A journey to Varanasi, India

A journey to Varanasi, India

Varanasi (Benares), Hinduism’s holiest site, sits on the Rivers Ganges and welcomes hordes of pilgrims. Discover this fascinating place-

This video has American English. First watch the video to get the general idea. Then after pressing ‘Start’, listen a second time and fill in the gaps…

Varanasi on the banks of the river Ganges is one of the most famous and (1) ___________ and holiest cities in all of the Hindu religion. Dating back to about 200BC, the city itself has been sacked over the years, but the old city remains intact, at least in shape. The famous parts of Varanasi are the ‘ghats’ or steps that lead into the river. Here you’ll see various religious ceremonies being performed and people going into the river to clean (2)____________.

Two of these ghats are known as burning ghats, or places where Hindus come to die, and their bodies are burnt on flaming pyres. It’s thought that the burning purifies the (3)_____________,and doing it here on the banks of the Ganges is the (most) holiest place to do it. (Sees cow) And yes – this is a very normal sight to see in Varanasi.
There’s no better way to describe Varanasi than as an experience. For people coming from (4) ____________ styles of living this is probably going to be one of the most unfamiliar cities in all of India. It’s a total (5) _______________ on all your senses, but really in a good way. Keep your mind and your eyes open, and it’ll be a really unforgettable experience.

Varanasi’s old town dates back thousands of years, even if the buildings haven’t, and it’s a spiderweb of (6)__________ alleyways that you can really get lost in. Just watch out for the cows and their by-product!

As a former (7)_______________, I made it my goal not to leave India without getting a chance to play ‘tabla’ with a sitar player, which I was able to do at Shiva Music House. An answer to your question? No, I will not be (8)_____________ my day job any time soon!

The other must-do experience in the city is to take a sunrise boat ride down the Ganges. Yes, you have to get up  early, but the experience is one that you will never, ever forget!

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS BELOW!

Ready? Press ‘Start’ and play the video again- Do not use Capital Letters!

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