You know we always keep manifesting one day or another it does come true. I doesn’t used to believe in this myth until recently I visited the city of my dreams Banaras. The soul of Uttar Pradesh I must say! Never thought I would be able begin my first ever solo trip of my life through this city! Actually, no so solo, had my sibling with me but still got experience it on my own.
Believed to be as an oldest existing city in the world no wonder it is. After reaching this soulful city I understood why this city is chaotic yet beautiful in itself. The moment I landed at Varanasi Airport also originally know as Lala Lajpat Rai International Airport I got a feeling I have reached to a place where people to the fullest. Rather than just being a workaholic and running behind to earn money to have a successful career, people of Barnas choose to live to the fullest first.
You know, we always keep manifesting things — silently wishing, hoping, and dreaming. Some say it’s just a mindset; others call it the universe’s magic.
I never believed in any of it. Not until life surprised me with a journey that I didn’t plan it just happened. And that journey led me to Banaras the city of my dreams.
They say, “You don’t choose Banaras, Banaras chooses you.”
And maybe that’s what happened. Maybe this sacred city had been waiting to unfold itself to me — not in a hurry, not in chaos — but in its own calm, spiritual rhythm.
The Unexpected Start to a Dream
Never in my wildest thoughts did I imagine beginning my first-ever solo trip in this ancient city. Actually, let’s be honest — it wasn’t completely solo. My sibling accompanied me. But even then, this trip was mine in the truest sense.
I had moments to myself, space to reflect, freedom to feel, and the courage to experience a new city not as a tourist, but as a seeker. It was a subtle yet empowering kind of solo — the kind that gives you just enough room to grow.
Banaras – The Soul of Uttar Pradesh
There’s a reason people call Banaras the soul of Uttar Pradesh.
It’s not just because of the temples or the Ganges. It’s because the city lives and breathes like a person. It has moods. It listens. It teaches. It embraces.
From the moment I stepped out at Varanasi Airport, also originally known as Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, I felt like I had arrived at a place that doesn’t rush you // it holds you.
As I looked around, the pace was slower, but the energy was higher. It was as if people weren’t racing against time but flowing with it. Rather than being workaholics chasing money or status, the people of Banaras live differently. They live for mornings by the ghats, for temple bells, for conversations over chai, for poetry, music, and prayer.
They live fully. And that struck me in the best way possible.
Where Chaos Meets Calm
I had heard people call Banaras chaotic — and it is, in a way. The roads are narrow. The traffic is unpredictable. The honking is constant. There are cows and scooters and humans all sharing the same path. But strangely enough, amidst this chaos, there is a calm. The kind of calm that settles into your heart without asking permission.
The first thing I noticed was how time seems to stretch here. You could be walking for 10 minutes, and it feels like you’ve lived a lifetime of sights — temples, tea stalls, street musicians, flower vendors, sadhus, scholars, students, travelers — all part of the same story.
And me? I was just walking through these stories, collecting pieces of them, letting them become part of mine.
The Ganga – More Than Just a River
Standing by the ghats of the Ganga, I felt something shift. Something slow, deep, and unexplainable. This river isn’t just water — it’s spiritual rhythm. It’s legacy. It’s life. I remember my first sunrise boat ride — the way the sky melted from darkness to a soft pink and gold, the oars softly cutting through the water, the chants echoing in the distance, the lamps still flickering on the ghats — it was magical. And in that moment, I didn’t feel like a visitor. I felt like I belonged.
Each ghat has a story — from Dashashwamedh Ghat with its majestic evening Ganga Aarti to the quiet serenity of Assi Ghat, where mornings begin with music and meditation. Then there’s Manikarnika Ghat — where the cycle of life and death plays out in full view. It’s intense, yes, but it also teaches you something powerful — about acceptance, surrender, and the raw truth of existence.
Temples, Faith, and Sacred Energy
A trip to Banaras would be incomplete without visiting the Kashi Vishwanath Temple — dedicated to Lord Shiva. But this isn’t just any temple. It’s one of the 12 Jyotirlingas, a site of immense energy. As I stood in line, hearing people chant “Har Har Mahadev,” I could feel a vibration — a pulse in the air. Even if you’re not spiritual, you feel something here. It’s not about ritual. It’s about presence.
Other places like Durga Kund, Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple, and Tulsi Manas Mandir added layers to my journey — each one offering something uniquely powerful. Every corner in Banaras feels sacred — even if it’s just a chai tapri where two strangers discuss life like they’ve known each other for years.
Flavours of Banaras – A Culinary Hug
Let’s talk food. Because trust me, Banaras feeds your soul just as much as your stomach.
From crispy kachori-sabzi for breakfast to the legendary tamatar chaat that explodes with flavour, to the winter delicacy malaiyyo — which is so light and airy, it almost disappears in your mouth — everything here is unforgettable.Banarasi paan? Let’s just say it’s not a dessert, it’s an emotion.Even sipping kulhad chai by the ghats, watching the world go by, felt like a celebration.
People, Poetry, and Unexpected Joys
One of my favourite things about this trip was the people.
Everyone had a story. A shopkeeper told me how he’s seen five generations pass by the same ghat. A boatman shared tales of the Ganga’s moods during different seasons.
An old woman at the temple blessed me, saying, “May this city bring you back again and again.”
It becomes a part of you. It slips into your memories, your conversations, your prayers.
The Journey Within
This wasn’t just a travel destination. Banaras became a mirror.
It showed me who I am when I’m not performing for anyone. When I’m not surrounded by routines, deadlines, or expectations.
It gave me a sense of peace I didn’t even know I needed. It made me believe in slowing down. In breathing deeper. In watching sunsets without pulling out my phone.
It reminded me that the most transformative journeys are the ones you don’t plan — they find you.
Happy Sundaying!
Travellogs 