Varanasi Dev Deepawali Experience

Highlights & Route

Dev Deepawali is the one evening when Varanasi’s entire riverfront, from Ravidas Ghat to Rajghat, is lit with earthen lamps for the gods who are believed to come down to the Ganga on Kartik Purnima. This two-day package gives you that evening from a reserved seat on a large bajra boat, a hotel bed afterwards, and the morning after on the ghats, which is almost as beautiful: lamps still smoking, the Subah-e-Banaras aarti and music at Assi Ghat, and the sun rising over a city that stayed up all night.

You arrive on the morning of the festival and check in. The afternoon is for Kashi Vishwanath, Annapurna and Kaal Bhairav, with our coordinator handling the lockers and the queue; Sugam tickets are not sold on this day, so we go early. In the late afternoon you walk to the boarding ghat, take your seat, and float along the lit ghats with a pandit on board for the Ganga puja and deep daan. The boat waits opposite Dashashwamedh for the Maha Aarti, moves on for the laser show and fireworks, and returns after nine. Dinner is kept late at the hotel.

The next morning begins before dawn at Assi Ghat, then breakfast, Sankat Mochan Hanuman temple and Durga Kund, a little shopping time, and your drop at the station or airport. With private transfers, one night’s stay with breakfast and the boat seat all included, it is a complete festival plan that families and elderly yatris can do without worrying about the crowds.

Route

Varanasi airport / station → hotel → Kashi Vishwanath, Annapurna, Kaal Bhairav → boarding ghat (Assi or Shivala) → bajra boat: deep daan, Maha Aarti, laser show, fireworks → hotel → (Day 2) Subah-e-Banaras at Assi Ghat → Sankat Mochan, Durga Kund → shopping → airport / station

Good to know before you book

Dev Deepawali 2026 is on Tuesday, 24 November; in 2027 it is Saturday, 13 November. Day 1 of this package is always the festival day itself.
Roads around the ghats are closed to vehicles from the afternoon of the festival; the walk from the vehicle to the boarding ghat can be 15 to 20 minutes through crowds.
Boats board around 4 pm and return around 9 pm; life jackets are compulsory and passenger numbers are capped by the administration.
Kashi Vishwanath does not sell Sugam Darshan on major festival days and does not allow phones or bags inside; the general queue is long on Dev Deepawali, so the afternoon darshan may take two hours or more.
Subah-e-Banaras at Assi Ghat starts before sunrise (around 5.30 am in November); we leave the hotel by 5 am.
Hotel rates and boat seats on this date are non-refundable from local suppliers close to the festival; see the cancellation note.

Yatra Highlights

Reserved seat on a bajra boat along the lamp-lit ghats, with deep daan and the Maha Ganga Aarti from the water
Kashi Vishwanath, Annapurna and Kaal Bhairav darshan on the festival afternoon with coordinator support
Subah-e-Banaras morning aarti at Assi Ghat, then Sankat Mochan and Durga Kund before departure

Day 1 :

Arrival, temple darshan and Dev Deepawali on the river

Our driver meets you at your arrival point (airport, railway station or hotel) at the agreed time (Babatpur airport, Varanasi Junction or Banaras station) and takes you to the hotel for check-in and rest. Lunch is on your own; eat well, as dinner will be late.

In the early afternoon we drive to Godowlia and walk into the Kashi Vishwanath Dham for darshan of the Jyotirlinga and Maa Annapurna, leaving phones and bags with our coordinator. A short drive brings you to Kaal Bhairav. By about 4 pm we are at the boarding ghat (Assi or Shivala; confirmed the day before), where seats are allotted and life jackets handed out.

As the sun sets the lamps are lit along the ghats and the bajra sets off. The pandit on board leads the Ganga puja and each guest floats a diya as deep daan. The boat holds position for the Maha Aarti opposite Dashashwamedh Ghat, then moves on for the laser show at Chet Singh Ghat and the fireworks. Tea and a Kashi snack box are served on board. Return to the ghat after the fireworks, walk to the vehicle and drive to the hotel for a late dinner.

Overnight: Varanasi

Day 2 :

Subah-e-Banaras, southern temples and departure

Leave the hotel around 5 am for Assi Ghat. Subah-e-Banaras is the daily pre-dawn programme of Ganga aarti, Vedic chanting, yoga and classical music on the ghat; on the morning after Dev Deepawali the steps are still lined with the previous night's lamps. Watch the sunrise over the river, then return to the hotel for breakfast.

After breakfast and check-out we drive to Sankat Mochan Hanuman temple in Lanka and Durga Kund temple. There is time for shopping for Banarasi silk and handicrafts in the Godowlia or Lanka area before we drop you at your departure point (airport, railway station or hotel) for your onward journey. The airport is about 25 km from the city; allow an hour.

Night	Place	Hotel (or similar)	Room type
1	Varanasi	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis

Frequently Asked Questions

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Can elderly yatris manage the Dev Deepawali boat evening?

Most do, with some planning. Roads near the ghats close to vehicles in the afternoon, so the walk from the vehicle to the boarding ghat can take 15 to 20 minutes through crowds; our coordinator walks with you. Boarding is around 4 pm and the boat returns after 9 pm, with a seat, tea, a snack box and life jackets on board. Tell us about mobility needs when you book.

When is Dev Deepawali, and which date does this package run on?

Dev Deepawali falls on Kartik Purnima, the full moon about fifteen days after Diwali. In 2026 it is on Tuesday, 24 November, and in 2027 it falls on Saturday, 13 November. This package runs only on that date each year (the longer versions start a day or more earlier), so seats and rooms are limited and are confirmed strictly in order of booking.

What exactly happens on Dev Deepawali in Varanasi?

On the evening of Kartik Purnima every ghat from Ravidas Ghat in the south to Rajghat in the north is lit with earthen lamps, more than ten lakh of them in recent years, in honour of the gods who are believed to descend to the Ganga that night. The Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat is performed on a grand scale, and the state tourism department has in recent years added a laser show on the Chet Singh Fort wall and a fireworks display over the river. The tradition of lighting the ghats in its present form began at Dashashwamedh Ghat in 1991 and has grown every year since.

What is a bajra, and is the boat safe?

A bajra is a large, flat-bottomed wooden or steel boat, often with two decks, that carries 30 to 50 people and moves slowly along the ghats under motor power; it is far steadier than the small rowing boats. Each guest has a reserved seat and a life jacket, and the district administration limits the number of passengers per boat on Dev Deepawali night. Boats board in the late afternoon and stay on the water until the fireworks end, so expect to be aboard for three to four hours.

What should we carry for the boat evening?

Late November evenings on the river are cold, so bring a shawl, jacket or cap for everyone, especially children and elderly members. Carry your ID, a little cash for offerings, and a fully charged phone for photos; snacks and tea are served on board. Avoid heavy bags, as the ghat steps are crowded, and wear footwear that grips on stone.

Can we carry phones and bags into Kashi Vishwanath?

No. Mobile phones, cameras, bags, belts with metal buckles and leather items are not allowed inside the temple. Free lockers are available near the gates, but it is simpler to leave phones and bags with our coordinator or in the vehicle and carry only your ID and some cash for offerings.

Can we arrive a day earlier or stay a day longer?

Yes. Many families arrive on the 23rd to see the ghats being prepared and to do the Kashi Vishwanath darshan without the festival-day crowd. Extra nights are quoted at the festival-period hotel rate. For a longer plan that adds Prayagraj and Ayodhya, see our Spiritual Triangle with Dev Deepawali package.

Is the price per person?

Yes, the displayed price is per person on twin sharing, before GST, and includes the boat seat. Single occupancy, a higher hotel category and children’s rates are quoted separately.

Yatra	Duration	Starts from	Price
Varanasi Dev Deepawali Experience (this page)	2 days / 1 nights	Varanasi	From ₹22,999
Ayodhya Dham with Kailash Aerial Darshan	3 days / 2 nights	Lucknow	On request
Ayodhya Ghat walk	Day visit	Ayodhya	On request
Ayodhya Mandir Darshan	Day visit	Ayodhya	On request
Ayodhya Nandigram Yatra	5 days / 4 nights	Ayodhya	From ₹30,000
Ayodhya Ram Mandir Darshan: A Journey to the Treta Yuga	3 days / 2 nights	Ayodhya	On request
Dev Deepawali Varanasi: Ghat Darshan by Boat	Day visit	Varanasi	From ₹9,999
Kashi & Ayodhya Yatra	5 days / 4 nights	Varanasi	On request

Varanasi Dev Deepawali Experience

Highlights & Route

Route

Good to know before you book

Yatra Highlights

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Inclusions & Exclusions

Included

Not included

Hotels

Documents & Fitness

Documents to carry

Fitness and health

Cancellation Policy

Frequently Asked Questions

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