E-Paper
Houseful hotels lead revellers to ‘Ganga Paar’ for New Year bashes
With most of the city restaurants, hotels and resorts almost booked for New Year parties, the revellers here have found a ‘Banarsi Way’ to welcome 2023.
With most of the city restaurants, hotels and resorts almost booked for New Year parties, the revellers here have found a ‘Banarsi Way’ to welcome 2023.
Undeterred by houseful venues, these party revellers have explored a new hotspot — ‘Ganga Paar’ to let their hair down on New Year eve.
Ganga Paar is a local term often used to define the area on the banks of the Ganga opposite to the ghats.
While some insist that partying here is not a new phenomenon, the trend is catching up fast among the youths, especially when the party venues are all booked.
“Centrally air-conditioned resorts, sophisticated hotels and highly decked up restaurants cannot match the level of partying out in the open at ‘Ganga Paar’ along with friends and dear ones,” said Sudhakar Mishra, a college goer who hails from Lanka area of Varanasi.
All you need is some wood to set up a bonfire, some packed food or a portable outdoor barbecue, a heavy-duty battery operated bluetooth speaker, some battery-operated lights and a boatman who ferries you from the ghat to Ganga Paar, says Mishra.
Mishra said that it is all the more feasible especially when all party venues are running all packed.
Another reveller Madhur Gupta is planning to host a grand party on the banks of the Ganga. “In the post Covid era, I think it is the first year when parties are being organised without any pandemic restrictions. And this is perhaps the only reason why there is a mad rush for the New Year bashes. It has also pushed up the prices up to ₹15,000 per table at hotels and restaurants. I think partying at Ganga Paar is perhaps the most viable and cost-effective option when it comes to New Year parties,” said Gupta, a young entrepreneur.
People from the hotel/restaurant industry said of late the city has witnessed a rise in the tourist inflow, be it the domestic tourist or the international tourists and this has also influenced the bookings at the venues for New Year parties. “Presently the booking of the table for the new year party is starting from ₹4,000 onwards. And the prices are expected to rise as the eve nears. Other than tourists, people not only from Varanasi but also from the neighbouring districts are pouring in to welcome the New Year in style. No wonder, the hotels are almost fully booked,” said Rahul Mehta, president of tourist welfare association, Varanasi.
It’s not only the hotels but the newly introduced ro-ro boats and the cruise too are running all packed. Officials engaged in the operation of the Alakhnanda Cruise that ferries on river Ganga in Varanasi said that the booking for the month of January is already full.
