Varanasi
was known as Kashi in the ancient times and as
Benaras more recently. The city is more than 3000
years old and is believed to be one of the oldest
living cities in the world. It is much sacred to
Hindus for centuries and according to Hindu
mythology, those who die in Kashi gain instant
salvation and freedom from the cycle of births and
deaths. It is situated on the bank of the holy river
Ganges, known as 'Ganga' in this region and its
worshippers are said to be the upholders of the true
Hinduism, who are known to keep the Hindu traditions
and rituals alive. The city got the name 'Benaras'
due to mis-pronunciation of 'Varanasi' by the
British. The city is the house of one of the twelve
famous 'Jyotirlingas'.
It is considered an important seat of learning and
knowledge, especially when it comes to Hindi,
Sanskrit and Hindu philosophy in its purest form.
There are hundreds and thousands of temples in the
city that can be seen every few steps and in every
home along with a number of schools and colleges.
Brahmins of Kashi who had the duty and privilege to
be well versed in scriptures and spread their
knowledge to the common people are the most
venerated. Banaras Hindu University is still one of
the best institutions of India and churns out some
of the cream of the Indian society. Arts and crafts
of Varanasi are famous too, especially the Benarasi
silk sarees with broad brocade work done in gold and
silver threads that are essential part of the Indian
bridal trousseaus. Music and dance has also
flourished well in the city.
Varanasi's Prime
Attractions
Ghats of Varanasi
The numerous Ghats of Varanasi on the banks of river
Ganges come alive with the dawn as the river water
assumes different hue of red, orange, gold and
yellow at the different times of the day and
thousands of devotees take the ceremonial dip in
them, offering prayers to the sun and the river
while standing waist-deep in the water. There are
over all 85 bathing ghats in the city, the most
notable being the Dashashwamedha Ghat and the
Manikarnika Ghat, where it is said that there is
continuous burning of dead bodies at all times.
Durga Temple
The busiest temple of Varanasi, it is dedicated to
Goddess Durga. The large rectangular tank called
Durga Kund nearby has an idol of Goddess Durga
seated on it and is believed to be the abode of
Durga Devi, as stated in Puranas. It is said that
she has lived here for centuries as the guardian
deity of the city in the form of one of the warrior
goddesses known as Chandikas.
Bharat MataTemple
The unique temple is dedicated to 'Mother India' and
is much more contemporary. The nationalists Babu
Shiv Prasad Gupta and Sri Durga Prasad Khatri built
it. The temple has one of the perfect relief maps of
India, which has accurate scaling and is made in
marble. Mahatma Gandhi inaugurated the temple.
Kashi Vishwanath Temple
Kashi Vishwanath Temple or the Golden Temple is one
of the twelve temples around the world that enshrine
the famous 'Jyotirlinga' that symbolizes Lord Shiva
and is known as Vishweshwara or Vishwanatha (meaning
the God and Master of the World respectively). It is
said that mere catching a glimpse ('darshan') of the
idol grants benediction and spiritual peace to the
deity. Its significance is even more enhanced as it
is believed that a visit to this temple equals the
gains of holy visits to all the other eleven 'jyotirlingas'
combined. The present temple is said to be built by
the Late Maharani Ahilya Bai Holkar of Indore in
1780.
Tulsi
Manas Temple
Tulsi Manas Temple has modern construction with a 'Shikhara'
typical to North Indian temple architecture. It was
built in 1964, in marble and is dedicated to the
great saint Tulsi Das who wrote the famous epic,
'Ram Charit Manas'. Tulsi is said to have lived here
and wrote the verses here. He died in 1623. The
movind statues depict scenes from the epic again and
again on the second floor, which is the chief
attraction here.
Annapurna Temple
The temple complex has a small sanctum that
enshrines the idol of Goddess Annapoorna (Goddess of
Food). It was inaugurated in January 1977 and the
famous Shankaracharya of Shringeri consecrated the
idol. It is said that the devotes of the Goddess
never suffer from starvation.
Manmandir
The Somesvara ghat of Varanasi is now more known for
housing the Manmandir Palace built by Raja Savai Man
Singh of Amber in 1585. Windows of the palace have
intricate carvings while there is a Hindu
Observatory at the top floor, which was built by
Raja Sawai Jai Singh II.
Bharat Kala Bhawan
Bharat Kala Bhawan situated in the campus of Benaras
Hindu University (BHU) is a museum that showcases
the rich collection of Mughal miniature paintings,
sculptures, contemporary art, bronze statues and
brocade textiles belonging to the period of 1st to
15th centuries.
Banaras Hindu University
Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya founded BHU as a centre
for the study of Indian art, culture, music and
Sanskrit and is one of the oldest educational
centers in India. It has been known to play an
important role in the independence movement and has
evolved into the greatest center of learning in
India and has produced many eminent freedom
fighters, scholars, artists, scientists and
technologists. It sprawls across 1300 acres and has
good roads and lots of greenery in its campus. The
university is a small city in itself and has its own
temple, airstrip, Bharat Kala Museum, hospital,
large playgrounds, a massive auditorium, a flying
club and many other facilities.
Varanasi City Facts
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Location: |
Situated in Uttar Pradesh, India. |
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Climate: |
Tropical climate with hot summers, highly humid monsoons and pleasant winters with misty mornings. |
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How to Reach:
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By Air: |
Nearest airport is the Babatpur Airport, 22 km from the city, with daily flights to and from Agra, Bhuvaneshwar, Calcutta, Delhi, Khajuraho, Mumbai and Lucknow. |
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By Train: |
Varanasi is an important and major rail junction and trains connect it to all the major cities of India including Delhi and Mumbai. |
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By Road: |
Smooth good road network and National Highways connect Varanasi to and from Calcutta, Delhi, Kanya Kumari and Gorakhpur. |
