The epic song from the Movie Ranjhana actually depicts the Banarasithaath telling,
//ThaathonmeinthaathBanarasiya
HaayehaayethaathBanarasiya//
Well, every word is so true and thus are the people of Banaras, living with Thaat and banarasi style, which is quite visible while you move street to street in Banaras.
About the Varanasi: Then Banaras
Varanasi is also known as Benares or Banaras, which is a North Indian city located on the banks of Ganges in Uttar Pradesh, India. The city is also called Spiritual Capital of India and is the holiest of the seven sacred cities in Jainism and Hinduism. The city is a centre of Buddhism. Varanasi is connected to some major cities like Delhi, Kolkata, Kanpur, and
Agra.
The city became an important industrial centre, famous for its muslin silk fabrics, ivory works, perfumes, and sculpture. The city has always remained the centre of activity for Hindu intellectuals. Varanasi is known for its Ghats and has made an embankment in steps of stone slabs along with the riverbank where pilgrims perform ritual ablutions.
The geographical location and language
Varanasi is peggedon the land of Uttar Pradesh, and being in such, the main languages spoken by the natives turn out to be Banarasi and Bhojpuri. The accent or lehja of Banarasi spoken in Varanasi has a very minute difference when compared to the one in other parts of Uttar Pradesh. The language is often regarded as ‘khadi boli’, which means that usually, the speaking tone is on a higher scale. Hindi is also common here, Devanagari commands the scriptures in either of the languages; however, the Nastaliq style of Urdu language is also spoken by prominent groups in Varanasi.
Food of Varanasi
Although there are many luxury hotels in Varanasi offering international and national cuisines, the local delicacies served at the streets and in homes have no match. The list of must-haves starts from KachoriSabzi, the staple breakfast of natives of Varanasi.
The locals of Varanasi have a sweet tooth. Jalebi, dipped in sugar syrup, is one of the most consumed sweet dishes by people of Varanasi. Rasagulla and GulabJamun are much in demand here.
Coming to snacks, the white wheat balls with fillings, socalled as ‘Litti-Chokha’ is favourite of local people. TamaatarChaatAalooTikki, LaongLata, Samosa, Bun Malai, MirchiPakoda, MalaiChhena Roll are some other dishes that people of Varanasi purchase on a regular basis.
Coming to drinks, the Malaiyyo and Thandai are the most commonly sought to. Chai in kulladhis drank everyday by the people between age group of 18-40 years.
And to top it all, there’s the BanarasiPaan. A combination of betel leaves, catechu, mouth fresheners, areca nuts,and lime; all stuffed in together form the BanarasiPaan. This paan is used as a mouth freshener in houses after every meal or so. You will even find the Paan being served at a luxury resort in Varanasi.
Holi: Celebrated with full force
The people of Varanasi are very fond of the Holi Festival. On the day of holi, people come on streets to celebrate the festival. The gulaal is applied to each and every person present at the moment, even if he or she isn’t a known person. Bhaang is also offered on the streets andpeople of Varanasi drink the same on the glorious day.
