Tag Archives: tours in varanasi

Case Against Ministry of Tourism

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After a year of waiting for the results of the tour guide examination, a group of us applicants decided to take legal action against the Ministry of Tourism for not declaring the results. I learned about this development from my elder brother and went to Delhi to meet with the advocate handling the case in the Delhi High Court. The advocate requested my birth certificate and a copy of the admit card for the examination. At the advocate’s office, I met over 20 other applicants who were also part of this case. Most of them were from Rajasthan and Agra; I believe I was the only one from Varanasi.

The advocate mentioned that the case would be resolved within a maximum of 10 days, which seemed optimistic given the vast number of pending cases in India—approximately 40 million, meaning one in three people is involved in some kind of legal matter. This lawsuit was the fourth case concerning this exam, and it’s unclear why the government hasn’t acted. They should issue licenses to everyone and let the market determine who is competent. There are very few government guides, and they often lack proper interviews or evaluations. As a result, they are hired without assessing their actual knowledge or skills.

In many cases, travel agencies hire both a licensed government guide and a private, unlicensed guide. The private guide typically interacts with clients while the government guide’s role is minimal—often just to act as a backup or to handle any potential police inquiries. Government guides are often seen chewing betel leaves (paan) and remaining passive, with their primary function being to support the private guide and deal with any legal issues that arise.

New York girls tour Varanasi

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I had the pleasure of working with two American girls, Maria and Olena, as their tour guide in Varanasi. They contacted me through my apartment listing on Craigslist. This was my first time arranging a tour, and I was thrilled because I had always wanted to work in the tourism sector. Both Maria and Olena were from New York—Maria was studying Public Relations at New York University, and Olena was pursuing a law degree. They were very interested in experiencing real Indian life, so I arranged for them to stay at my place. With only two days to explore Benares, I wanted to make the most of their time.

We started their tour as soon as they arrived, heading first to BHU (Banaras Hindu University). After a brief rest at home, we visited the Dashashwamedh Ghat for the evening Aarti. They were captivated by the Aarti and impressed by the dedication of Hindus who spend over an hour daily praying to the Ganges. Despite their amazement, they understood that to non-Hindus, Ganga is just a river. Afterward, we visited the Bull Shop, which turned out to be one of their favorite experiences. The next morning, we embarked on a boat ride. Following the ride, we went to Sarnath, but unfortunately, the Buddha Temple was closed by the time we arrived.

However, Maria particularly enjoyed the Sarnath Museum. After Sarnath, we visited Lali Baba, which was a highlight as always. We spent almost an hour there, watching him wear his 350 necklaces, play with skulls, and perform puja. Our day continued with visits to the Kina Ram Monastery, Tulsi Manas Temple, and Sankat Mochan Temple (the Monkey Temple). At dinner, Maria and Olena asked me about Hijras, which was an unusual topic for me to discuss with them. We spent nearly an hour exploring this subject. Both Maria and Olena were keen on Indian cuisine, so I invited them to spend some time in my kitchen with my wife.

They even cooked pasta with Parmesan cheese, which was a delight for them, and I was pleased to see the cheese being used in Benares. Overall, arranging this tour was an amazing experience, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I would love to do it again. After their time in Benares, Maria and Olena went to Goa to celebrate the New Year.

Traveling girls drop in

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A girl named Erin from Colorado reached out to me to arrange a meeting in Varanasi. She was a friend of Krista, with whom I had previously worked. Erin came with her friend Katerina, who was from Czechoslovakia. Erin was a social activist working with an NGO focused on homelessness, while Katerina was a student. They wanted to stay at my place as paying guests, but I couldn’t accommodate them due to ongoing renovation work. Instead, they stayed at a guest house near Shivala Ghat.

The owner of the guest house brought them to my place to introduce them. Erin and Katerina were interested in taking a boat ride on the Ganges, and the guest house owner quoted them a very high price. I managed to arrange a boat ride for them at a fraction of that cost—five times less, in fact. Erin had brought a bottle of whiskey as a gift for the guest house owner, but he was upset that they had asked me for help instead of him. He refused to accept the whiskey, telling Erin to give it to me because he considered me a better friend. It was clear he was very displeased with me, and I decided it was best not to meet him again.

Eventually, Erin moved to a different guest house closer to my home. We explored Varanasi together, enjoyed my friend’s wedding, and used the whiskey that Erin had bought to gift the previous guest house owner. Roli did henna work on their hands, and Bunti helped them dress in sarees. They looked beautiful and embraced the local culture, dancing a lot at Babalu’s wedding party. I advised them to return to their hotel before it got too late for their safety. However, when we returned around midnight, the hotel gate was locked, and no one responded to our knocks.

With no other options, I invited them to stay at my house. Although my house wasn’t ideally set up for guests at the time, it was the only solution. They stayed at my place for the night, and we continued to explore Varanasi together. Erin later left for Amritsar alone, while Katerina stayed behind but never reached out to me again. I’m not sure where she went after that.