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INDIA

A trip to India can confuse the certainties of every Western traveller. In search of a deeper sense, I visit the sacred city of Varanasi, in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Then I relax in southern India, discovering the magnificent temples of Tamil Nadu and enjoy Kerala’s backwaters.

VARANASI

TAMIL NADU & KERALA

VARANASI

Looking for a deeper meaning, I visit the holy city of Varanasi, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. Here, millennial bonfires burn the bodies of the Hindi people to release them from the cycle of renaissance. The pilgrims plunge into the river Ganges to purify their souls and the sacred cows are guarded with kindness and care. I then dive into the city’s vegetable market, where 80% of the inhabitants are vegetarian. A visit to the brick factory in Chaubepur and a quick stop at the Buddhist shrine in Sarnath conclude my tour.

All photos and articles in this Travel Blog are by Andrea Marchegiani.

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Varanasi Travel Blog

All you need to know before you travel to Varanasi, India. A travel blog with editorials, tips and anecdotes about my adventures in the world!

India

Varanasi Life along the Ghats

No one comes to Varanasi by chance. Yet, you are never prepared for the contradictory emotions that you experience here. Walk through the alleyways of the city and reach the 84 ghats that border the banks of the Ganges. Attend the daily ceremony of Ganga Aarti. Visit the burning ghats, where the well known public cremations take place. Varanasi can bring chaos into the minds of every Western traveller. Most run away; only the luckiest few understand its deep existential value.

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23 December 2022 No Comments
India

Varanasi Death along the Ghats

Hinduism is one of the oldest and most complicated religions in the world; the creation-destruction duality is overcome in a worldview that embraces both. Varanasi fully shows this melting of opposing elements especially in Manikarnika Ghat, the largest of the two crematory ghats in the city. Here you find a fire that has been burning for many centuries. Every day, dozens of pyres are lit from embers left by the previous cremation. The original fire has been lit a millennium ago and it is still alive, thanks to the deceased who have fed it over the centuries.

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23 December 2022 No Comments
India

Varanasi Ganga Aarti Ceremony

Varanasi bewitches you. As evening falls, like moths to the flames, people gather in the Dasaswamedh Ghat to witness Ganga Aarti, a majestic ritual of thanksgiving to the river goddess, Ganga. The first time I attend, the ritual stuns my senses so much that I want to get away from it. You often find yourself in India feeling so overwhelmed that you need a break.

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24 December 2022 No Comments
India

Varanasi Fruit Market

On the road from Varanasi to the Buddhist shrine of Sarnath, there is a large fruit and vegetable market, the Panckoshi Fal Mandi. Intrigued by the non-tourist atmosphere, I decide to stop for a visit. In Varanasi, 80% of the population is vegetarian. Hinduism is based on the principle of ahimsa, nonviolence, and killing animals is considered an unclean act. A vegetarian diet is also considered healthier than an omnivorous diet and therefore able to guarantee a longer life.

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27 December 2022 No Comments
India

Varanasi demolished to honor Shiva

One of the city’s most historical quarters is being demolished to let pilgrims have a faster way down to the river ghats. India’s prime minister claims he’s doing it to please Shiva, who could not bare anymore the state of decay of the Golden Temple’s surroundings.

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27 December 2022 No Comments
India

Sarnath, Buddha’s first speech

In Sarnath you can find a shrine dedicated to the figure of Gautama Siddhartha. Here, in fact, in 527 BC, the Buddha began his preaching and exposed the sermons which contain the core of Buddhist doctrine: the four noble truths and the eightfold path. Today Sarnath is one of the four most important sites for Buddhists. In 1998, the Indian government asked UNESCO to include it on the World Heritage List.

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28 December 2022 No Comments
India

The river Ganges between sacred and profane

7 things to know about the River Ganges, the most sacred and polluted river in the world. The Ganges is not just a river traced on maps; the Ganges is a loving mother who washes, quenches her thirst, comforts and cares.

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28 December 2022 No Comments
India

My travel guide to Varanasi, India’s holiest city

If you are looking for a deeper meaning, visit the holy city of Varanasi, in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Here thousand-year-old pyres burn the bodies of the dead to free them from the cycle of rebirth; here pilgrims plunge into the river Ganges to purify their souls and the sacred cows are guarded with kindness and care. Get lost in the city’s vegetable market and finish your tour with a visit to the Chaubepur brick factory and a quick stop at Sarnath Buddhist shrine, where Buddha began preaching after reaching enlightenment.

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28 December 2022 No Comments
India

Holy Shit. The Wonders of Indian Cow Dung

Did you know that Indian traditional medicine is curing coronavirus by bathing in cow’s feces and drinking urine? I must say that I am not at all surprised. Just a few months ago, during a trip to India, I was offered bread baked in dung. Dried cow dung is also used for heating and cooking. After all, it’s a natural and ecological energy source!

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30 December 2022 4 Comments
India

Clean India. A bathroom for anyone!

We seldom care about what is happening in India, although it concerns us all very closely. With a population of nearly 1.4 billion, India is the second most populous country in the world and is on the verge of becoming the first. What is happening in India affects a large portion of humanity.
Did you know that, until 2014, over 700 million people did not have a bathroom in their homes or access to the most essential health services? In just 5 years, the Clean India project changed everything.

Read More »
31 December 2022 No Comments
India

Tilaka, pundra, bindi: what is the mark on Indian foreheads?

What is tilaka, or pundra, or bindi, and why do Indians draw it on their foreheads? The tilaka or pundra is a sign placed on the forehead by Hindus to indicate belonging to a caste or to a precise religious orientation…

Read More »
5 January 2023 No Comments
India

“Varanasi, A Journey into the Infinite”

On December 14, 2024, Farm Cultural Park will inaugurate the exhibition “Varanasi, a Journey into the Infinite” in the evocative setting of Villa Genuardi, Agrigento, within the Valley of the Temples park. The exhibition features three immersive pavilions where visitors

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30 November 2024 No Comments

TAMIL NADU & KERALA

My travel blog dedicated to sunny South Indian. I land in Chennai and discover the magnificent temples of Tamil Nadu, with their altars dedicated to Shiva and the colorful gopurams. Then I walk in the green fields of Kerala: I wander around the lush tea plantations and sail along the backwaters, with their miles of canals bordered by lush palm plantations..

All photos and articles in this Travel Blog are by Andrea Marchegiani

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Tamil Nadu and Kerala Travel Blog

All you need to know before you travel to Tamil Nadu and Kerala. A travel blog with editorials, tips and anecdotes about my adventures in the world!

India

Brick factories, the dark side of the Indian economic boom

I visit two brick factories, one in the far north and one in the far south of the Indian subcontinent. The work is still manual and the labor is definitely underpaid. Since the early 2000s, several international scandals have hit Indian brick factories.

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30 December 2022 2 Comments
India

Holy Shit. The Wonders of Indian Cow Dung

Did you know that Indian traditional medicine is curing coronavirus by bathing in cow’s feces and drinking urine? I must say that I am not at all surprised. Just a few months ago, during a trip to India, I was offered bread baked in dung. Dried cow dung is also used for heating and cooking. After all, it’s a natural and ecological energy source!

Read More »
30 December 2022 4 Comments
India

Clean India. A bathroom for anyone!

We seldom care about what is happening in India, although it concerns us all very closely. With a population of nearly 1.4 billion, India is the second most populous country in the world and is on the verge of becoming the first. What is happening in India affects a large portion of humanity.
Did you know that, until 2014, over 700 million people did not have a bathroom in their homes or access to the most essential health services? In just 5 years, the Clean India project changed everything.

Read More »
31 December 2022 No Comments
India

Chennai, Odissi dance and Crocodile Reserve

The capital of Tamil Nadu welcomes me by making things clear: there is no room for haste here. Everything takes its time -if you stop trying to plan everything, the reward is just around the corner. I am enchanted by an Odissi dance show and spend a morning among alligators and cobras in a nature reserve outside the city.

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3 January 2023 1 Comment
India

Mamallapuram, Krishna’s butter ball

A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984, Mammalapuram is a charming city. The site of Mamallapuram Hill, with the lighthouse and the numerous Shiva temples of the Pallava dynasty, all entirely carved into the rock. The incredible butter ball of Krishna, a rock hovering over a slope which remains in balance despite all the laws of physics. The sultry warmth and hospitality of the people while I visit Arjuna’s Penance, one of the most important bas-reliefs in India.

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3 January 2023 No Comments
India

Tiruvannamalai, the fiery phallus of Shiva

If you want to deepen your knowledge of Dravidian culture and fill your eyes with traditional religious architecture, you must visit Tiruvannamalai and attend the rites and processions in honor of Shiva.
The city was born on a sacred mountain, Arunachala, where Shiva is said to have manifested himself as a large fiery phallus.

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4 January 2023 No Comments
India

Auroville, a hippie dream come true

Discover Auroville, India, the hippie ecovillage where people live without money, searching for a life without hatred and judgment.

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4 January 2023 2 Comments
India

Pondicherry, a series of unfortunate events

What to see in Pondicherry if you have a few hours. A former French colonial city, Pondicherry is famous for its colonial-style residential neighbourhoods, beautiful Bougainville and amazing croissant cafés!

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4 January 2023 No Comments
India

Kumbakonam, the joy of life of the Tamils

There are places you visit for a little over an hour but that you will remember forever. Kumbakonam, a strategic city in the Middle Ages and today little more than a crossroads of roads has been for me one of these.

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4 January 2023 No Comments
India

Thanjavur temples, bulls, whales and selfies

Thanjavur, the ancient capital of the Chola Empire, has a stunned vitality: it houses some of the most beautiful temples of Tamil Nadu, the largest statue of the Nandi bull in India and a giant whale skeleton preserved in the Royal palace. Maybe it doesn’t make much sense, but India is like that!

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5 January 2023 No Comments
India

Thirumayam Fort, a fortress in the heart of Tamil Nadu

Fort Tirumayam is one of the two fortresses left in Tamil Nadu. The site is still little known, so much so that it is not even mentioned by the Lonely Planet: so I decided to collect the little avalaible information for the benefit of future visitors.

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5 January 2023 No Comments
India

Madurai, Athens of the East

You can’t visit Tamil Nadu without visiting Madurai, the beating heart of sunny South India. The Meenakshi temple is an absolute masterpiece of sacred architecture, like the Taj Mahal, as well as the Tirumalai Nayak Palace. Not to mention the lively streets of the city center.

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5 January 2023 No Comments
India

Tilaka, pundra, bindi: what is the mark on Indian foreheads?

What is tilaka, or pundra, or bindi, and why do Indians draw it on their foreheads? The tilaka or pundra is a sign placed on the forehead by Hindus to indicate belonging to a caste or to a precise religious orientation…

Read More »
5 January 2023 No Comments
India

What to do in Tamil Nadu

Wondering if Tamil Nadu is worth a visit? Here are 10 reasons to visit the sunny southern Indian region. A trip to Tamil Nadu will make you recharge your batteries, among temples carved in rock, myths and Hindu legends, tasty and spicy dishes… but above all it will give you a taste of the incredible joy of life of the Tamil people!

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6 January 2023 2 Comments
India

Munnar, Kerala. The world’s highest tea plantations

Thanks to its pleasant summer temperatures, Munnar once was the summer residence of the British Government. Today, the bucolic atmosphere of the rolling hills that surround it and the spectacular tea plantations, treated as garden hedges, make Munnar one of the most visited places by tourists from all over the world.

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6 January 2023 1 Comment
India

Periyar National Park, wildlife in Kerala

A charming trek in Periyar National Park, the most famous nature reserve of South India. The forest ranger takes me to the teak forests, looking for monkeys, wild dogs and elephant families. An adventure on the edge of human civilization!

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6 January 2023 1 Comment
India

Kathakali, the magic dance of Kerala

One of the oldest forms of Indian theatre-dance, Kathakali is one of the most interesting folkloric elements of Kerala. Elaborate and exaggerated costumes, hypnotic and colorful tricks, gestures full of emotion and energy make the Kathakali dance a show not to be missed. To see is to believe!

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6 January 2023 No Comments
India

Kalaripayattu, Kerala’s oldest martial art

You can’t visit Kerala without seeing a Kalaripayattu fight, the oldest martial art in India. It dates back about 3,500 years and is the mother of all other Indian warfare styles. Along with yoga and ayurveda, it is one of the pillars of the Indian tradition.

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7 January 2023 No Comments
India

Kerala Backwaters, life on a houseboat

With over 900 km of navigable networks, Kerala’s backwaters are a haven for diving and relaxing. Just embark on a comfortable houseboat and walk the waterways. The flourishing vegetation and the lively life that flows on the canals will conquer your heart.

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7 January 2023 No Comments
India

Kochi, Kerala. A city with plenty of history

Kochi, formerly known as Cochin, is so rich in diverse influences that it now houses a Jewish synagogue, ancient mosques, traditional Chinese fishing systems, a Portuguese fortress and a Dutch museum!

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7 January 2023 No Comments
India

What to do in Kerala

A travel to Kerala is a real treat for the soul. Dubbed the “country of God”, this narrow and long region of Southwest India is the perfect destination to relax after the chaotic crowds of the rest of India.

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9 January 2023 No Comments

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Inspirational Photo Galleries

Visit the photo galleries from my trip to India. 100% Travel Photography.

MISTY VARANASI
Inside the Hindu sacred Indian city, its universe of Ghats and pilgrims wrapped in the fog of December.
Varanasi Travel Photography
VARANASI GANGA AARTI
Ganga Arti ceremony celebrates Ganges river, which Hindi people pray in the shape of a goddess, Mother Ganga.
Ganga Aarti Travel Photography
VARANASI MANIKARNIKA GHAT
Manikarnika Ghat is a burning ghat where the dead are burned to free their souls from the cycle of samsara.
Manikarnika Ghat Travel Photography
VARANASI STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
Thousands of Shiva temples, monkeys and sadhus, sacred cows and pilgrims.
Varanasi Street Travel Photography
VARANASI FRUIT MARKET
Panckoshi Vegetable Market. The greengrocers didn’t let me go before I took everyone's picture!
Varanasi Market Travel Photography
SARNATH
A quick stop in Sarnath on a foggy December morning. Here Buddha started his Dharma preaching.
Sarnath Travel Photography
BRICK KILNS
A visit to some Indian brickyards, a peculiar aspect of India Westerners find hard to understand.
India Brick Kilns Travel Photography
CHENNAI & MAMALLAPURAM
Tamil Nadu. In the heart of Dravidian culture, with its shiva temples and mystical fervor.
Chennai Mallapuram Travel Photography
THIRUVALLARAM & THANJAVUR
Tamil Nadu. Get lost in the Gopurams and temples of Thiruvallaram and Thanjavur. The devotion of people is unmatched.
Thiruvallaram e Thanjavur Travel Photography
MADURAI & FORT TIRUMAYAM
Madurai and Fort Tirumayam, in the heart of Tamil Nadu culture.
Fort Tirumayam Travel Photography
MUNNAR
The beautiful tea plantations of Munnar.
Munnar Travel Photography
PERYIAR
Peryiar Wild National Park, Kalari Martial Arts and Kathakali Dance Performances.
Peryiar Travel Photography
ALLEPPEY BACKWATERS
Backwaters' lost paradise in Alleppey.
Backwaters Travel Photography
KOCHI
The Chinese fishing nets in Fort Kochi and the exotic beach of Puzhupilly Beach.
Kochi Travel Photography
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© Andrea Marchegiani - Travel Photographer & Storyteller