India Travel
Listings form Ramnagar in Varanasi at the Eastern UP
Airlines Air India are in Hotel darks. Indian Airlines are behind the Hotel de Pans, Cantonment (Mon-Fri 10am-1pm & 2-5pm), and they also have an airport office. Sahara Airlines are at Mint House, opposite the Taj Hotel.
Banks and exchange Most foreign-currency branches of the major banks are located in the Cantonment area. The State Bank of India behind Best Western Hotel, the Mall (Mon-Fri 1 Dam -2pm; Sat 10am-noon] will change travellers’ cheques but doesn’t advance cash on Visa cards. The Allahabad Bank is near Takshal Cinema. Most of the top hotels also have foreign exchange facilities. Down at Dashaswamedh, there is a branch of the State Bank of India past the Garden Restaurant on Madanpura road, but it will not change American Express travellers’ cheques; the Bank of Baroda in the Hotel Ganges building accepts credit cards but not travellers’ cheques; Radiant Services near the main Godaulia junction (near St Thomas’ church) changes travellers’ cheques and cash-they charge a higher commission than banks but stay open long hours (daily 9am-8pm: 6 percent commission on Visa).
Bookshops Amit (University) Book House, University Road, Lanka, with another branch at Asi Ghat, have a good range of novels and coffee-table books on India; Indica Books, D40/18 Godaulia, have a good selection of religion and philosophy and also provide a useful parcel mailing service; Nandi, Varanasi Ashok, has a good selection including secondhand books which you can also sell here. A secondhand bookshop on Vishwanath Lane, outside the golden temple, will do exchanges.
Car rental at around Rs700 per day is available from ITDC in the Hotel Varanasi Ashok, the Mall; Travel Corporation of India, Hotel Clarks, the Mall; and the Government of India tourist office.
Hospitals Sir Sunderlal Hospital, Benares Hindu University; Shiv Prasad Gupta Hospital (government-run), Kabir Chaura; Marwari Hospital, Godaulia; Ram Krishna Mission Hospital, Luxa.
Internet access Internet cafes aimed at travellers and costing around Rs60/hr cluster around Kachauri Lane.
Motorcycles Jagatganj, near the Sanskrit University. Mechanics and workshops specializing in Enfields are clustered in this area; ask around for a secondhand bike.
Music The International Music Ashram, D33/81 Kalishpura, old city, is an excellent place to get a few lessons in tabia, sitar and theory.
Opticians Gupta Optical, Godaulia (10am-7pm). Pharmacies The 24hr Singh Medical pharmacy is near the Prakash Cinema, Lahurabir, a couple of kilometres north of Godaulia.
Photography Bright Studio, Godaulia; Passi Studio, Lahurabir; Veer Studio, Jagatganj, in front of Queen’s College.
Post The main post office is in the Cantonment area. Other branches are located in Hotel Clarks. down by the river on the Dashaswamedh road 100m beyond Vishwanatha Lane and the Madhur Milan dhaba; and near Kotwali police station at the top end of Chowk.
Travel agencies General travel agencies, selling train, plane and bus tickets, include the ITDC, at the Ashok. the Mall; the friendly Nova International on Shubhash Nagar, near Parade Kothi (Sita Travels and Travel Corporation India, both at Hotel darks: and Varuna Travels, Pandey Haveli.
Visa extensions The Foreigners Registration Office is on Srinagar Colony. Sigra.
Yoga There is a yoga institute at the Benares Hindu University, but the Yoga Ashram Academy (D 5/4 Ganesha Guest House. Saraswati Phatak) in Godaulia is more central. Vag Yoga Consciousness Institute (B 3/13A, Shivala), is based near Shivala Ghat. Many traveller-oriented hotels and cafes have leaflets advertising classes and venues.
Related Properties from Gurgaon
The rest of the city of Varanasi in the Eastern
Varanasi holds a few other sites of interest, especially in the area south of Godaulia, just beyond Asi Ghat. The Durga Temple here, and the Bharat Kala Bhavan museum of Benares Hindu University (BHU) are easily accessible, while just across the river, Ramnagar and its impressive fort continue to play an important role in the life of the city.
Ramnagar in Varanasi at the Eastern UP
The residence of the Maharaja of Varanasi, Ramnagar Fort looks down upon the Ganges not far south of the Asi Ghat. The best views of the fortifications -especially impressive in late afternoon - are to be had from the other side of the river, which is reached by a road heading south from the BHU area and over a rickety pontoon bridge. During the monsoon the bridge is dismantled and replaced by a ferry, still preferable to the long main road that crosses the main Malaviya bridge in the north before heading down the eastern bank of the river. It
Ramnagar in Eastern UP
The residence of the Maharaja of Varanasi, Ramnagar Fort looks down upon the Ganges not far south of the Asi Ghat. The best views of the fortifications -especially impressive in late afternoon - are to be had from the other side of the river, which is reached by a road heading south from the BHU area and over a rickety pontoon bridge. During the monsoon the bridge is dismantled and replaced by a ferry, still preferable to the long main road that crosses the main Malaviya bridge in the north before heading down the eastern bank of the river. It
Details of Eastern UP
Flowing beyond Allahabad across the plains of EASTERN UP, the Ganges turns sharply north at Chunar and traces a great arc through ancient Varanasi. Even before the Hindus declared this to be the most sacred spot on earth, it stood at the centre of die Buddhist universe, linked by trading routes from Rajgir in Bihar to Mathura near Delhi. It was on the outskirts of Varanasi, at the deer park at Sarnath, that the Buddha delivered his first sermon. North ofVaranasi, the much-travelled road to Nepal passes through the large administrative town of Gorakhpur, not far from Kushinagar, where the
Arrival, information and city transport in the Varanasi at Eastern UP
An airport bus (Rs25) connects with flights landing at Babatpur Airport, 22km northwest of the city, and goes to the Indian Airlines office, via the Government of India Tourist Office, both in the Cantonment area. Taxis charge around Rs20D-250 for the same journey. Varanasi lies on the main east-west axis between Delhi and Calcutta, and is actually served by two stations: Varanasi Cantonment in the town itself, and Mughal Sarai, 17km out of town. Varanasi Cantonment is the most conveniently located, but depending on where you are travelling from, you may find yourself using the Mughal Sarai line. There are retiring
Shopping at Ramnagar in Varanasi at the Eastern UP
With hustlers and rickshaw drivers keen to drag tourists into shops offering commission, shopping in Varanasi can be a nightmare — but it's worth seeking out the city's rich silk-weaving and brasswork. The best areas to browse are the Thither Bazaar (for brass), or Jnana Vapi and the Vishwanatha Gah with its Temple Bazaar (for silk brocade and jewellery). State-run emporia in Godaulia, Lahurabir and the Chowk - the three UP Handlooms outlets at Lahurabir, Nadesar and Neechi Bag, and Mahatex in Godaulia - offer fixed prices and assured quality. Housed in a former palace opposite the Taj Hotel in
City transport of the Varanasi in the Eastern UP
Cycle rickshaws are the easiest way to get around Varanasi, and often defy death and traffic jams by cycling up the wrong side of the road; a ride from Godaulia to Cantonment railway station costs Rs10-15. Auto-rickshaws should be faster but due to the volume of traffic are rarely quicker for short rides across town. Godaulia to the railway station should be Rs25. Taxis and an inadequate and overcrowded city bus system offer further options. Shared auto-rickshaws or tempos are a cheap and efficient alternative for the trip to Sarnath.
Getting to and from Corbett National Park at Uttaranchal
Ramnagar is served by frequent buses to and from Nainital and Ranikhet, 112km north. Buses arrive every halt-hour or so after the eight-hour trip from Delhi; Delhi Transport Corporation run a semi-deluxe service (Rs90), and most of the alternatives are pretty basic. The only direct train to Delhi leaves it 8pm and arrives at 6.30am, with interminable stops along the way. For faster trams and connections to other parts change at Moradabad. The nearest airport, at Pantnagar, 80km southeast, is rarely used. The closest of the various gates into the park, lkm from central Kamnagar, is Amdanda on the road to
Varanasi in the Eastern UP
The great Hindu city of VARANASI, also known as Banaras or Benares, stretches along the crescent of the River Ganges, its waterfront dominated by long flights of stone steps known as ghats, literally "landings", where thousands of pilgrims and residents come for their daily ritual ablutions. Known to the devout as Kashi, the Luminous - the City of Light, founded by Shiva -Varanasi is one of the oldest living cities in the world. It has maintained its religious life since the sixth century BC in one continuous tradition, in part by remaining outside the mainstream of political activity and historical
Shopping for Ramnagar in Eastern UP
With hustlers and rickshaw drivers keen to drag tourists into shops offering commission, shopping in Varanasi can be a nightmare — but it's worth seeking out the city's rich silk-weaving and brasswork. The best areas to browse are the Thatheri Bazaar (for brass), or Jnana Vapi and the Vishwanatha Gah with its Temple Bazaar (for silk brocade and jewellery). State-run emporia in Godaulia, Lahurabir and the Chowk - the three UP Handlooms outlets at Lahurabir, Nadesar and Neechi Bag, and Mahatex in Godaulia - offer fixed prices and assured quality. Housed in a former palace opposite the Taj Hotel in
Sarnath north of Varanasi at the Eastern UP
SARNATH, 10km north of Varanasi, is a place of pilgrimage for Buddhists, and has also become popular with day-tnppers from Varanasi who picnic among its ruins and parklands. It was in a quiet grove here, in the sixth century BC, that Siddhartha Gautama - who came to be known as the Buddha, the "Awakened One" - gave his first sermon, and set in morion die Wheel of Law, the Dhannachaha. During the rainy season, when the Buddha and his followers sought respite from their round of itinerant teaching, they would retire to Sarnath. Also known as Rishipatana, the place of
Eating of Ramnagar in Varanasi at the Eastern UP
Most of the old city cafes are veg, and alcohol is not tolerated, but the newer Cantonment area is less constrained by religious mores, and some of the more expensive hotels have bars. After a trip on the boats in the early morning, try kachori, savoury deep-fried pastry bread, a traditional snack found m the old city next to the ghats — but avoid the chai stalls here as the cups are washed in the river. Varanasi is also renowned for its sweets and paati (betel leaf). Bhang, a-.tent form of cannabis, sometimes mixed in lassis, is available from government-licensed
Listings of Ramnagar in Eastern UP
Airlines Air India are in Hotel Clarks. Indian Airlines are behind the Hotel de Paris, Cantonment (Mon-Fri 10am-1 pm & 2-5pm), and they also have an airport office, Sahara Airlines are at Mint House: opposite the Taj Hotel. Banks and exchange Most foreign-currency branches of the major banks are located in the Cantonment area. The State Bank of India behind Best Western Hotel, the Mall (Mon-fy 10am -2pm; Sat 10am-noon) will change travellers' cheques but doesn't advance cash on Visa cards. The Allahabad Bank is near Takshal Cinema. Most of the top hotels also have foreign exchange facilities. Down at Dashaswamedh.
Practicalities of Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh
There are three bus stands - the main Railway bus stand, 1km north of the centre, for buses from the Nepalese border at Sonauli and Kushinagar; the Kacheri bus stand, lkm southwest of the station, for services from Allahabad, Lucknow and Varanasi; and the main bus stand for Varanasi (6hr) and Nepal-Varanasi buses, at Pedleyganj, 2km southeast of the station. Major daily trains servicing Gorakhpur include the fast Vaishali Express #2553 to Lucknow and Delhi (5.10pm) and the Gorakhpur-Dadar Express #1028 for Mumbai via Varanasi (5am); among trains to Varanasi (6hr) are the fast Kashi Express #1028 (5am) and the Chauri-Chaura
Moving on from Varanasi to the Eastern UP
Indian Airlines' daily flight to Kathmandu gets very heavily booked in winter; there are two daily flights to Delhi, one via Khajuraho and Agra and two to Mumbai. Sahara India Airlines fly daily from Varanasi to Delhi, and Patna, and from Patna to Lucknow and Mumbai. Allow at least ninety minutes from the Old City to the airport due to gridlock. Most of the super-fast trains on the main east-west line between Delhi and Calcutta such as the Rajdhani, bypass Varanasi but stop at Mughal Sarai, an arduous 45 minutes away by road or a short train ride. Varanasi station has
Moving on from Varanasi in Eastern UP
Indian Airlines' daily flight to Kathmandu gets very heavily booked in winter; there are two daily flights to Delhi, one via Khajuraho and Agra and two to Mumbai. Sahara India Airlines fly daily from Varanasi to Delhi, and Patna, and from Patna to Lucknow and Mumbai. Allow at least ninety minutes from the Old City to the airport due to gridlock. Most of the super-fast trains on the main east-west line between Delhi and Calcutta such as the Rajdhani, bypass Varanasi but stop at Mughal Sarai, an arduous 45 minutes away by road or a short train ride. Varanasi station has
Eating for Ramnagar in Eastern UP
Most of the old city cafes are veg, and alcohol is not tolerated, but the newer Cantonment area is less constrained by religious mores, and some of the more expensive hotels have bars. After a trip on the boats in the early morning, try kachori, savoury deep-fried pastry bread, a traditional snack found m the old city next to the ghats — but avoid the chai stalls here as the cups are washed in the river. Varanasi is also renowned for its sweets and paati (betel leaf). Bhang, a-.tent form of cannabis, sometimes mixed in lassis, is available from government-licensed
Travel details in North Bengal
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Travel details to Bihar and Jharkhand
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Travel details in Delhi
Trains To Rajasthan: Abu Road (3-4 daily; 11hr 10min-14hr 15min); Ajmer (5-6 daily; 7hr 1 Omin-11 hr 5min); Bharatpur (5 daily; 2hr 50min-4hr 15min): Bikaner (3 daily; 1Ohr 20min-11hr 4Dmin): Chittaurgarti (2 daily: 16hr 30min); Jaipur (10-12 daily; 4hr 25min-11hr 35min); Jodfipur (2 daily; 10hr 55min-13hr 40min); Kota (7-9 daily; 4hr 40min-10hr 45min); Sawai Madhopur (7 daily; 5hr 15min-8hr 15min); Udaipur (2 daily: 15hr 10min-21hr 15min). To Uttar Pradesh: Agra (18-20 daily: Itir 55min-4br 40min); Allahabad (10-12 daily; 7-14tir), Delira Dun (2-3 daily; 5hr 25min-10hr 20min); GoraKhpur (4-5 daily; 13hr 30min-22hr 5fnin); Kanpur (18-22 daily; 4tir 25min-8hr 20min); Lucknow (5-6 daily;