When you have booked Varanasi tour packages and arrived at Varanasi airport or railway station on your tour date, check-in to the hotel. In the evening, as part of your Kasi yatra, visit Vishalakshi Devi Shaktipeeth, Lord Vishwanath Temple, and Mata Annapurna Devi Temple. In the evening, take a boat ride, witness Ganga Aarti and return back to the hotel for a night stay.

Vishalakshi Devi Shaktipeeth:

Sri Vishalakshidevi Shaktipeeth is the 17th Shaktipeeth of the Ashtadasha Shaktipeeth. Vishalakshi appears in two forms in the sanctum sanctorum. One form is Swayambhuva, the other form is Archamurti. As soon as we enter the temple we have to visit the priest first, then the Swayambhu. Vishalakshi means one with wide eyes. Varanasi is one of the most revered shrines of Goddess Vishalakshi. Kashi is the field of energy that Amma possesses. Kashi Kshetra is located in the state of Uttar Pradesh.

Kashi is also known as Varanasi. Varanasi is the confluence of the rivers Varuna and Asi. Kashi has a special place as one of the Saptamoksha Puranas, an adored shrine for all Indians in Varanasi. The Vishweshwara measured in this field is the chief of the twelve Jyotirlingas. This field is known as the open field.

Lord Vishwanath Temple:

Kashi Vishwanath Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva. It is located in Vishwanath Gali, in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. The temple is a Hindu pilgrimage site and is one of the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines. The presiding deity is known by the names Vishwanath and Vishweshwara (IAST: Viśvanātha and Viśveśvara), literally meaning Lord of the Universe.

According to several historical accounts, the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb ordered the demolition of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in 1669.Subsequently, the Gyanvapi Mosque was built on its site in 1678, but Hindu pilgrims continued to visit the remnants of the temple.The current structure was constructed on an adjacent site by the Maratha ruler Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore in 1780.

In 2021,Major redevelopement of the temple complex was completed,and the Kashi Vishwanath Dham corridor connecting the Ganga River with the temple was inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi,Leading to a many-fold increase in visitors.It has become one of the most visited templesb Hindu temples in India,with an average football of 45,000 per day in 2023.The total assets of the temple,were estimated to be more than 6 crores in 2024.

Annapurna Devi Temple:

Annapurna Devi is one of the most famous Hindu temples (Mandir) in the holy city of Varanasi. This temple has great religious importance in Hinduism and is dedicated to the goddess Annapurna. Annapurna is the Hindu goddess for nourishment and is a form of the goddess Parvati. The current Annapurna Mandir was constructed in the 18th century by Maratha Peshwa Bajirao .Annapurna Devi Mandir was constructed in 1729 AD by Maratha Peshwa Baji Rao.

The temple is constructed in Nagara architecture and has sanctum with large pillared porch, which houses a picture of goddess Annapurna. The temple also houses two icons of the goddess; one made of gold and other of brass. The brass icon is available for daily darshan (viewing & worship). The gold icon can be only seen once a year; on Annakut day.

In Hindu mythology, there are two popular beliefs behind the origin of this temple.According to another belief, once Shiva commented that the entire world (including food) is maya (illusion). Parvati, the goddess of food, got angry and decided to demonstrate the importance of food by making all the food on earth disappear. The world started to suffer due to hunger. Shiva finally came to Parvati and acknowledged the importance of food, begging for food at her door. Parvati became happy, offered food by her own hands to Shiva and then made a kitchen in Varanasi for her devotees.

Furthermore, book Varanasi tour packages and explore places in your Kashi Yatra along with Gaya and Bodhgaya. In the morning, proceed to Gaya to perform pitru ritual called Pind Daan in Gaya. After this ritual, proceed to visit Mangal Gauri Shaktipeeth and then, drive to Bodhgaya. After reaching the destination, you can visit Mahabodhi Temple (UNESCO World Heritage Site) and if time permits, visit Thai Monastery, Chinese Temple, Japanese Nippon Temple or 80 feet sitting Buddha Statue (direct pay basis). Later, night halt in the hotel at Varanasi.

The Mangla Gauri temple:

The Mangla Gauri temple in Shakti Peetham, Gaya, and Bihar, India has been mentioned in Padma Purana, Vayu Purana and Agni Purana and Devi Bhagvata Purana and Markandeya Purana in other scriptures and tantric works. This temple is among the eighteen maha shaktipeeth. The present temple dates back to the 15th century. The shrine is dedicated to Sati or the Mother Goddess in the predominantly Vaishnavite pilgrimage center of Gaya. Mangalagauri is worshipped as the Goddess of benevolence.

This temple constitutes a Shakti Peeth — where it is believed that a part of the body - breast of Mata Sati fell according to scriptures of extremely ancient Hindu divine history. Here Sati is worshipped in the form of a breast, a symbol of nourishment. It is believed that whoever comes to Maa Durga with his wishes and prayers, returns successfully with all of prayers and wishes come true. The temple is facing east and is built on top of the Mangalagauri hill. A flight of steps and a motorable road lead to it. The sanctum houses the symbol of the Goddess and it has some finely carved ancient relief sculptures. A small hall or mandap stands in front of the temple. The courtyard houses a fire pit for the home.

Mahabodhi Temple:

The Mahabodhi Temple (literally: "Great Awakening Temple") or the Mahābodhi Mahāvihāra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is an ancient, but restored Buddhist temple in Bodh Gaya, Bihar, India, marking the location where the Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment. Bodh Gaya is 15 km from Gaya and is about 96 km (60 mi) from Patna. The site contains a descendant of the Bodhi Tree under which the Buddha gained enlightenment, and has been a major pilgrimage destination of Buddhists for over two thousand years.

Many of the oldest sculptural elements have been moved to the museum beside the temple, and some, such as the carved stone railing wall around the main structure, have been replaced by replicas. The main temple's survival is especially impressive, as it was mostly made of brick covered with stucco, materials that are much less durable than stone. However, it is understood that very little of the original sculptural decoration has survived.

The Great Buddha statue:

The Great Buddha statue (Daibutsu) is one of the popular stops on the Buddhist pilgrimage and tourist routes in Bodh Gaya, Bihar (India). The statue is 18.5 m (61 ft) high representing the Buddha seated in a meditation pose, or dhyana mudra, on a lotus in the open air. The total height of the construction is 80 ft (24 m) of which the Buddha makes up 64 ft (20 m), the lotus on which the Buddha sits 5 ft (1.5 m) and the lower pedestal 10 ft (3.0 m). The construction's width is nearly 60 ft (18 m) at its maximum. The statue was designed by V. Ganapati Sthapatiand took seven years to complete using the labor of 12,000 stonemasons. It is constructed from a combination of sandstone and red granite blocks.

A hollow spiral staircase inside the statue leads from the ground up to the chest. Shelves on the interior walls display 16,300 small bronze images of the Buddha. The Great Buddha statue is located in a garden at the end of Temple Street and is surrounded by smaller sculptures of Buddha's ten principal disciples, five on each side.The Great Buddha was possibly the largest Buddha statue in India at the time and was consecrated on 18 November 1989 by the 14th Dalai Lama. The foundation stone for the statue was laid in 1982.

In the morning, proceed to Allahabad and visit Triveni Sangam the meeting point of three rivers namely Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati. You can also get through this place with Allahabad Varanasi tour packages to take a holy dip and perform rituals. Later, make a visit to Alopi Devi Mandir (Prayag Madhveshwari Shaktipeeth), Bade Hanuman Temple, Anand Bhawan Museum and then, return to the hotel in Varanasi for a night stay.

Alopi Devi Temple:

This temple is peculiar in that there is no statue of any deity in this temple, rather, there is a wooden carriage or 'doli' which is worshipped. The origin of the name, Alopi (disappeared) Bagh lies in the Hindu belief that after the death of his wife Sati, the grieving Shiva travelled through skies with her dead body. Vishnu, to relieve him from this agony, threw his Chakra at the corpse, resulting in the fall of various parts of the body at various places in India, which were sanctified by the touch of the Goddess' body parts and hence were thereby deemed holy places for pilgrimage. The last part fell at this location thereby named as "Alopi" (where disappearance was concluded) and the holiest of all. However, this claim is debatable since there is only one Shakti peeth in Prayagraj which is Lalita Devi temple where fingers of Sati are supposed to have fallen.

Another more credible version is found in oral history traditions narrated by old inhabitants of the area. It dates back to the time when the entire region was covered by dense forests infested with dreaded dacoits. A marriage procession happened to pass through the forest. Marriage processions, in medieval times, used to be the most vulnerable targets of robbers as they used to return loaded with gold and other riches received as gifts.

Bade Hanuman Temple:

Hanuman Temple is famous by the name of Bade Hanuman ji temple near the banks of Ganga Yamuna in Prayagraj near Sangam and Fort. In Sangam city, he is known as Bade Hanumanji, Fort Hanumanji, Lete Hanumanji and Dam Hanumanji.Here the idol of Hanumanji is lying below the ground and Hanumanji is holding Ahiravana with one arm and another demon with the other arm. This is the only temple in which Hanuman ji is in a lying posture. The statue of Hanuman ji installed here is 20 feet tall.

This temple is a center of great reverence for Hindus and is worth seeing. A huge crowd gathers here on Tuesday and Saturday. Devotees who take bath in Sangam do not forget to visit here. It is said that the water of Ganga touches Lord Hanuman ji and after that the water of Ganga recedes. When the water in Ganga and Yamuna increases, people come here from far and wide to see this scene. The idol of Hanuman ji is installed in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple which is 8.10 feet below the temple.

Anand Bhawan Museum:

Anand Bhawan is the former residence of Nehru family which has now been transformed into a museum showcasing various artefacts and articles of the era of Independence movement in India. The double-storey mansion was personally designed by Motilal Nehru.

When the prior residence of Nehru's family Swaraj Bhavan started to be used as an office of Indian National Congress, a new Nehru residence was designed by Motilal Nehru, a notable independence movement leader, and politician. The house is beautifully adorned with the wooden furniture imported from China and Europe and various artefacts from all around the world.

Anand Bhawan has an important historic value not only because of its construction but also for the major role that it has played in the history of India. It was visited by many famous freedom fighters to develop the conspiracies to drive Britishers out of the country. In 1970, Anand Bhavan was donated to the Indian government by Indira Gandhi, to convert it into a mational museum to keep intact the legacy of Nehru family.

Your Varanasi yatra along with Gaya and Allahabad tour ends on this day and you can head back to your home from Varanasi airport or railway station.