Guests arrive at Tent City, bookings for weddings in February

VARANASI: Arrival of the guests started at the Tent City of Kashi from Sunday following its formal opening by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 13. Not only people from across India but even locals are making bookings at the Tent City developed in Ganga upstream near Ramnagar and accessible from Ravidas Ghat and Namo Ghat by boats. Maximum bookings are being made for the highest end tents named as Ganga Darshan while bookings have also been made for soelnizing marriages in February.
Nodal agency for the Tent City project- Varanasi development Authority’s vice chairman Abhishek Goyal said that the guests started checking in the Tent City from Sunday. Two companies — Praveg Communications (India) Limited and Lalluji and Sons of Ahmedabad- have developed the Tent City in two separate patches in 30 hectare land on the sand bed on opposite bank of river Ganga. Praveg Communications started accommodating the guests in the luxurious tents. Prolina Barada of Praveg Communications told TOI, “Of 140 tents developed by us, 80 were ready for accommodating guests.
With the check-in by guests, who were welcomed with Rudraksh rosary and ‘roli’ tilak on foreheads in 18 tents, the Tent City of Kashi became operational on Sunday. It was a good opening of the property for which enquiries are being made from across the country. The tents have been booked for almost all dates till April.” Visitors will get opportunity to take part in morning Ganga Aarti and also perform the aarti apart from visiting Kashi Vishwanath Dham and others sites of their preference. “Interestingly, locals are also making booking for the Tent City”, she said adding, more interesting is to see that the maximum customers are preferring river facing Ganga Darshan tents, which are the highest end accommodation.
Tents are being made available in four categoriesGanga Darshan Villa, Kashi suits, premium and deluxe tents in packages ranging from Rs 20,000 to Rs 7,500 per night while bed and breakfast facility are available in each category. Highest end Ganga Darshan Villas are river facing along with a private beach, plunge pool, hall and many additional facilities. Trend of enquiries and bookings at Tent City, which has come up with reception area, gaming zones, dining area, restaurants, conference sites, spa and yoga centres, library, art galleries, water sports, cultural and other sports activities are also hinting that this site will soon emerge as place for events and destination marriages.
“Two bookings have also been done for wedding ceremonies in February,” said Barada adding that the people interested in visiting activity area or restaurant will be entertained on advance booking. Amit Gupta of Lalluji and Sons said that guests will start check-in the tents of his company from January 19. Gupta said that river facing tents are surely high in demand but people are enquiring about booking of accommodation, which is opened on the official website of Tent City Varanasi apart from other tour and travel sites as well as offline, in all categories of tents and also for events