Ganges River

I can guide you through Varanasi to all those places that will be etched in your heart forever. We’ll start very early, before the sun illuminates the city, to experience its slow awakening from a boat on the Ganges River.

For centuries it has been a sacred river to us; it is the goddess Ganga. It rises in the Himalayas, in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, and flows 2,510 km away, forming, with the Brahmaputra River, the Ganges Delta in the Bay of Bengal.

Legend has it that, in time immemorial, the Ganges flowed across the sky while India languished with thirst. King Bhagiratha prayed to the gods for water to descend from the heavens and irrigate India. The gods heard him and sent the waters to Earth, but they fell with such force that it seemed they would kill all of humanity. But then Shiva took pity on humankind and caused the waters to fall upon his head and trickle down his long hair for a thousand years, thus creating the sacred river that was born in the Himalayas, gentle and safe for humankind. This is why all Hindus bathe in the river to purify themselves.

The Ganges is the elixir of life, cleansing sins and purifying souls. None of Varanasi’s temples are as sacred as the Ganges. The river is a living god with the power to forgive all transgressions: daily bathing in its waters prepares the soul for its final journey to liberation. Thousands of people perform their ablutions in it every day, bathing and drinking its waters.

Although I prefer the morning, another magical time is sailing along the river, facing the ghats, at sunset. You’ll see the afternoon prayers, scenes of ritual fires and music, as pilgrims set their lit lamps adrift.

If you can only make one visit to Varanasi, don’t hesitate to choose a boat trip on the Ganges.