The Subah-e-Banaras is performed during morning hours, to be precise at sunrise. Attended by the tourists in large number, this Ganga worship ceremony is driven by the belief that praying the Almighty at this hour in the morning brings prosperity in life and the person remains fresh for the whole day. It continues in the morning for two hours. During the summer season, the program starts at 5 am. The schedule of various activities and rituals has been judiciously chalked out. It starts with a Yoga session in group. Chanting of ‘mantras’ and hymns during Yoga acts as a motivation to the people. Further, the yoga is done in fresh air so that a connection with nature could be established. The next program is the Vedic Yajna with recitation of holy hymns to seek blessings of the divine power. The Yajna is done to provide world peace and dedicate the same to the five basic elements of the earth, namely land, water, sky, air and fire (Ksh*ti, Jal, Pavak, Gagan & Sameer) according to Hindu mythology.
Music is supposed to be the soul of life. By virtue of being the oldest living city, Benaras has its own rich history and treasure of music. According to mythology, when Renu (son of Vishwamitra) and Mahagovind founded (Varanasi), they also brought with them the Aryan traditions and the Vedic culture. Lord Shiva is the presiding deity of Varanasi and is also considered as the lord of dance and music. According to the Puranic tales the Apsaras, Gandharvas and Kinnars lived in Varanasi and made the musical tradition of Varanasi a rich one.
Ganga aarti is a magnificent evening ritual in Varanasi that one must not miss. The aarti, or worshipping River Ganga, takes place every day, at dusk. The ceremony is performed by a group of priests on the ghats. Amid blowing of conch shells, the ringing of several bells, the clanging of brass cymbals and the chanting chorus of mantras, the priests venerate Ganga, the lifeline of Varanasi, with brass lamps that rise several tiers. The priests performing the arti are all draped in similar clothing-- a kurta and a dhoti. The preparations for the arti include collecting five elevated planks, an idol of Goddess Ganga, flowers and incense sticks. Rituals of the arti are performed by those learned in Vedas and the Upanishads and are lead by the head priest of the Gangotri Seva Samiti. The arti lasts about 45 minutes. Devotees float smaller diyas on leaf platters in the river as obeisance to the holy Ganga. As the sunlight recedes, the innumerable lamps flowing in the water make for an unforgettable sight. The hour-long ritual can be watched from the ghats or boats moored at the river bank.