Varanasi is primarily a religious destination. Everywhere on the earth, the spirituality attracts multitude of people having different level of financial status and Varanasi is not an exception. It has to accommodate the wealthy tourists as well as the poor pilgrims. It’s not a touristy city, where everything comes at a price. The city is not meant for sightseeing only; it offers the experiences, the experiences that are not bound to any price tag. So, if the visitors enter into the periphery of this city to keep their travels cheaper, Varanasi welcome them with equal enthusiasm to offer the unbeatable travel experiences.
The main attractions in the city are the numerous temples and the riverfront of the Ganga. The best thing is that both of its main attractions are absolutely free of cost. There are many other attractions and activities that can be experienced in Varanasi without spending money. This makes it a really affordable city to enjoy.
The main attractions and activities in Varanasi that you can enjoy free of cost are:
Temples: The hundreds of the temples scattered in the city represent the soul of Varanasi. The temples in Varanasi don’t charge any entry fee to the visitors and one can walk from one temple to another without spending a single penny. The prominent temples of Varanasi are Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Annapurna Temple, Tulsi Manas Temple, Durga Temple Sankat Mochan Temple, Kal Bhairava Temple, New Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Jain Temples, Mulgandha Kuti Vihar and few other Budhhist Temples.
Riverside: The life of people in Varanasi flourishes along the spectacular riverfront of The Ganga. A simple walk along the left bank from Assi Ghat (Southern End) to Adi Keshava Ghat (Northern End), crossing all the bathing ghats in between, provides a mesmerizing vista of local lifestyle, culture, tradition etc and this spellbound experience is totally free of cost.
Fairs and Festivals: It is believed that each day is a day of festival in Varanasi. There is always a celebration in some corner of the city offering plenty of fun and joy. If none, the life at Ganga ghats is itself a way of celebration. All of these fairs, festivals and celebrations do not cost any money to the travellers. In the every evening, you can watch Ganga Aarti free of cost at many ghats in Varanasi. In the month of Savan, the city offers the rare sight of Kanwariyas without any cost. The lakkhi melas (the gathering of more than a lakh people) of Nati Imali (Bharat Milap), Chetganj (Nakkataiya) and Tulsi Ghat (Nag Nathaiya) do not cost any money to the visitors. The festivals like Holi, Deepwali, Dev Deepawali, Dusshera, Nag Panchmi can be celebrated with the local people during the respective festive seasons.
Sarnath: The Buddhism flourished in Sarnath long ago, and spread around the world from here. It has many important Buddhist sites, stupas, temples and most of them are completely free to experience. The travellers can walk around the open Air Archaeological Museum of Sarnath to witness the emergence of Buddhism from the scratch. Important sites in Sarnath are Chaukhandi Stupa, Thai Temple, Mulgandha Kuti Vihar, Chinese Temple and Japanese Temple etc. The Archaeological Complex (includes remains of Dharmarajika Stupa, Ashoka Pillar, many archaeological excavations sites, Dhamekh Stupa etc) and the Archaeological Museum can also be visited at very nominal cost.
Street Experiences: If someone did not meandered through the narrow alleys of Varanasi, then he did not get the real sense of Varanasi. One of the remarkable experiences to cherish at no cost in Varanasi, the glimpse of local lives, is available in the narrow lanes joining one after another in the heart of the city.
