Page 10 - India 20 Day Sample Itinerary

DAY 05 VARANASI Meals included: Breakfast Return to the hotel for breakfast. A dawn boat trip takes you along the bathing ghats Afterwards tour the city’s temples and Benaras on the holy river Ganges to witness 2,000-year old Hindu Univeristy (Vishwanath Temple), the rites of prayer and devotion. The Ganges is the most University’s museum contains a superb collection of sacred and venerated river in India. Beside the Nicholas Roerich’s paintings of the Himalayas. Visit ritualistic aspect of Hinduism (thread ceremony, Gyanvapi Mosque and Dasashwarmedh Ghat. head shaving, food to departed souls, etc.) you can also see the bathing, laundry, and cremations of the Also visit the buried city of Sarnath where Buddha dead that take place here on the banks of the river. preached his first sermon, setting in motion the Life and death go hand in hand in Varanasi. While Wheel of Law. It is here that Buddha revealed his young people seek prosperity and protection from doctrine and founded his monastic community. harmful influences, the older generation comes to Pilgrims travel from around the world to Sarnath Varanasi to cleanse their souls in the forgiving waters and there are monasteries constructed by Buddhists in preparation for the ultimate dissolution. A ritual from several countries including China, Burma, cleansing in the holy waters of the Ganges at Tibet and Japan. Although only a few miles from Varanasi absolves the believer of all sins: it is the Varanasi, Sarnath reflects tranquility far removed aspiration of every devout Hindu to die at Varanasi, from the bustle of the city. thus ensuring a direct passage to heaven. The museum at Sarnath is amongst the most Varanasi, the City of Light has become a haven for important in India and contains carvings the sick and the aged waiting out their final days. representing a whole range of styles - archaic, the The smoke that billows from the crematoriums on Mathur School, Gupta, past Gupta and Medieval - the edge of the river gives testimony to their final covering work of sculptors from the 3rd century release from life’s earthly confines. On any given day, B.C. to the 12th century A.D. anywhere from a few dozen to a few hundred corpses are cremated here; the ghat is assiduous with Overnight: Hotel Nadesar Palace – Historical activity as the cremated bodies threw up smoke and Suite fire. The views of the city from the water are mysterious and magical. IS NOW COMPLETE