Dev Diwali: Hotels rooms in Gowdolia, Pandey Haveli, Assi, Shiwala, Sonarpura, Chowk and Bansfatak are not available for even Rs 10-15 thousand.

Dev Diwali 2019 Varanasi: Dev Deepawali in Kashi is a spectacle like no other. Tourists come from all parts of the world to witness Dev Deepawali on the ghats of the holy Ganges. They are even willing to pay steep prices for hotels in Varanasi despite them being four to five times more expensive than usual. There is also unavailability of hotel rooms in Varanasi. Regardless, tourists have booked 30 percent of the hotels one year prior to 2019 Dev Deepawali.

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According to a report in Live Hindustan, cost of a room in one Nadesar hotel reached Rs 2.5 lakhs! The normal price range for rooms during Dev Deepawali is Rs 80 to Rs 90 thousand. To ensure that tourists get full value for money, hotels offer a sight-seeing package with VIP darshan.

Similarly, Darbhanga ghat hotels have increased prices to Rs 1.5 lakh as compared to their normal asking price range of rupees 30-35 thousand, says the report. Ramghat hotels are charging quarter million of rupees from tourists for November 11 and 12. The usual rates for the same are Rs 15-18 thousand in the off season.

Hotels rooms in Gowdolia, Pandey Haveli, Assi, Shiwala, Sonarpura, Chowk and Bansfatak are not available for even Rs 10-15 thousand. The report quoted Gokul Sharma, General Secretary of Benaras Hotel Association saying that tourists want to come time and again to experience Dev Diwali in Benaras. To avoid any hassles tourists are booking hotels in advance. The number of tourists supercede the room available hence the high rates.

President of the Tourism Welfare Association, Varanasi, Rahul Mehta said that this trend of booking rooms a year in advance started a year back. Tourists prefer the hotels on ghats as they are the prime location for the festivities. Taxi bookings also take place in three months advance.