Most places in India have something to offer you, especially when you’re going to a particular place for the first time. That being said, the best way to ruin an experience is to make sure you have to catch a flight to the capital of India at Six O’clock in the morning, which means you have to get up at the ungodly hour of Three O’clock in the morning. It gets worse when you know you have to take a connecting flight out of there in order to get to Varanasi.

Considering that sleep was the most important thing on my mind, the way to the guest house was a blur of heat and uncomfortable positions. We went out in the evening to the new Kashi Vishvanath Temple that is located inside the Benaras Hindu University campus. While the temple itself isn’t exactly a spectacular sight, it is an interesting piece of work considering various parts of the temple are influenced by different styles of architecture. The next day was quite interesting; we visited the famous ghats of Varanasi.

Serenity and peace. Two things that one of the holiest cities in the world is not. The bustle and life that the city of Varanasi exudes is something that is rarely seen in many other places. A lot of people begin their day very early in the morning. The boats that run the length of the ghats are almost always functioning. People cross the river to come and work in the city. Many people come down to the most revered river in India to bathe. Despite the fact that its probably the filthiest river in our country. Varanasi is not what I would call a holy city. The magic of this place is the people. People are the ones that make a city. At its very core, Varanasi is a place that has been defined, moulded and shaped by the people that have inhabited the place.

Architecture in the place is a general mix from different time periods across history. You have Mughal architecture, most apparent in the mosques and the palaces on the banks of the river. Next in line you have Maratha architecture, with circumstances and intricate designs seen mostly on the temples on the banks of the Ganga and inside the city. Perhaps the most recent type of architecture that can be detected is from the colonial times. Close to 200 years of servitude to a foreign power has had its influence on some of the old residential places.

Under no circumstance must an individual, even for a second believe that the friendly exterior of the people is an honest reflection of their beliefs. Religion in the city has unfortunately, been trivialized. Hostility towards foreigners is something that is something that is very common. Especially on the ghats. All one needs to do is ask any one of the locals about the many foreigners that roam the place in almost every season. Resentment is a strong sentiment in Varanasi. Especially in a city like this; one with a history of destruction and reconstruction over thousands of years.

Its not that every single person in this city expresses resentment about his or her life. People know their lives and how it pans out. And they're happy with it. As I've mentioned previously that the beauty of this city is not in the city but the people in it. People are so happy to share what little they have or what they know. I'm not sure how to explain people here. The language is a dialect of Hindi not seen anywhere else, along with a politeness, a sense of relaxation and happiness that is very difficult to find in people across our country.

If one absolutely needs to experience Varanasi, boat rides are the best. The nest time to take one is perhaps early in the morning. Since a lot of people who's livelihood is based on the ghats it is not difficult to find someone willing to take you down the river and back up. Over the course of the time that it takes you to do that it's possible to notice many things. For instance, different types of architecture all meant for those who could have them made at the time. Perhaps elsewhere you'll see a man or a lady, in the water, praying. Elsewhere you'll seen kids, as young as 5 jumping in to the water with a smile of absolute joy.   Maybe a father bathing his son. Or a person performing their daily ablutions. Perhaps a man teaching other children to swim. A necessary skill in this city. 

People here aren't what you would call ignorant. They aren't oblivious to the filth that floats in the river. They know it exists and they continue with their daily rituals. In fact, as an atheist I've come to feel a little jealous of the people who do believe in something they've never seen in their lives yet have an absolutely faith in that very power that their lives are based on that faith. A pillar of strength for them at all times. The city itself breathes religion. And sadly enough, with all religion comes the seeds of corruption. Deep underneath the smiles of the priests willing to bless you in the name of god is a man looking to make a quick buck off someone with particular beliefs.