this area.

Ramnagar

Situated some 15 kms away from Sarnath, Ramnagar is one of the most popular attractions renowned for its Fort Museum. The museum hosts a range of royal collections such as ivory work, royal armour, vintage cars, and royal palanquins among others.

Deer Park

Deer park is where the Lord Buddha started teaching about Dharma. The place holds historical significant for being the place where Sangha was originated. The Lord Buddha also taught Anattalakhana Sutta at this spot.

Dhammek Stupa

This Stupa was built during the Maurya Dynasty. It is one of the most popular attractions in Sarnath. It is built of brick and stone and is about 43.6 m in height and 28 m in diameter.

The statue of standing Buddha

Apart from visiting other major attractions, Sarnath is famous for the statue of Buddha that is believed to be the tallest in the world. It is situated in Thai Buddha Vihar.

Visit the Lion Capital atop Ashoka Pillar

The great Ashoka visited Sarnath around 234 BC and constructed Ashoka pillar. On top of this pillar sits the Lion Capital that has become the national symbol of the country. You must pay a visit to this historical significant without which your journey to Sarnath is incomplete.

Restaurant and food

Just like its major attractions, Sarnath is popular for its ideal food culture. Some of the best places to eat in Sarnath are as follows:

Pizzeria Vatica Café

It is an ideal place for those who want to break their daily routine of eating Indian dishes. It serves delicious vegetarian Pizzas.

The Great Kebab Factory

It is a heaven for non-vegetarian food fans. However, there is no dearth of delicious vegetarian options here.

Brown Bread Bakery

You must visit this bakery if you want to indulge a little on mouthwatering pastries, breads, rolls, pizzas, and burgers.

Places to stay

  • The Gateway Hotel Ganges Varanasi
  • Hotel Surabhi International
  • Radisson Hotel Varanasi

Shopping

Sarnath is renowned for selling wide varieties of artefacts and statues of Buddha. One can find every kind of sculpture of Buddha in Sarnath that one wishes to buy. The market of Sarnath is a significant place only for the souvenirs of Buddha and one should not expect any fancy items here.

Sarnath is one of the four most important Buddhist pilgrimage places and a popular tourist destination in India which makes it a worth visit.

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Adventure Himalayas Rejoice Relax Spiritual Hubs Travel Trends

5 Safest places to travel solo for women in North India

#travelsolo, is the upcoming buzzword in female fraternity. Unless one takes the plunge, issues like security etc are on their mind. But let’s face the fact that not all places are same, and one should not miss the incredible India because of our assumed apprehensions.
1. Nainital, Uttarakhand:
Nanital is a lake district of Uttrakhand. Its beauty lies in the warm people who made you feel comfortable with their smiles. It has several mythological stories attached to itself. Niani lake is the prime attraction, whereas you would not like to miss on Bhimtal, Khurpatal and Sattal. Place is well connected via motorable roads with important destinations across India. It is just 9 Hrs drive from Delhi.
Quick To-Do’s
• Trek to China Peak
• Shop at Tibetan Market
• Take a Boat Ride at Naini Lake
• Go for Horse Riding
• Take a Cable Car Ride to Snow View
• Eat Sonam’s Momos
• Sip on the Coffee by Lake Side with a book
• Visit Balram Heritage Hotel
2. Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh:

Khajuraho, the UNESCO world heritage site always reminds us of erotic temples, is indeed beautiful and great place for solo female traveler. Winter is a good season to explore the place. It is well-connected to roads and Khajuraho airport. Lakshmana Temple, Kandariya Mahadev Temple, Old Village, Lakshmi Temple, Matangeshwar Mahadev Temple, Parshwanath Temple, Lord Mahavira Temple and Adinath Temple are major attractions of the place.
Quick To Do’s
• Shopping at Shilpgram and Mrigyananni
• Visit to temples to witness exemplary carvings
• Coffee at Raja’s Café
• Sound & Light Show at Western Group of Temples
• Yoga Sessions at Yoga Meditation Centre
• Visit to Archaeological Mueseum
• Visit to Panna National Park
3. Udaipur, Rajasthan:
Udaipur is highly hospitable city and is a place known for its maginificence and elegance. Place is surrounded by beautiful lakes. People within the city make it easy for you to travel solo. September to March is the best season to be here. It is around 700 Kms away from Delhi and can be drove easily overnight, if you enjoy roadtrips.
Quick to Do’s:
• Shop in Hathi Pol, Bada Bazaar, Rajasthali, Sadhana Emporium
• Go for Sunset Point
• Visit to Udaipur lake Palace
• Visit Udaipur Solar Observatory
• Other Major attractions around the place includes City Palace, Lake Pichola, Ahar Museum, Sajjan Garh/ Monsoon Palace, Bagore ki Haveli, Sunset Point & Machla Magra, Fateh Sagar Lake, Jagdish Temple, Saheliyo ki Bari and Jag Mandir

4. Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh:
Varanasi in itself is an experience. It is an amalgam of culture, colors and spirituality. Though the general notion about the place is, it is unsafe due to crowd, but if you make sure what to say and what not, you can surely make your way out and come with mesmerizing experience for lifetime. It is one of the holiest cities for Hindus and you can easily fly to the place.
Quick to Do:
• Take a walking tour
• Evening Aarti at Ghats
• Visit to Vishwanath Temple, Durga Temple, Bharat Mata temple
• Apple Pie at Pizzeria Vatika café
• Silk Shopping at Baba Blacksheep
• Meal at Brown Bread Bakery
• Boat Trip at Assi Ghat, Manikarnika Ghat during dawn.

5. Rishikesh, Uttarakhand:
Rishikesh is termed as the yoga capital of India. If you are looking for peace and tranquility and some adventure at the same time, this is the place to be. Place is overnight drive from Delhi.

Quick to Do’s :
• White Water Rafting
• Fox-flying
• Bungee Jumping
• Cliff Jumping
• Eat at Little Buddha Café
• Have Coffee at Devraj Coffee Corner
• Practice Yoga
• Camping by the River and watch the moon
• Other Attaractions include Swarg Niwas Temple, Shri Trayanbakshwar Temple, Swarg Ashram, Lakshman Jhula, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Asharam, Neelkantha Mahadev Temple.
Note: Though all the above places have been visited by author herself, but would request you to dress appropriately to avoid unnecessary attention and just be polite to the locals to have lifetime memories.
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