India Travel

The rest of the city of Varanasi in the Eastern

Related Properties from Gurgaon

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

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.

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

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

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

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

Accommodation to the Varanasi in the Eastern UP

Most of Varanasi's better and more expensive hotels lie on its peripheries, either in the leafy Cantonment area in the north or around Cantonment Station Road. However, to experience the full ambience of the city, you have to stay close to the ghats and the lanes of the old city. The little guesthouses here were geared towards budget-conscious travellers though increasingly they are offering more comfortable rooms and attracting custom away from the classier places, which have hit back by trying to get all hotels near the riverbank banned for environmental reasons. Generally speaking, the top floors of these buildings,

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

Eastern Andhra Pradesh

Perhaps India's least visited area, eastern Andhra Pradesh is sandwiched between the Bay of Bengal in the east and the red soil and high peaks of the Eastern Ghats in the north. Its one architectural attraction is the ancient Buddhist site of Amaravati, near the city of Vijayawada, whose sprinkling of historic temples is far overshadowed by impersonal, modern buildings. Some 350 km north, the major port of Vishakhapatnam is not as grim as it first seems, but it's not a place to linger long. For anyone with a strong desire to explore, however, pockets of natural beauty along the

South of Godaulia, near the river at the Varanasi in the Eastern UP

Ganges View, Asi Ghat. A great veranda looking out onto the river, a lobby full of good books, a pleasant ambience and an interesting landlord mean this popular place is often booked up with visiting musicians and scholars. Kumiko House, D24/26 Pandey Ghat. Run by an eccentric, affable Japanese-speaking Bengali who operates an 11 pm curfew. Pleasantly located with a small choice of atmospheric rooms. Shiva Ganga Lodge, B3/155 Niranjani Akhara, Shivala Ghat, Peaceful place with simple rooms, a veranda and a lush enclosed garden. Next to the Shiva temple with great river views. Tiwari Lodge, Asi Ghat.

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

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

Information of Varanasi in Eastern UP

The main UPTDC tourist office is at their Tourist Bungalow on Parade Komi) though their tourist information counter inside the railway station is far more efficient and on the ball - the boss, Uma Shankar, seems to regard the protection of tourists as a personal crusade. Both book accommodation and provide free maps. The shabby Bihar Government Tourist Office at Englishia Market, Slier Shah Suri Marg. Cantonment, is useful if you're heading east towards the Buddhist centres. The Government of India Tourist Office languishes in the leafy suburbs of the Cantonment, a long way from the main attractions of the old

Visiting Madhya Pradesh

In addition to its historic sites, Madhya Pradesh boasts a number of wildlife reserves, of which two are amongst the finest on the subcontinent. In the sparsely populated east, remote savannah grasslands are an ideal habitat for deer and bison, while the shady sal forests and tarai swamplands that surround the maidans provide perfect cover for larger predators such as the tiger. Of the national parks hidden away in this area, Kanha is deservedly popular, though tiger sightings here are on the decline. For the big cats, trek out to Bandhavgarh national park to the north. Getting around Madhya Pradesh without

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

The old city of Varanasi in the Eastern UP

At the heart of Varanasi, between Dashaswamedh Ghat and Godaulia to the south and west and Manikarnika Ghat on the river to the north, lies the old city (or Vishwanatha Khanda), a maze of ramshackle alleys. The whole area rewards exploration, with shrines and lingams tucked into every corner and buzzing with the activity of pilgrims, pandas and stalls selling offerings to the faithful. Watch for cow jams in the narrow lanes and if you get lost head for the river. Approached through labyrinthine alleys and the Vishwanatha Gali (or Lane), the temple complex of Vishwanatha or Visheshwara, the "Lord of

Details of Uttar Pradesh

UTTAR PRADESH, "the Northern State", known as UP since the days of the United Provinces, under the Raj, is the heartland of Hinduism and Hindi, dominating the nation in culture, religion, language and politics. A vast steamy plain of the Ganges, its history is very much the history of India, and its temples and monuments - Buddhist, Hindu and Muslim - are among the most impressive in the country. Not far from Delhi, in the west of the state, Agra, home of the Taj Mahal, and deserted Fatehpur Sikri stand as poignant reminders of

Travel details to Bihar and Jharkhand

Trains Gaya to: Allahabad (4 daily; 4hr 20min-6hr 30min); Calcutta (6 daily 6-9hr); Dehra Dun (1 daily; 26hr); Delhi (9 daily; 12-15hr); Haridwar (1 daily; 23hr|; Kalka (1 daily; 27hr); Lucknow (3 daily; 10-13hr); Mughal Sarai (13 daily; 3-5hr); Mumbai (1 daily: 31 hr); Patna (4 daily; 2hr 30min); Puri (3 weekly; 17-40hr); Ranchi (3 daily; 8hr 20min); Sasaram (10 daily; 1-3hr); Varanasi (3 daily; 4hr-5hr 30min). Patna to: Agra (1 daily; 17hr 35min); Allahabad (8 daily; 6-8hr); Calcutta (6 daily; 7hr 30min-12hr); Chennai (2 weekly; 44hr); Delhi (8 daily; 12-24hr); Gaya (4 daily; 2hr 30min); Guwahati (3 daily: 21-26hr); Lucknow (3

Away from the centre Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala

The Chachu Nehru Children's Museum (Tues-Sun 10am—5pm), Thycaud in the east of the city, serves as a rather dusty testament to the enth siasm of some anonymous donor, presumably back in the 1960s. One room contains ritual masks, probably from Bengal, Rajasthan and Orissa, but the rest of the place is taken up with stamps, health education displays, and more then 2000 dolls featuring figures in Indian costume, American presidents. Disney characters and British Beefeaters. Also on the eastern side of town, visitors can by arrangement watch classes at the PS Balachandran Nair Kalari martial arts gymnasium. Kalariyil TC 15/854. Cotton