Ganga Mahhotsava is the annual Indian holiday, held in honor of the sacred river Ganges. It is traditionally held in November in the no less respected city of Varanasi (this is in the north-east of the country)

Ganga Mahottsava, as a rule, lasts five days, and for this time dozens, or even hundreds of thousands of pilgrims and tourists flock to Varanasi themselves inhabitants of India.

On the days of celebration, all gather on the banks of the Ganges and in a solemn atmosphere, accompanied by folk songs and dances, participate in traditional ablutions. If you believe the legends, this ritual helps to purify oneself of sins. Bathing and bathing are usually carried out with stone staircases called ghats

Another major tradition of Ganga Mahotsava is the launching of burning lamps along the river. According to the ancient legend, the longer a flashlight burns, the more chances that the higher powers will fulfill the request or desire of its master.

This ineffable beauty lasts several hours, and the Ganges waters are lit up by thousands of floating lamps.

How to get there

To do this, you need to do at least two things to become a participant of an unforgettable Indian festival. The first is to schedule a vacation for November, and the second is to be prepared for additional expenses in addition to the tour and visa.

The fact is that most Russian tourists, as you know, rest on Goa, and from this resort to Varanasi - the place of Ganga Mahotsava - Good 1700 km. You can overcome this path by train or by plane.

The railway trip will take almost two days. Air travel, of course, will be faster, but you will have to make one or even two transplants: in Bangalore or Mumbai and in Delhi. If desired, you can specifically choose flights with "long" transplants and during a break between flights arrange an excursion, say, the capital of India. And, in fact, the costs.