Inside juSTa Kashi Parampara: This 80-year-old Varanasi ancestral home is a cultural and wellness retreat today

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. When in Varanasi, do as the Gods do.

At this historic city, which brings to life many history and spiritual lessons, you can now stay in ancestral homes to soak in the quintessential Banaras experience.

What strikes you as you walk in to juSTa Kashi Parampara, located just 800 metres from the iconic Assi Ghat, is not just the handcrafted wooden pillars evoking a sense of strolling into a haveli, the sandstone jaali work and the artwork that adorns its corridors, but also the central courtyard – a standard feature in most traditional Indian homes.

At Kashi Parampara, this courtyard not only provides an abundance of natural light but also serves as a stage for art and culture. It was also once a free clinic – since the property was bought more than 80 years ago by the grandfather of the current owner, Manish Dwivedi. “As he was an eminent doctor, he used to run a free clinic for the neighbourhood. My grandmother, a disciple of Girija Devi and a member of the Banaras Gharana, filled the home – and this courtyard – with bhaitaks (an intimate, small audience performance) and held many conversations on art, culture and music. In fact, we used to have several students of music and scholars stay at this residence, and spend hours discussing culture and music,” recalls Manish.

Today, the same 80-year-old ancestral home has been converted into a hotel, welcomes guests from across the country and abroad with a traditional aarthi welcome – a pujari reciting mantras – that prepare you to soak into true Banaras spirit.

Evenings here are complete with flute and dance recitals, which also help you unwind and relax if you have had a busy chaotic outing at Varanasi or indulged in a wholesome Banarasi thali. A lot of the artwork is from local artisans, while other furniture and artefacts are the handiwork of artisans from Rajasthan and UP – put together and coordinated by Deepali Dwivedi, a designer herself. She adds, “We tried not wasting too much from the original home and repurposed it for the current property. The idea was to give it the look of a heritage home and not a modern house.”

juSTa Kashi Parampara is located near Assi Ghat in Varanasi. Rooms are Rs 20,000 plus taxes inclusive of breakfast.