bye bye bsbs

sitting at the ac lounge and writing this.
the last 6–7 days were crazy af, went to ayodhya, did sangam snan in prayagraj, and then headed to vindhyachal.
spiritual overdose, emotional detox, and too much chai in between.

okay so if you’re ever in banaras, here’s what i learned (and lived) the hard way.

stay:
if you’re visiting, get an airbnb or hotel near the ghats. that’s where the real banaras lives, in its tiny lanes, smell of incense, and that morning chaos.
if you’ve got money, go for the cantonment area, that’s where all the 5-star hotels are (clarks, radisson, kaiser palace).
my dad’s friends work in all three. contact me, i’ll add a 5% surge fee for being your “local expert.” lol jk.

moving around:
rickshaw walas, don’t pay more than ₹20 for 2km. bargain like your life depends on it. they’ll act offended, drive off, then come back. classic.
google maps actually works here (a rare indian miracle).

food:
for proper indian food, luv kush restaurant near godowlia chowk. chef’s kiss.
for pizza, vaatika pizzeria, open-air vibe, good crust, view of the ghat.
but seriously, skip the overhyped places you saw on reels, they suck fr. go next door, eat there, and you’ll know the difference instantly.

oh and, deena chat bhandar is non-negotiable.
tamatar chaat there is god-tier. also try neelu ki kachori and malaiyo (only in winter, it’s like eating a saffron-flavored cloud).
and if you want lassi, head to blue lassi near manikarnika. the shop walls are covered with passport photos from travelers all over the world. 100+ flavors. bit too sweet, but worth the vibe.

the ghats:
dashashwamedh ghat’s evening aarti is unreal.
you’ve seen it on reels, but when you’re there, bells ringing, priests in sync, and diyas floating on the ganga… it’s something else.
you can even book a small boat online to watch it from the river, next time, that’s my plan.

also went to assi ghat early morning for subah-e-banaras, live classical music, yoga, prayers.
super peaceful. barely any tourists, just locals doing their thing.

manikarnika ghat, go, experience, leave.
don’t overstay. it’s raw and real.
you’ll see life and death side by side, people crying, priests chanting, bodies burning, and the river flowing quietly.
you walk away with a weird silence inside you. not fear. just truth.

temples:
sankatmochan hanuman mandir is a must.
fun fact, tulsidas wrote ramcharitmanas sitting there. imagine that.
and despite what social media says, banaras isn’t all divided, hindu, muslim, whatever.
ustad bismillah khan used to play shehnai right near kashi vishwanath temple.
that’s the real banaras, spiritual, not political.

markets:
walk through godowlia market and vishwanath lane.
the chaos is unreal, cows, bikes, flowers, gold, sarees, horns, prayers, everything happening at once.
picked up a banarasi saree for mom from rajan silk market. pure zari, shines like it’s alive.

boats:
boat rides should be ₹100–₹150 per person, max.
bargain hard or they’ll charge you like it’s a cruise in dubai.

some random observations.

every time i visit banaras, it feels like the city’s calling me back again.
like there’s still something left to see, feel, or fix in me.

nobody follows traffic rules here.
honking is a love language.
and somehow, it all still works.
that’s banaras, chaotic harmony. or what i call banarush.

and a note, if you’re trying bhang, please go slow.
when the guy asks, “kitna doon?”, say low.
he’ll show a small amount, and your brain will say “yeh toh kuch nahi.”
trust me bro, your brain is lying. say aur kam chahiye.
and always go with a sober friend. if both of you are high, rip.

that’s it for now.
laptop battery at 1%. typos = divine timing.
you get the vibe.

bye bye bsbs.
back to work.