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Weather Now
Varanasi
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Ironic Truth
The City That Never Closes — But You'll Want to Time It
Festival-driven peaks — Dev Deepawali and Mahashivratri spike everything
7%
8%
8.5%
6%
5%
5%
5.5%
5.5%
6%
8.5%
10%
9.5%
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Peak
Nov · Dec
Dev Deepawali, Ganga Mahotsav — 3x hotel prices
Shoulder
Jan · Feb · Mar · Oct
Pleasant weather, fewer festivals
Off-Peak
Apr · May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep
Heat or flood — ghats submerge
Actually. The ghats host the Ganga Aarti every single evening, rain or shine. But during Dev Deepawali (November), a million oil lamps line the ghats — book 3 months ahead or don't come.
Weather Profile
Varanasi
Humid subtropical — extreme summers, ghats flood in monsoon
Daily range (high → low)
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45°
23°
8°
27°
11°
33°
16°
39°
22°
42°
27°
40°
28°
35°
26°
34°
26°
34°
25°
33°
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29°
13°
24°
8°
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Best
Oct · Nov · Feb · Mar
Pleasant 23–30°C
Hottest
May · Jun
42°C, brutal loo winds
Monsoon
Jul · Aug
Ganga rises, ghats submerge
Tip. The Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat happens every evening, regardless of weather. But during monsoon (Jul–Aug), the river floods the lower ghats. Dev Deepawali (Nov) is the spectacle of a lifetime.
“
Screen Quote
Benares is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend, and looks twice as old as all of them put together.
Mark Twain Author · Following the Equator 1897 · Documentary ·
“
Movie Quote
Saala, yahan Banaras mein toh har cheez mein ek kahani hoti hai.
Vicky Kaushal as Deepak Kumar · Masaan 2015 · Film · Drishyam Films
Shot in Varanasi
Masaan2015
Film · Drishyam Films
Won two awards at Cannes (FIPRESCI Prize and Promising Future Prize). Vicky Kaushal's breakout role. The burning ghats of Varanasi are central to the story's themes of death and liberation.
Manikarnika Ghat · Dashashwamedh Ghat · Ganges riverfront · Varanasi ghats
Shot in Varanasi
Raanjhanaa2013
Film · Eros International
Dhanush's Hindi debut. The film captures Varanasi's electric energy — from its crowded galis to the Ganga Aarti — making the city itself a character in the story.
Varanasi ghats · narrow lanes of old Varanasi · Banaras Hindu University
Culture
Varanasi Etiquette
Do
Attend the Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat around 6:45 PM — arrive 30 minutes early for a front-row seat on the steps
Remove shoes before entering any temple, including Kashi Vishwanath — leave them at designated stalls (₹5-10 storage fee)
Take a dawn boat ride (5:30 AM) to see the ghats wake up — share a boat to reduce cost (₹100-150 per person)
Try the famous Varanasi street food: kachori-sabzi at Ram Bhandar, malaiyo (winter milk foam), and banarasi paan
Respect cremation ceremonies at Manikarnika and Harishchandra Ghats — observe silently from a distance
Don't
Do not photograph the burning ghats (Manikarnika/Harishchandra) — it is deeply disrespectful to grieving families and cremation workers
Do not accept invitations from touts to 'see the cremations up close' or visit 'wood donation centers' — these are well-known scams
Do not touch or point feet toward sadhu offerings, sacred fires, or temple idols
Do not swim in the Ganga near the ghats — the water is heavily polluted despite its sacred status
Do not wear leather or carry leather goods into Kashi Vishwanath Temple — it is prohibited and checked at security
Tipping Guide
Restaurant10% or round up to nearest ₹50
Boat rower (dawn ride)₹50-100 per person above fare
Auto-rickshawRound up fare; negotiate before riding
Temple priest (dakshina)₹51-101 as offering
Silk shop guideNone — they earn commission; buy only if you genuinely want
Key Phrase
हर हर महादेव!
'Har Har Mahadev!' — a devotional chant meaning 'Everyone is Shiva (God)', used as a greeting, farewell, and exclamation throughout Varanasi
Budget
Delhi vs Varanasi
Your money goes 0.65× further
Delhi
Varanasi
Street meal (kachori-sabzi)
₹80
₹40
-50%
Restaurant meal (mid-range)
₹500
₹300
-40%
Chai (per cup)
₹20
₹10
-50%
Auto-rickshaw (5 km)
₹120
₹60
-50%
Budget guesthouse (per night)
₹2,000
₹600
-70%
Mid-range hotel (per night)
₹5,000
₹2,500
-50%
Dawn boat ride (shared)
—
₹100
0%
Banarasi paan
₹40
₹20
-50%
Daily budget: ₹800/day (budget) · ₹2,500/day (mid-range)
Same currency (INR)
Safety
Varanasi
6/10
Emergency
Police100
Ambulance108
Women helpline1091
Tourist police (Dashashwamedh)0542-2506070
Hospital: BHU Sir Sunderlal Hospital — Lanka, Varanasi (3 km from Dashashwamedh Ghat)
Embassy: N/A (domestic)
Hidden Gem
GEM 48Rarity Score
Ramnagar Fort & Museum
“A crumbling Mughal fortress the tourists forgot, across the river”
On the eastern bank of the Ganga, this 18th-century sandstone fort of the Kashi Naresh (King of Varanasi) houses a quirky museum with vintage cars, ivory palanquins, an astronomical clock, and Mughal-era weaponry. The fort's crumbling ramparts offer unmatched views of Varanasi's ghat skyline. During the month-long Ramlila festival (Sep-Oct), the fort grounds host India's oldest and most elaborate Ramlila performance.
Locals Say
“Take a boat from Tulsi Ghat directly to the fort's river-facing steps (₹200-300 one way) — it's far more scenic than the road route and takes 20 minutes”
14 km by road from Dashashwamedh Ghat (or 2 km across the river by boat) away
Best: October to March; visit during Ramlila (Sep-Oct) for the theatrical performance