ఘాట్లలో మోసగాళ్లతో జాగ్రత్త. గంగా ఘాట్లలో, ఆలయ సందుల్లో తమను తాము “గైడ్” లేదా “పూజారి”గా చెప్పుకునే దళారులు VIP దర్శనం, పూజలు, పడవ ప్రయాణం లేదా “దహన కట్టెల కోసం విరాళం” అంటూ తిరుగుతుంటారు. ఎవరికీ ముందుగా డబ్బు ఇవ్వకండి; సేవ పొందే ముందు చెల్లించకండి. ఆలయ సేవలను అధికారిక ట్రస్ట్ ద్వారా మాత్రమే బుక్ చేసుకోండి.
Must-try dishes
Breakfast
Kachori-sabzi & jalebi
Crisp kachoris with spicy potato curry, followed by hot jalebi. The classic Banarasi morning.
Snack
Tamatar chaat
Varanasi’s signature chaat — a warm, tangy tomato mash with spices, served in a leaf bowl.
Winter only
Malaiyyo
Saffron-flavoured milk froth, set by the winter dew overnight. Sold only on cold mornings, Nov – Feb.
Drink
Lassi
Thick, creamy and served in a kulhad (clay cup), often topped with malai. Fruit lassis are popular with visitors.
Drink
Thandai
Chilled milk with nuts and spices, especially at Holi and Mahashivratri. Ask for it without bhang.
After dinner
Banarasi paan
Betel leaf with sweet fillings. Ask for “meetha paan” without tobacco.
Sweets
Launglata & rabri
Clove-sealed pastry in syrup, and slow-reduced sweetened milk.
Meal
Baati-chokha
Roasted wheat balls with smoky mashed aubergine and potato — rustic eastern UP comfort food.
Tastes of home
- South Indian: idli, dosa, sambar-rice and filter coffee near Kedar Ghat, Godowlia and the BHU–Lanka area; simple meals at the South Indian mutts.
- Gujarati & Marwari: thalis at a few restaurants and community bhojanalayas near Godowlia.
- Jain: ask for “Jain food” — no onion, garlic or root vegetables. Widely understood in pure-veg restaurants.
- International: cafés near Assi and the ghats serve continental breakfasts, pasta and coffee.
Eat safely
- Choose busy stalls where food is cooked fresh and hot in front of you.
- Drink sealed or filtered water. Skip ice and raw salads from street stalls for the first few days.
- Lassi and malaiyyo are generally safe from popular, high-turnover shops.
- Alcohol and meat are not sold near the temple and ghats in keeping with the sanctity of the area.