Things to do in Varanasi - the famous Mithai(Sweets) of Varanasi

Varanasi has a rich tradition of eating sweets(or Mithai, as sweets are called in India) made from milk based products. Like the omnipresent ‘Banarasi Paan’ shops in Varanasi, one finds sweet shops at almost every street in Varanasi. The sight of the varied varieties of sweets displayed at these shops as you traverse the city is a mouth watering experience. Looking back in to the rich cultural heritage of Varanasi, it is easy to understand the reason for the mind-boggling variety of sweets available in Varanasi. Over the past few centuries, Varanasi has been the center of influx of settlers from different regions of India. It is a virtually a mini India of sorts and there are small niche settlements in Varanasi which predominantly boast of the presence of a particular community that settled down in Varanasi. There are the Muslims, the Bengali’s, the South Indians, the Christians, the Sindhi’s, Sikhs, Gujarati’s, Marwaris and the other smaller groups from different parts of India who have made Varanasi their home. As is to be expected, these small, niche localities display a unique lifestyle that still retains the flavor of their original culture and customs of the places they came from including their culinary tradition. For the casual travelers to Varanasi, it would be difficult to notice the difference as these communities have intermingled with the local Varanasi culture and have adopted the ways of Varanasi. However, if you were to take a closer look, you can see the diversity in the unity of Varanasi. The long period of cultural intermixing has created a unique culinary tradition in Varanasi where you would find delicacies from the menu of almost every state of India.
Sweets being part of the menu of almost all Indian cultures, the settlers in Varanasi brought their own unique recipes that gradually became a part of the composite sweet culture of Varanasi. The most popular sweets of Varanasi that are loved by all include the Kalakand,Lal Peda, Parval, Kulfi, Maalpua, Malai Puri and the divine Rabri. And then there is the ‘Lawanglata’ – a sweet that is very well known and really popular among the masses – which you would find in every sweet shop of Varanasi, big or small. If you have a thing for sweets and have a sweet tooth, Varanasi will be a mouth watering odyssey. Feast on the juicy Rosogollas(or Rasgulla), take a big bite of that creamy Barfi or feel the soft Maalpua melting away in your mouth delighting your taste buds. And of course, there is the rich, creamy sweet Lassi of Varanasi– the perfect way to wash down the gastronomical delights. These sweets are made from ‘Khowa’ and ‘Chhena’ both derivatives of milk – that undergo a series of processes perfected by the skilled workers who inherited the art from their forefathers, and shaped into various geometrical forms that adorn the showcase of the sweet shops in Varanasi.
There are many old and good sweet shops that have their own fan base in and around the areas they are located. Some of them are more famous for a particular type of sweet and people would visit the shop from different part of the city to buy. There are some really small shops that have become the ‘go to shop’ if you want to buy a particular variety of sweet. They have a huge fan base in the city and they have become household names renowned for that one special variety of sweet. Then there are the larger sweet shops in Varanasi where you can find almost all the major varieties of sweets you have heard of and some of these shops are equally famous for their good quality and variety. Personally, I love the sweets from a shop called the ‘Chheer Sagar’ that is located close to the Sonarpura chowk on the road to Godowlia.
Changing with the times and keeping in mind the unique needs of the clientele, some of these popular shops also sell the sugar free and low fat versions of their sweets. They claim that they use the sugar substitute that is the choice of diabetics and sugar patients. This has not only increased their client base but also brought back their many fans who had been forced to give up their favorite sweets due to their medical conditions. So even those travelers who may be suffering from high blood sugar or diabetes, can visit some of these sweet shops and savor the many heavenly delights that will sweeten your Varanasi experience. I wonder if some enlightened author would take a cue from the many ‘mithai’ or sweets of Varanasi and compose a ‘Mithaisutra’ on the lines of the extremely popular ‘Kamasutra’ of Khajuraho in India. Not a bad idea, eh? What do you say?

Shopping in Varanasi - the exquisite Banarasi Sari is the pride of Varanasi

Of all the things that Varanasi is famous for, the Banarasi Sari, a rich Sari made by expert weavers using the finest of silks stands out.Banaras is one of the more commonly used names for Varanasi in India and hence the sari's that were weaved here became famous as 'Banarasi Sari'. The Sari is the traditional costume of Indian women and the ‘Banarasi Sari’ epitomizes the best of the breed. It is said that the Banarasi Sari is veritable a 'poetry in silk'.

The history of the silk industry in Varanasi is traditionally linked to the Muslim community, which for almost 800 years was in charge of production. The exotic art of weaving perfected by the weavers in Varanasi remains unmatched. One of the unique features of the Banarasi Sari is the heavy gold brocade which has an extra weft of rich gold thread running across the warp threads. The motifs are picked up in silk thread and bright colors are added in the unique style called Meenakari that is used in gold jewellery. The all over gold brocade known as kimkhab carries patterns of ‘jal’ a trellis enclosing stylized rounded bits. Another variety consists of fine tissue like gold cloth which has warp and weft of gold thread and the patterns worked in silk and gold thread. Generally, the background material is woven in silk and the patterns in gold.

The Banarasi Sari is generally a little costlier than the other type of Saris. The reason is simple. The weavers use the best quality silk yarn that is brought from Karnataka, another state in India, unlike the China silk which is low quality and cheaper. Secondly, the Banarasi saree is woven on handlooms unlike those woven on powerlooms. The former is not only better in terms of design and motif but also in terms of weaving quality and durability. And of course, there is the exotic artistry of the weavers in Varanasi who have been rendering these masterpieces for the past few centuries. Their embroidery work (called Zardozi) is an art to behold.
The common types of Banarasi sarees include the pure banarasi silk sari, georgette sari, Meenakri, Zardozi,Cansal, Jamvar, Navrangi and Jamdani. It is the dream of every Indian woman to own at least one original Banarasi saree and Indian brides love to drape themselves in the ‘poetry in silk’ epitomized by a pure banarasi sari. Travelers from around the world who come to Varanasi and who are aware of the quality of Banarasi saris, make it a point to visit the popular shopping centers in Varanasi to buy their favourite Banarasi Sari. It’s one opportunity they don’t wish to let go off.

The exotic Rambagh Baradari in the Rambagh Gardens in Ramnagar, near Varanasi

The erstwhile Benares(another name for Varanasi) state was under the rule of Maharaji Chet Singh who ruled the state 200 years ago.Chet Singh had commissioned some magnificent buildings and gardens during his rule.One such enchanting garden is the Rambagh in Ramnagar near Varanasi, which has some rare varieties of flowers and medicinal plants. However, the prime attraction of Rambagh is the 'Baradari' where the Maharaja would sit with his royal entourage and enjoy the views of the surreal surroundings. The 'Baradari' is made from the rare 'Makrana stone' which is also used in the construction of the Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world.Elegant carved stone pillars support delicate arches with a decorative central seating area for the King. The Baradari was recently in news after reports came out that the rare stones of the baradari are breaking loose due to the careless activities of visitors as well as from the attack of the natural elements.Steps are being taken to dismantle the weaker sections and send them for repair and to replace some of the stone sections with the equally strong 'Chunar' stones which are found in the nearby region and which were also used in the construction of forts and palaces.Since the 'makrana' stones are extremely rare, the 'Chunar' stones seem a viable alternative.Recently, the current king of Kashi, Kunwar Anant Narayan Singh also visited the 'Baradari' to ascertain the extent of damage to the heritage structure.The Rambagh Baradari is a sterling example of the intricate stone-based architectural design that was the trademark of the artisans of this region and which now, unfortunately is well on its way to becoming a thing of the past.