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Festivals and Varanasi: The months of January and February herald the end of the cold months. On the moonless night between February and March, Shivratri, the night of Shiva, is celebrated.on the moonless night between February and March.
During summer, the snows in the distant Himalayas begin to melt, and later during the monsoon the River Ganga at Banaras swells and rises as thousands collect to bathe in her sacred waters. August and September are the months when festivities, parades and decorations mark the special days of Ganesh, the Lord of Good Fortune and the Remover of Obstacles. The birthday of Krishna, the cow herd incarnation of Vishnu, is celebrated on Krishna Janmashtami.
The festival of Divali,the festival of lights follows soon after, commemorating the homecoming of Ram., after he was exiled for 14 years.It is the festival of lights, the festival of good fortune. People clean and decorate their houses to entice Lakshmi the goddess of wealth and prosperity to enter their homes. Finally there is Kartik Purnima in November. Thousands of pilgrims collect to celebrate the full moon. On this occasion the dead are honored by lighting lamps beside the holy waters of the Ganga. Paper lamps are strung on tall bamboo poles and kept by the waters' edge to lighten up the way for the dead. It is a blessed night, one of the most auspicious at Banaras, and it summarizes the mystery of this holy city. Music in Varanasi Renowned as a centre for north Indian classical music Varanasi, attracts students from all over the world, and is famous for its exhilarating school (gharana) of tabla (paired hand drum) playing The city is home to such legendary figures as Ustad Bismillah Khan (sehnai oboe) and Pandit Shanto Prasad (tabla) and Pandit Ravi Shankar (sitar) has also been based here. Small schools and instrument shops in the alleys off Dashashwamedha try to catch the transient tourist trade but if you want to probe deeper the traditional scene based around student teacher relationships continues to thrive. Between Jangambali post office and Bengali Lane the International Music Ashram. D33/81 Khalishpura, holds concerts and organizes classes aimed at foreigners Asi Ghat has always been known for its rapidly changing music scene, and there's a lively performing arts departinent at BNU. Varanasi is renowned for big music festivals particularly during winter and spring held during Shivratri (Feb/March) the Dhrupad Mela is devoted to Dhrupad an archaic form in which the voice treated as a musical instrument is accompanied by the double membrane barrel drum pakhawaj. Pakhawaj solos are particularly vibrant; the drum has a deep and sonorous tone and performances rise to energetic crescendos. A four-day music and dance festival the Ganga Mahotsav takes place at Rajendra Prasad Ghat near Dashashwamedha and is held around Kartik Purnima - the full moon after Diwali (Oct/Nov); entrance is usually free: Varanasi's large Muslim community also makes its mark,- there is an active Sufi tradition, and at dargahs (shrines) you may chance upon a qawwali performance; these are often given on Thursdays at the Dargah of Chandan Sahid, Raj Ghat. Most of the best instrument makers are tucked away in the alleys of the old city known only to practitioners some also supply the Dashashwamedha tourist shops who then add on a hefty mark up. For those in the know much the best idea is to have an instrument made to order The following places are worth a look if you are hooked: Bassaruddin, near Arya Samaj Temple,Lalapura. Run by one of the Varanasi's best craftsmen, tabla maker to the professionals; expect to pay from Rs. 1300 for a pair of made to order tablas and Rs.2000 with a case. Imtiaz Ali, D47/195 Ramapura, opposite Mazda Movie Hall. General music shop with a motley collection of instruments. Although prices are reasonable, quality is mediocre, they will arrange better quality instruments on demand - but of course, at a price. Kesho Prasad, C K 38/5 Gyanwapi, near Dashashwamedha. Specializes in string instruments such as the sitar and tanpura (drone). Nitai Chandra Nath, 35/181 Jangambali, near International Music Ashram. A good sitar maker and once the instrument technician to BHU; good sitars for around REs3500 and cases for Rs1500. Sur Sangam, D16 Man Mandir Ghat. Aimed at tourists, this shop charges outrageous prices and is best avoided. |
Between
March and April the new Hindu month of chaitra commences. This marks
the beginning of spring. On the festival of Holi, colored powder and
paint are thrown into the air, or over relatives and friends, in an
attempt to capture the colors of spring and the season of renewal, the
season of new beginnings. This is followed by the nine-day celebration
of the goddess. Banaras has some very ancient shrines, dedicated to
manifestations of the female powers. There is the Chausat yogini
shrine, dedicated to the 64 yoginis or manifestations of Sakti, the
goddess of fertility, growth and prosperity. Others to the powers
against illness and diseases, Shitala Devi, and to Lakshmi the goddess
of bounty and prosperity. 
The
cooler months of October and November are the best to be in Banaras.
There are numerous festivals during this period, including the
Navratras (nine auspicious nights) and the celebration of
Dussehra.This festival lasts for ten days and is associated to the
worship of the goddess Sita and the story of Ram,a reincarnation of
Shiva. Their entire story is enacted and relived on the streets of
Benaras.