Varanasi India

Varanasi - The Holy City of Hindus

Varanasi or Benaras, is a famous holy city of Hindus, located on the banks of the river Ganges. It is believed that Varanasi is the oldest continually inhabited city in the world.

Varanasi has remain a major cultural and religious centre of India for thousands of years. The city is a unique blend of the past and present, which live side by side. The city boasts of a rich culture deeply associated with the river Ganges and its religious significance. The areas near the banks of river Ganges are highly crowded and house many Hindu temples, narrow lanes and road-side shops.

Varanasi - The Land of Holy Ganges

Monks At Ghat of River Ganges The life of the city people revolves around the holy river Ganges, who come down to the river before dawn to wait for the rising sun. Thousands of tourists as well as local people, all absorbed in their intense thoughts of spirituality, take the holy dip in the river and wash their sins away. Soon after the sunrise, the ghats of the city, burst into the amphitheater of activity as Brahmins (known as Pandas) recite passages from sacred texts and the priests offer holy ashes on the foreheads of pilgrims. In addition boatmen, flower seller and vendors throng the ghats in search of their customers. Overall Varanasi is a great city, with myriad attractions, both as a major pilgrimage and a centre of faith.

What attracts Pilgrims

Varanasi is known for the holy river Ganga and its ghats. Besides the city houses several temples, some of the famous temples are :

The Kashi Vishwanath Temple : The temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, is the most sacred shrine in Varanasi. The original temple was destroyed by the Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb, Rani Ahilyabai of Indore, restored the temple in the 18th century. Maharaja Ranjit Singhj of Punjab, done the Gold plating of the dome during the 19th century. Foreigners are not allowed to enter the temple.

Durga Temple : The Durga Temple located close to Vishwanath Temple is must visit place. Built in the 8th century, the temple is dedicated to Goddess Durga, the consort of Lord Shiva. The temple built in Nagara Style, has the shikhara formed by many small spires which are built one on top of the other.

Bharat Mata Temple : Located just one km from Varanasi station, this temple is dedicated to Mother India. Mahatma Gandhi inaugurated this temple in 1936, so that the citizens could respect Mother India in statue form. The marble statue is a replica of undivided India in three dimension, which has the mountains, plains and oceans in right proportion.

Tulsi Manas Temple : The temple dedicated to Lord Rama, was built on the spot where Goswami Tulsidas composed the epic 'Ramacharitramanas'. The 'Ramacharitramanas' provides the detailed description of the history and deeds of Lord Rama. Tulsi Manas Temple was built in 1964 by a philanthropist family.

St. Mary's Church : The church, situated in the cantonment area of the city, has a low tower, spire and projecting politico. The church has lowered doors to the sides and hooded ventilation slots beneath the cornice.

Nepali Temple : The temple was built by the King of Nepal, in Nepali style. Situated on Lalita Ghat, the temple is also called the 'Kathwala Temple' The temple has some beautiful woodwork, and the specialty of this wood is that termites do not eat this wood.

Sarnath : Situated 10 Kms away from Varanasi, this place bears testimony to its glorious past. It is the place where Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon to his disciples. The places houses remains dating back to the 3rd century B.C, when Emperor Ashoka founded various institutions, stupas, monasteries and pillar edicts. The Archaeological Museum at Sarnath is a major attraction, which has the collection of the glorious past of Sarnath. The museum remains open from Sunrise to Sunset

How to Reach Varanasi

Air : Varanasi has its own airport located at a distance of 22 Kms from the city centre. The airport connects the city with other major cities of the country.

Rail : Varanasi Cant railway station is the main railhead of the city. The railway station connects Varanasi with other cities and towns of India. Mughal Sarai railway Junction is the nearby major railway junction, which has the trains from almost all parts of India.

Road : The National Highway - 2 crosses from Varanasi, which connects the city to rest of the country.

Accommodation

Varanasi is dotted with several hotels, which offer best accommodation facilities. In addition to hotels, the city has tourist lodges, mid-range and Dharamshalas available at reasonable prices