Varanasi

Varanasi, the holy city of India


On the banks of the River Ganges in northern India, the colourful holy city of Varanasi (Benares), has been an important cultural, historic and religious center for more than 5,000 years.





Presided over by Shiva, Varanasi is the most important Hindu pilgrimage site in the world. Described by Mark Twain as older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend, and looks twice as old as all of them put together, this city offers a spectacle visitors never forget.

The ghats (stone steps) along the river banks are the main focus of religious activity. Here the pilgrims have a ritual bath in the water and perform puja to the rising sun, in accordance with centuries of tradition.

It is believed that bathing in the sacred waters results in the remission of sins and that dying here circumvents rebirth. This is why many old and sick Hindus come to the city to die, surviving their last days on alms given to them by the faithful. Their funerals take place on the river banks, their bodies are burnt on funeral pyres and the remains are tossed into the water.

One of the largest, the Dasashvamedh Ghat offers good views of the river and all the hustle and bustle along its banks. This is believed to be where Brahma sacrificed ten horses to pave the way for Shiva's return to Varanasi after a period of banishment. Other special ghats are the Asi, Barnasangam, Panchganga and Manikarnika.


The Kashi Vishwanath Yemple, on the banks of the sacred river, was built in 1780 by Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore. Home to the shrine of Lord Kashi Vishwanath, it is one of the twelve revered Jyotirlingas of Shiva, the shrines where he is worshiped in the form of a phallus of light.




This temple is the place of pilgrimage for millions of Hindus every year, and is the most sacred shrine in Varanasi. Its original structure was destroyed by the Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb. The gold plating of the dome was done during the nineteenth century by Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Punjab.

Close by this important Hindu pilgrimage site is Sarnath, a place of great meaning to Buddhists. Lying 12 km (7 mi) from Varanasi, Sarnath is where Buddha preached his first sermon and revealed the eigh-fold path that leads to the attainment of inner peace, enlightenment and the ultimate, nirvana.

Ashoka, the great Mauryan emperor, erected magnificent stupas here, including Dharmarajika Stupa at a staggering 33.5 m (109 ft) high, to honour Buddha's presence. Today, the Archeological Museum at Sarnath displays many ancient relics, among them countless images of Buddha and Bodhisatva.

Travel Guidebooks in India