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Varanasi (also known as Benares, Banaras, Kashi and Kasi) is a Hindu holy city on the banks of the Ganges River in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.
The modern name Varanasi is derived from the twin tributaries of Ganga Varuna and Asi on whose shores the city stands. Just 12 km from Varanasi is Sarnath, an important Buddhist sacred site.
Varanasi has a unique culture, quite different from other places in the region, and it is one of the major cultural centres of northern India.
Varanasi is the site of the holy shrine of Lord Kasi Viswanatha (a form of Lord Shiva) and is one of the revered 12 Jyotirlingas of the Lord.
Along with its positional advantage of being on the banks of the sacred Ganges River, this has given Varanasi a place at the forefront of the Hindu religion. Varanasi is considered the most sacred place for all Hindus, irrespective of denomination.
Hindus have long believed that bathing in the Ganges or dying in the holy city of Varanasi circumvents reincarnation and hence provides a permanent place in the Swarg (Heaven). This belief that has encouraged the establishment of innumerable nearby geriatric homes and also the disposal of half-burnt corpses into the river.
This latter practice continues to cause great damage to the river's ecology, but the ministry of water resources has finally taken up the restoration of the Ganga by banning cremation on the city's ghats (ghats are the banks of a holy river, stepped to facilitate bathing).
The city rises from the high northern bank on the outside curve of Ganga, the holiest of all Indian rivers, to form a magnificent panorama of buildings in many varieties of Indian architecture. The unique relationship between the sacred river and the city is the essence of Varanasi - the land of sacred light. The Ganga is believed to have flown from the heaven to wash away the worldly sins of the humankind. Thus, to be in Varanasi is an out of this world experience, and experience of self discovery, a journey throughthe present and the past in search of immortality.
Temple in Varanasi:
KashiVishwanath Temple - Varanasi was also known in ancient times as Kashi. In fact the complete name of the temple is Kashi Vishwanath Temple. The word 'Kashi' originated from the word 'Kas' which means to shine. According to legend Kashi is the 'original ground' created by Lord Shiva and Parvati. The Kashi Vishwanath Temple is but obviously dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple was destroyed repeatedly during various invasions but was finally rebuilt in 1776 A.D. by Rani Ahilyabai of Indore. The Kashi Vishwanath Temple has been a witness and an embodiment of our timeless cultural traditions and spiritual values. The Temple has been visited by all great saints- Adi Shankaracharya, Ramkrishna Paramhansa, Swami Vivekanand, Goswami Tulsidas, Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati and Gurunanak.
Tulsi Ghat - Tulsi Ghat is named after the famous 16th century poet Tulsidas, who spent many years of his life in Varanasi composing the Ramcharitmanas. Legend has it that when his manuscript fell into the Ganga waters it floated instead of sinking and disintegrating. The very first performance of the Ramlila (story of Lord Rama's life) was held here. A temple of Ram stands still stands on the Tulsi Ghat. The house in which Tulsidas died has been preserved and his samadhi, his wooden clogs, pillow and the idol of Hanuman which he worshipped as well as a piece of wood from the boat used by him to cross the Ganga are all still intact here.
Dassawarmedh Ghat - This is one of the main ghats of Varanasi. Dassawarmedh Ghat literally means the 'ghat of ten sacrificed horses'. It is believed that the sacrifice of ten horses was made by Lord Brahma to pave a path for the return of Lord Shiva after his period of banishment
Asi Ghat - The Asi Ghat is one of the five special ghats situated in the south of Varanasi, at the sangam (cojoining) of the Ganga and the Asi rivers. Pilgrims come here to bathe in a stipulated sequence during the Panchatirthi Yatra. The Asi River has been described as a dried stream in the ancient Hindu scriptures. The temple of Jagannatha lies close to the old route of the Asi River. According to the Kashi Khanda (a respected piece of Hindu literature) "All the other tirthas that girdle the earth are not equal to a sixteenth part of the tirthas at Asi confluence". This is also one of the famous sites for celebrating Surya Sasthi (the six day of the sun). The festival is held in the Hindu month of Kartika (Oct.-Nov.)
Bharat Mata Temple - For those who are true patriots the Bharat Mata Temple is a must see. A unique concept led to the building of the temple. It was gifted by the noted nationalists Babu Shiv Prasad Gupta and Shri Durga Prasad Khatri. Instead of the traditional Gods and Goddesses this temple is dedicated to Mother India. The temple houses one of the most perfect relief maps of India, which is intricately carved out of marble.
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