Actress and Miss India International 2007 Esha Gupta was in Varanasi recently. While in the city, Esha indulged in all things touristy, visiting the ghats for Ganga aarti, going for darshan at Kashi Vishwanath Temple and also going shopping for the famous Banarasi sarees.

The Baadshaho actress said, “I love travelling as my father was in the Air Force, so we have travelled with him and seen a lot of our country. Every holiday, we used to take a road trip and explore places. Varanasi was always on my wish list, so when my friend Abhishek Jalan invited me for a visit, I was more than eager to go there. I did what every tourist does in the city. I went for the boat ride, walked on the ghat and sought blessings at Kashi Vishwanath temple. I did not want to miss out on anything. I visited Spain recently and when they got to know that I am Indian, they expressed their wish to visit Varanasi. I really felt proud that people from such faraway places want to come and see our country.”

Esha, who hails from Amroha, in UP, said, “While coming to Varanasi, I was looking forward to UP ka khaana. So, I really binged on it the moment I landed in Varanasi. I started with an early morning breakfast of kachori and sabzi, then it was time for other Banarasi delicacies like sattu ka paratha, etc. Apart from the food, what I really loved about the city is the language. The tone and way people talk in Varanasi is so affable that it instantly strikes a chord.”

The Chakravyuh actress also performed puja and Ganga aarti at Dashashwamedha Ghat. She says, “This was my first experience of a live Ganga aarti and it was just beautiful. People watching the aarti from boats and the floating diyas in the Ganga made for a very mesmerising view. There is a different kind of smell, very earthy, which makes you feel that you are in the heart of India. Indians are basically very courteous and helpful, and this is what I also found in Varanasi. I feel my visit there was a divine calling.”