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Vishwanath & Chowk
The Galli Maze
Shoulder-wide lanes around the Golden Temple: brass shops, lassi in clay cups, cows in the passages, sandalwood in the air. Getting lost is part of the route.
The galli maze is the real Varanasi: shoulder-wide lanes packed with temples, cows, wedding processions and shops centuries old. At its heart stands Kashi Vishwanath with its golden dome and the new corridor to the river. Maps are useless and unnecessary: getting lost is how you see the city, and every lane ends at the Ganga.
Who it suits
getting lost properly Vishwanath lassi and malai
Staying here
Lane guesthouses: for those who want to live inside the maze.
In the evening
The lanes empty fast after evening aarti; remember your landmarks.
Getting there
On foot only: the lanes are shoulder-wide
What to see
Where to eat
Shopping
Other areas of Varanasi
In the app: the city's areas on the map, the places inside and a route.
Open in India GO