Despite being up at 'silly hour' today we didn't go upstairs to breakfast till 8.45 having sorted out the monkey vandalism and other bits/bobs. The indoor dining area was full. It was too warm to sit outside (no shade on the terrace) so we said we'd return in 45 minutes. That meant we were later setting out for our walk than I wanted - Varanasi is the first place on our itinerary where temperatures have reached forecast figures and its certainly hot/humid here so the earlier we walk, the better.
The riverside walk/Ghats are in full sun with no shelter so we decided to have a meander through the very narrow back streets which were shielded from the sun. All roads eventually lead to the Ghats/river front so we didn't need a map.
The streets certainly are narrow and crowded and every doorway yielded a surprise - a tiny shop/business or temple. The streets were clean and it appeared that most people took responsibility for their section and swept/washed them regularly. Obviously having cows/goats/chickens roaming freely means that there are always deposits left around ... .. but overall we were really impressed with the cleanliness.
We were heading in the vague direction of the Assi Ghat which is at the corner of the city where the river Ganges meets the river Assi. I'd read that its more peaceful and less crowded than the other Ghats and there is a large image of Lord Shiva under a shady tree there.
Lots of the shops were still closed when we set out at 10.30. I don't know if this is normal or whether the shopkeepers were having a lie in after the Festivities yesterday
About 50% were open and there was a real mix
There are a lot of street dogs here in Varanasi but generally they look in good condition
Street food stalls abound here
You can see how clean the narrow lanes are
A true family business
Bling shops
Head massage
Ironing service - these charcoal filled irons look very cumbersome and heavy but they do the job
A very handsome cockerel
Tiny temple
Varanasi is a holy town and there are many 'spiritual characters' around. Along the river front/Ghats they seem to sell blessings ... and to us 'foreigners/tourists' they offer to pose for photos (for a fee). I haven't gone the route of paying yet
You don't need much space to set up a veggie stall
You see a lot of young children with black kohl around their eyes - we were told a couple of years ago that its supposed to ward off the 'evil eye'
Flower seller with garlands to be offered to the gods at local temples
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION ..... This may be the 'top Guest House' but who wants to stay in accommodation next to the sewage pumping station!
Camouflaged Goat!
More clean streets
and one of the guys responsible for keeping them clean
and another cleaner
and a huge number of steps to clean
The riverside walk/Ghats are in full sun with no shelter so we decided to have a meander through the very narrow back streets which were shielded from the sun. All roads eventually lead to the Ghats/river front so we didn't need a map.
The streets certainly are narrow and crowded and every doorway yielded a surprise - a tiny shop/business or temple. The streets were clean and it appeared that most people took responsibility for their section and swept/washed them regularly. Obviously having cows/goats/chickens roaming freely means that there are always deposits left around ... .. but overall we were really impressed with the cleanliness.
We were heading in the vague direction of the Assi Ghat which is at the corner of the city where the river Ganges meets the river Assi. I'd read that its more peaceful and less crowded than the other Ghats and there is a large image of Lord Shiva under a shady tree there.
Lots of the shops were still closed when we set out at 10.30. I don't know if this is normal or whether the shopkeepers were having a lie in after the Festivities yesterday
About 50% were open and there was a real mix
There are a lot of street dogs here in Varanasi but generally they look in good condition
Street food stalls abound here
You can see how clean the narrow lanes are
A true family business
Bling shops
Street food is very important in India and you never have to go far to find a freshly cooked snack or a hot drink
Head massage
Ironing service - these charcoal filled irons look very cumbersome and heavy but they do the job
A very handsome cockerel
Tiny temple
Varanasi is a holy town and there are many 'spiritual characters' around. Along the river front/Ghats they seem to sell blessings ... and to us 'foreigners/tourists' they offer to pose for photos (for a fee). I haven't gone the route of paying yet
You don't need much space to set up a veggie stall
You see a lot of young children with black kohl around their eyes - we were told a couple of years ago that its supposed to ward off the 'evil eye'
Flower seller with garlands to be offered to the gods at local temples
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION ..... This may be the 'top Guest House' but who wants to stay in accommodation next to the sewage pumping station!
Camouflaged Goat!
More clean streets
and one of the guys responsible for keeping them clean
and another cleaner
and a huge number of steps to clean
I love the bling shops, the dog on the motorbike, the cockerel and the way they’ve painted the risers on the steps. There is a noticeable difference in the cleanliness this time around.
ReplyDeleteThe drawings on doorsteps/risers are very traditional in India - they're called Kolams and sometimes they're done in rice flour to feed insects but mostly the ones we see are done in chalk each morning by the lady of the house to bring good luck/ward off evil spirits
ReplyDelete