Varanasi does not have nightlife in the conventional sense, and visitors should not come expecting it. This is a pilgrimage city, and alcohol is restricted around the temple areas and generally frowned upon near the ghats.
What the city has instead is an evening life built entirely around ritual and music.
Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat is the central evening event, performed daily just after sunset — around 6pm in winter and 7pm in summer. Seven priests perform a synchronised fire ritual lasting roughly 45 minutes, with brass lamps, incense, conch shells and chanting. Arrive at least 45 minutes early for a seat on the steps, or hire a boat for a view from the water, which many prefer.
Assi Ghat holds a morning aarti (Subah-e-Banaras) at sunrise, along with classical music and yoga sessions, and has a more relaxed evening scene with cafés popular among students and foreign visitors.
Classical music. Varanasi is home to the Banaras gharana and there are regular evening recitals — at guesthouses, at cultural centres, and informally. Ask locally; some of the best performances are small and unadvertised.
Cafés and rooftops. The Assi Ghat area and the lanes around Godowlia have rooftop cafés with river views, popular with travellers, generally serving food.