6 Best Sights in Side Trips from Delhi, India

This 18th-century shrine, dedicated to the goddess Durga, Shiva's consort, stands beside a large, square pool of water due west about 1 km (½ mile) from Assi Ghat. The multilevel spire (five lower ones, and one on top) symbolizes the belief that the five elements of the world (earth, air, water, fire, and ether) merge with the Supreme. The shrine is also called the Monkey Temple because there are monkeys everywhere, and they'll steal anything (keep all food and water out of sight).

Dedicated to one of the fearsome avatars of Shiva, this temple with his shrine in the central courtyard is often visited together with the popular Kashi Vishwanath temple (the two spots stand 10-minutes apart). Inside this temple sits a flame that is believed to have been burning for centuries. Rigorous worship rituals take place every Tuesday and Sunday.

Known as the Golden Temple because of the gold plate on its spire—a gift from the Sikh Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Punjab in 1835—this is the most sacred shrine in Varanasi. It's dedicated to Shiva, whose pillar of light is said to have appeared on this spot. Foreigners are only admitted through Gate 2, and are required to bring passports and register prior to entering. Various forms of the arti prayer ceremony are performed outside at 2:30 am, 11:30 am, 7:30 pm, and 11 pm, though times can change depending on the season, so it's best to confirm directly. It's located in the Old City above the Ganges, between Dashashvamedh and Manikarnika ghat; to get here, walk from Dashashvamedh Road down the relatively broad, shop-lined lane (Vishvanath Gali, the main sari bazaar) to Vishvanath Temple. The lane turns sharply right at a large idol of the elephant-head god Ganesh, then passes the brightly painted wooden entrance to the 1725 Annapurna temple (Annapurna was Vishvanath's consort), on the right. On the left, look for the silver doorway, which is usually manned by a police officer—this is the entrance to the Kashi Vishvanath Temple. The newly built walkway that connects the ghats directly with the temple is worth seeing, but only grants entry to Indian visitors. The present temple was built by Rani Ahalyabai of Indore in 1776, near the site of the original shrine, which had been destroyed by the emperor Aurangzeb. Nearby is the Gyanvapi Mosque, built by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb after he destroyed the temple that stood here; the building's foundation and rear still show parts of the original temple. As a result of Hindu revivalist attempts to reconsecrate the site of the former temple, the area is usually staffed with police and fenced with barbed wire. It's normally very sedate, however, and is an important starting point for Hindu pilgrims. Nonpilgrims aren't allowed into the inner sanctum.

Built in 1931 by the Mahabodhi Society, the temple joins the old foundations of seven monasteries. The walls bear frescoes by a Japanese artist, Kosetsu Nosu, depicting scenes from the Buddha's life, and relics of Sakyamuni Buddha are enshrined here. On the anniversary of the temple's founding—the first full moon in November—monks and devotees from all parts of Asia assemble here. The temple is behind a separate gate just outside the park.

One of Varanasi's most beloved temples—as well as one of its oldest—Sankat Mochan (Deliverer from Troubles) was built in the late 16th century. Though the city has encroached all around it, the building still stands in a good-size, tree-shaded enclosure, like temples elsewhere in India. (Most temples in Varanasi are squeezed between other buildings.) Although most of the city's major shrines are dedicated to Shiva or various aspects of the mother goddess, Sankat Mochan belongs to Hanuman, the monkey god, revered for his dedicated service to Rama, an incarnation of Vishnu whose story is told in the Ramayana. The best time to see Sankat Mochan is early evening, when dozens of locals stop for a brief visit at the end of the workday, and on Tuesday and Saturday—days sacred to Hanuman—when worshipers come in large numbers to pay their respects.

This unassuming but very popular white temple near Dashashvamedh Ghat is dedicated to Shitala, the goddess of smallpox, who both causes and cures the disease. Despite the eradication of smallpox, Shitala is still an important folk goddess in North India.