Travelling and the change in our personalities - part 3

Team Apex continues on its journey through Agra and Varanasi. Our previous trip was covered in part 2

AGRA

As a former capital city of the region, Agra is a must-visit Indian location, with the climate suiting winter visits best. It offers an urban landscape filled with fantastic sights and experiences. The majesty of Agra’s past still lingers and is evident in the culture and surrounding architecture, including the famous inlaid marble and red sandstone buildings. Modern luxuries are also available to all visitors, delivering a wonderful balance of the classic and contemporary amongst the city’s beautiful settings.

The most famous attraction in Agra is the iconic Taj Mahal. This is probably the most popular tourist attraction in India, and is a definite must on any traveller’s list. Famously a testament to lost love, the masoleum will look different depending on the time of day you visit it. It is pink in the morning, white in the evening and golden in the moonlight. In poetry, the Taj has been called ‘a tear drop on the cheek of eternity’.The detail is intricate, with lustrous marble inlaid with gems and plenty of awe inspiring views to enjoy.

Where historical wonders are concerned, Agra is not a one trick pony. It houses not just one, but an impressive three UNESCO world heritage sites. Agra Fort was built by the 14-year-old Emperor Akbar to illustrate his power over his empire. The building is made mostly out of red sandstone and is truly stunning.

Fatehpur sikri, meaning ‘city of victory’, was built by Emperor Akbar in the 16^th century. It is located to the west of Agra and was the capital city for just a short 14 years. It is said to have been built at the village where Akbar received a prophesy of an heir to his throne.

Taj Mahal is not the only thing that Agra has given to the World. Agra’s “Panchi Petha” is equally famous for its mouth-watering taste. It is made with white pumpkin and cooked in syrup are not to be missed. They come in varying textures and flavours, including saffron, mango and nuts, and tend to have a floral taste.

Agra is a world in itself, one can get lost in the beauty of it and yet enjoy each moment spent in here.

VARANASI

Varanasi is India ‘s oldest city, located along the banks of the famous River Ganges in the state of Uttar Pradesh, in North East India. It is one of the seven Hindu and Jainist holy cities, or Sapta Puri, in India. Buddhism is said to have been founded in Varanasi as well.

Varanasi is a spiritual city, where Hindus go to pray, wash away their sins and honour their dead on the banks of the Ganges. Dying in Varanasi is seen as auspicious, as it ends the cycle of rebirth.

A trip to the Ganges will reveal countless sights that will remain with you long after you leave.

The Ganges is not only a place of worship, but also a backdrop to millions of locals’ everyday life. The Ganges is a bath, dishwasher, swimming pool and a vessel for commerce for the people who live there.

Varanasi is a special place. It is also crowded and dusty. All around you, life is taking place. You will see wonderful sites in Varanasi. From young boys having a water fight in the Ganges, to women sitting preparing food in doorways along the winding alleys, or galis, to bodies being cremated and holy men smoking pipes.

Away from the ghats, the streets are busy with people going about their day, and small shops display their wares piled precariously all around their stores.

Cremation is a big part of Varanasi, so you will see bodies being burned. You can’t take pictures of this, out of respect for the dead. Some bodies are placed in the Ganges without cremation, so there is a chance a corpse will float by your boat. Try to embrace these customs, because they are something to be experienced. It’s really interesting to see how a different culture deals with death.

What to do in Varanasi:

Visit the Ghats: The ghats are the stone steps leading to the banks of the Ganges.The Dashashwamedh Ghat is the the main ghat, and it’s where the nightly Agni Pooja ceremony takes place. The Manikarnika and Harishchandra Ghats are where Hindus cremate their dead.

Take a boat ride along the Ganges:Sunrise and sunset are the best times to experience this. We only got to do the sunset boat ride, but the sunrise one is meant to be great as well.

Experience the nightly Agni Pooja ceremony: performed by brahmin priests, this popular ceremony involves candles, incense and ringing bells. We only saw it from our boat, but it would be cool to see it from dry land as well. Watching it from a boat is a really nice experience, as all the boats gather together, gently bumping off each other as children jump from boat to boat and everyone is quietly waiting in the dark.

See silk being spun: Varanasi is filled with factories and workshops where silk is spun and beautiful scarves, bedspreads and rugs are made. Be prepared to politely refuse the long and friendly sales pitch that will follow. We bought three beautiful scarves as gifts, so at least we didn’t leave empty handed.

Sample bhang lassi: bhang lassi is a concoction made of yoghurt, cannabis and spices. It tastes like a very earthy smoothie. Strengths vary greatly. 

Find out where we went next - part 4