THE old city of Varanasi — situated on the north bank of the Ganges River and midway between Delhi and Kolkata — is akin to a gigantic maze with endless complex networks of narrow alleys.

Along these alleys, pedestrians, cows and motorcyclists co-exist harmoniously.

Shops selling a diverse array of items from food, trinkets to souvenirs are aplenty. Varanasi is also renowned for its fine silk fabrics, saris, gold and silver jewellery.

Sacred river

It is also an important site where over a million pilgrims come to bathe in the sacred river of Ganges annually. They believe that the holy water has healing powers and will wash away one’s sins.

Varanasi has been a great centre of learning for thousands of years and is often regarded as the cultural capital of India.

There is a whole range of options such as yoga classes; sitar, tabla and flute lessons; classical Indian dance classes; and even concerts at temples and shops.

The best way to experience the essence of this holy city is to take a boat ride along the Ganges River at sunrise.

Along the riverbank, people busied themselves with their daily activities at the ghats — a group of women was washing their laundry on one side while an old woman was squatting and brushing her teeth on the other.

Not too far away, some elderly men were covered in foam and lathering themselves while some pilgrims decked in their traditional outfits were undressing to get into the river.

A German traveller I met shared that it was his 12th visit to Varanasi.

When quizzed about what brought him back time and again, the elderly man smiled and said: “Varanasi is amazing. It is here that you can see the cycle of life, from life to death.”

As I watched the myriad of activities at the ghats, I understood what he meant.

Sights of children playing happily in the water juxtaposed against the solemn faces at the “burning ghat” where death rituals are held, bodies cremated and ashes returned to the holy river.

The Hindus believe that casting the ashes of their loved ones into the Ganges River will guide their souls to paradise. It is no wonder why people coined Varanasi the Eternal City.

Stupas and ancient ruins

Just 13km north-east of Varanasi lies Sarnath, a sacred Buddhist pilgrimage centre that makes a perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle in Varanasi.

Sarnath exudes a tranquil charm that makes one slow down the pace.

Incessant honking noises of vehicles were replaced with melodious chimes of temple bells, chirping sounds of birds at the ruins and soothing chants of the pilgrims.

Sarnath is home to the Dhamekh Stupa, one of the most prominent Buddhist structures in India.

Standing at 43.6m in height and 28m in diameter, the stupa is believed to be the holy site where Buddha delivered his first sermon to his five disciples after attaining enlightenment.

Exploring the various Buddhist temples can be great fun and easily done on foot.

From the Tibetan, Chinese and Myanmar temples to the Thai, Korean and Japanese ones, I wandered around the temple grounds, admired their distinct architectural styles and the interesting variations of the Buddha statues.

The archaeological museum, the Deer Park and the ruins also make interesting stops in this quaint little town.

The wonder of Agra

A trip to India would not be complete without making a stop at Agra to visit the iconic monument of love, Taj Mahal.

Touted as one of the eight wonders of the world, the white marble mausoleum was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (1628 to 1658) in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal.

The Taj Mahal is the pinnacle of Mughal architecture, a style that fuses elements of Indian, Islamic, Persian and Turkish influences.

As we approached the structure, hundreds of cameras flashed non-stop at the architectural gem as if the latest Korean pop star was in town.

The grandeur of the building and the romantic story behind it moved me.

Determined to capture shots that were different from the standard postcards, I staked out at the hostel’s roof-top in the wee hours of the morning and was elated to capture a shot of a monkey against the majestic Taj Mahal as the backdrop.

My driver recommended a spot that offered an interesting view of the silhouette of the architectural masterpiece.

A herd of water buffaloes were leisurely resting at the riverbank.

On bended knees, I inched closer towards them, eager to get a lower vantage point for my best shot.

Unfortunately, one of the buffaloes started charging towards me. I froze for a split second before dashing away from the herd.

So much for wanting to have a different picture from other tourists, but it sure felt like a National Geographic moment.