Evening Walking Tour of the Bengali Tola, Ganga Riverfront and Aarti Ceremony Boat Ride

We will begin our tour at the entrance to the Bengali Tola neighborhood at the vegetable market. The tour will make its way through the famous Bengali Tola bazaar bustling with South Indian pilgrims, sitar shops, small temples and numerous sweet shops. We will visit temples and ashrams like you have never seen before!

The walking portion of the tour will finish near Assi Ghat where we will begin the boat tour passing many fascinating sights along the way such as the Harishwar Burning Ghat, maharaja palaces, the widow ashram, the colorful Kedar Ghat temple, the water buffalo bathing area and the many other ghats. During the ride, the guide will introduce you to the history and folklore of Varanasi and point out famous landmarks and explain the morning rituals.

The tour will culminate at Dashashwamedh Ghat where we will stay and watch the spectacular evening Aarti ceremony performed by students of the Vedas and Upanishads to worship the mighty Ganga. The beautiful Hindu ritual of worship (known as puja) unfolds each night on the banks of the Ganga with brass lamps, fire and incense, accompanied with chants and hundreds of candles floating on the river.

Your guide will share the most interesting legends and facts to give you a better understanding of their purpose and importance

Highlights include:

Harishwar Burning Ghat - Every pious Hindu believes that to die in Varansasi and to be cremated on the banks of the Ganges is to attain release from the cycle of birth and death.to achieve Moksha (salvation).
Visit the cow sanctuary and learn how they care for their prized - holy cows and the different ways they utilize almost everything that comes from the cow including milk and dung.
Kedar Ghat - Check out the colorful façade of one of Varanasi’s most famous temples and watch all the activity in and around the temple.

From here we help you find a rickshaw back to your hotel.

Start: Varanasi Old City Tour office

End: Dashashwamedh Ghat

When: 4:00pm to 7:30pm (walking/boat tour duration is approximately 2 hours plus 1 hour Aarti ceremony). Start time varies depending on weather, so please check with us.