[ Varanasi photo ]
Varanasi
Varanasi, also known as Benares or Kashi, is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and the spiritual heart of India. Pilgrims come from across the country to bathe in the Ganges, pray at the 80+ ghats that line the river, and attend the mesmerising Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat each evening. The narrow lanes of the old city hide ancient temples, silk weavers, and street food that has barely changed in a thousand years.