The monuments

Ablutions in the Ganges, Varanasi The archetypal holy city of Hinduism and a place of pilgrimage, Varanasi is said to be the only place in the world where the gods allow men to interrupt the Samsara. © Bruno Morandi

One of the holy cities of India contains a rosary with over a hundred ghats, markets and stairs on the banks of the sacred Ganges river. Its waters are claimed to wash and purify Hindu pilgrims of all their sins during the Puja. Several ghats are used as bathing points, others for ablutions or cremations, while others have no religious function and are used for laundry workers. Discover the Bachraj Ghat that holds three Jain temples on its upper floors. The Harishchandra Ghat is one of the oldest in the city. Above the Kedar Ghat, is a sanctuary that is still highly venerated by the Bengalis and Southern Indians. The most accessible, the Dasahvamedha Ghat hosts statues, a sanctuary and a practical starting point to sail on the Ganges. Via the Mir Ghat, you will enter a Nepalese temple with erotic sculptures. At the Manikamika Ghat, you can watch cremations but do not take photos. Equally admire a temple dedicated to Ganesh. The Aurangzed or Alamgir Mosque overlooks the Panchganga Ghat.
In the Chowk neighbourhood, entry into the Golden Temple or Vishwanath remains forbidden to non-Hindus. However, you can admire the towers of the most sacred of the temples of Varanasi, covered with hundreds of kilos of gold, from a house situated opposite.
To the south of the city by Durgakund Rd, several monkeys live in the red ochre Gurga temple. Just after that, the modern and kitsch temple of Tulsi Manas presents an animated representation of scenes from Hindu mythology on its 2nd floor . Still further, step into the Sankat Mochan temple, one of the rare temples whose arcades are open to non-Hindus. On the premises of the University of Benares, enter the new temple of Vishwanath that is open to everybody, irrespective of their background. to the west of the Old City by Vidyapeeth Rd, observe the map of India (made from marble and embossed designs) from the temple of Bharatmata, inaugurated by the Mahatma Gandhi.
To the south of the city on the other side of the river, enter the 17th Century fort from a pontoon between November and June, or by ferry to discover the residence of the former Maharaja of Benares and the Ram Nagar museum.