Varanasi
General Information
Varanasi or Banaras is one of the oldest
cities of India. This city has found
place in the Buddhist scriptures as
well the epic of Mahabharata. In Pali
language Varanasi was called Banarasi
hence it got the name 'Banaras'. Varanasi
is also called 'Kashi' or the city of
spiritual light, the abode of Lord Shiva
where, according to Hindu religious
legends, the first rays of light fell
after creation. It is here, in Varanasi,
that the Hindu world converges to partake
in an endless cycle of birth and death,
life and salvation.
This ancient city of India is located
on holiest river of India-Ganga. This
relation is unique and has attracted
thousands of pilgrims. One theory also
goes that Varanasi is located on the
land between the river Varuna and Assi
hence the name Varanasi. For every visitor
Varanasi has different experiences to
offer. The shimmering red and golden
water of the Ganges when rays of dawn
falls on them, the high banks, the temples,
the Ashrams, the pavilions all are an
experience in themselves. Chanting of
Mantras, the hymns along with the fragrance
of incense in fills the air with mysticism
which entrails every person. The refreshing
dip in the Ganges with the splashing
of water along the ghats- in Varanasi
discovery and experience takes to the
ultimate bliss. Not only for its temples,
Ghats and Ganges Banaras has produced
many exponents of art, music, literature
and crafts. The Banarasi silk sarees
and brocades are cherished as collector's
items across the world.
According to mythology, after marriage
Lord Shiva came to reside in Varanasi
along with his wife Parvati and other
gods and goddesses. It is believed that
he never left the city, thus making
it an important Shaivite pilgrimage.
Shiva, popularly known as the destroyer
amongst the Hindu trinity, is the most
venerated lord here. Death, an integral
part of tantric tradition, is an integral
part of the city’s life. That
is why the last rites of the dead are
performed openly and cremation grounds
are in the heart of the city.
The antiquity of Varanasi claims to
go back 2,500 years. The city has references
in the great epics Ramayana, Mahabharata
and the Buddhist Jataka tales. Buddha
visited the city in 500 BC and delivered
his first sermon after attaining enlightenment
at Sarnath, on the outskirts of Varanasi.
The Jains also revere the city as three
of their Tirthankaras (disciples of
Mahavira, the founder of Jainism) were
born here.
Varanasi was the focal point of the
15th century revivalist Hindu Bhakti
(devotional) movement under saints like
Ramananda and Kabir. Kabir, the son
of a Muslim weaver, was venerated both
by Muslims and Hindus. There is a story
about the tussle between the two communities
on his last rites. According to popular
legend, his body turned into a heap
of flowers, and was divided into two
for burial by the Muslims and cremation
by the Hindus. The poet-saint Tulsidas
also lived here, and translated the
epic Ramayana from Sanskrit to Hindi.
Due to its location and prosperity,
Varanasi was raided over and over again
by Muslim rulers. From Mahmud of Ghazni
to Ghauri to the Delhi Sultan Alauddin
Khilji and most of all, the Mughal Emperor
Aurangzeb. As a result, most of the
ancient temples and other structures
were destroyed. What now remains is
mostly about 200 years old, and not
many which are earlier than the 17th
century. The history of Varanasi lives
however, in the repository of old manuscripts,
the folk traditions and most importantly,
through its people..
Main
Sightseeing of Varanasi
Ganga Ghats or Holy Ghats
of River Ganges : Life in
the city of Varanasi revolves around
its over one hundred Ghats (river
landings). The River Ganga flows from
north to south, and the city forms
a circular shape from the Asi ghat
in the south up to the confluence
of the Varuna river with the Ganga.
Thousands of pilgrims come to bathe
and worship in the river at the first
light of dawn. Boat rides down the
river in the morning are a very popular
excursion.
Most of the ancient temples and structures
along the ghats have been destroyed.
What remain are mainly 18th and 19th
century buildings. A very important
pilgrimage for the devout is the Panchatirtha
Yatra, a tour covering the 5 important
ghats of Asi, Dashashwamedha, Adi
Keshava, Panchganga and Manikarnika.
The Panchkosi road, beginning from
the Asi ghat and ending at the Manikarnika
ghat denotes the sacred area of Kashi.
A tour around this 58 km route takes
about 6 days on foot. Each of the
important ghats has a lingam.
Asi Ghat : This
is the place where river Asi meets
river Ganga at Asi Ghat. There is
a lingam under a peepul tree and a
marble temple to Asisangameshwara
(lord of the confluence of Asi). An
ancient tank dedicated to sun worship,
the Lolarka Kund (pool) lies 15 metres
below the ground and is approached
by a steep flight of steps. Assi Ghat
is the southernmost Ghat in Varanasi,
where pilgrims bathe before paying
their homage to Lord Shiva in the
form of huge lingam situated under
a peepal tree. Assi Ghat also constitutes
the southern end of conventional city.
Another lingam worshipped here is
the Asisangameshwar lingam representing
the lord of confluence of the Asi,
enshrined in a small marble temple
near the Assi Ghat. It was at the
Assi Ghat where the famous Indian
poet saint, Tulsi Das had written
the much-celebrated Ramcharitmanas.
Dasaswamedh Ghat :
is one of the most important Ghats
of Varanasi. Dasaswamedh literally
means the Ghat (river front) of ten
sacrificed horses. According to legends
ten horses were sacrificed by Lord
Brahma to allow Lord Shiva to return
from a period of banishment. In spite
of the fact that Dasaswamedh is one
of the oldest Ghats of Varanasi, dating
back to many thousand years, the Ghat
has remained unspoilt and clean. Dasaswamedh
provides a beautiful and colorful
riverfront view. A large number of
Sadhus can be seen performing religious
rites on this Ghat. Devotees must
not miss the opportunity of visiting
the Dasaswamedh Ghat in the evening
when after Aarti, thousands of earthen
lamps are immersed in the waters of
the holy Ganges and the floating lamps
give a divine look to the river at
dusk.
Harish Chandra Ghat : This
Ghat is one of the oldest Ghats of
Varanasi. Harish Chandra Ghat is name
after a mythological King Harish Chandra,
who once worked at the cremation ground
here for the perseverance of truth
and charity. It is believed that the
Gods rewarded him for his resolve,
charity and truthfulness and restored
his lost throne and his dead son to
him. Harish Chandra Ghat is one of
the two cremation Ghats (the other
being Manikarnika Ghat) and is some
times referred as Adi Manikarnika
(the original creation ground). Hindus
from distant places bring the dead
bodies of their near and dear ones
to the Harish Chandra Ghat for cremation.
In Hindu mythology it is believed
that if a person is cremated at the
Harish Chandra Ghat, that person gets
salvation or "moksha". The
Harish Chandra Ghat was somewhat modernized
in late 1980's, when an electric crematorium
was opened here.
Manikarnika Ghat :
This Ghat is the main cremation Ghat
of Varanasi. Manikarnika Ghat is one
of the oldest and most sacred Ghats
in Benaras. According to the Hindu
mythology, being burned here provides
an instant gateway to liberation from
the cycle of births and rebirths.
Lying at the center of the five tirthas,
Manikarnika Ghat symbolizes both creation
and destruction. At Manikarnika Ghat,
the mortal remains are consigned to
flames with the prayers that the souls
rest in eternal peace. There is a
sacred well at the Manikarnika Ghat,
called the Manikarnika Kund. Manikarnika
Kund is said to be dug by Lord Vishnu
at the time of creation while the
hot ashes of the burnt bodies makes
one remember the inevitable destruction
of everything in the world.
Tulsi Ghat : is
another important Ghat of Varanasi.
Tulsi Ghat is named after the great
Hindu poet of the 16th century, Tulsidas.
Tulsi Ghat is an important window
into the Hindu mythology. Tulsi Das
composed the great Indian epic, Ramcharitmanas
at Varanasi. According to mythology,
when Tulsi's manuscript fell into
the River Ganga it did not sink and
kept floating instead. It is also
believed that the Ramlila (story of
Lord Rama's life) was staged here
for the first time. Perhaps, to commemorate
this a temple of Lord Ram was built
on the Tulsi Ghat. Many of the relics
of Tulsi Das are preserved at the
Tulsi Ghat. The house in which Tulsidas
died has been preserved and his samadhi,
wooden clogs, pillow and the idol
of Hanuman, which Tulsi worshipped,
are all still intact here. Earlier,
Tulsi Ghat was known as Lolark Ghat
(mentioned in Gaharwa Danpatra and
Girvanapadamanjari). It was in the
year 1941 when Tulsi Ghat was made
pucca (cemented) by the famous industrialist,
Baldeo Das Birla. Tulsi Ghat is associated
with a number of important activities
such as bath of Lolarkkunda (to be
blessed with sons and their long life)
and the sacred bath to get rid of
leprosy. Tulsi Ghat is also a center
of cultural activities. During Hindu
lunar month of Kartika (Oct/Nov),
Krishna Lila is staged here with great
fanfare and devotion.
Kashi Vishwanath temple
: The ancient Shiva temple also known
as "Golden Temple" is stands
on the western bank of India's holiest
river Ganges. The Kashi Vishwanath
temple is the center of faith for
millions of Hindus. The Jyotirlinga
of Shiva, Vishweshwara or Vishwanatha,
is enshrined in the Kashi Vishwanath
temple, considered as one of the holiest
temples of India. In Hindu religion
it is believed that a simple glimpse
of the Jyotirlinga is a soul-cleansing
experience that transforms life and
puts it on the path of knowledge and
Bhakti (devotion). A single darshan
of Vishweshwara Jyotirlinga is considered
to merit more than the darshan of
other jyotirlingas, scattered in various
parts of India. The Kashi Vishwanath
Temple has been a living picture of
the timeless cultural traditions and
highest spiritual values. The Kashi
Vishwanath Temple attracts Hindu devotees
and other visitors not only from India
but also the world over. Lord Vishwanath
is considered the supreme repository
of the spiritual truth and strengthens
the bonds of universal brotherhood.
Late Maharani Ahilya Bai Holkar of
Indore built the temple in the present
shape, way back in 1780. In the year
1785, a Naubatkhana was built up in
front of the Temple at the instance
of Governor General, Warren Hastings.
In 1839, two domes of the Temple were
covered by gold, donated by Maharaja
Ranjeet Singh, the ruler of Punjab.
The management of the Kashi Vishwanath
temple rests with a trust.
The Vishwanath temple opens daily
at 2.30 A.M. for Mangala Aarti and
between 3 to 4 A.M. ticket holders
are permitted to join. The timing
of general Darshan is from 4 to 11
A.M. The timing for midday Bhog Aarti
is from11.30 to 12 A.M. Between 12
noon to 7 P.M., general devotees are
free to have Darshan. From 7 to 8.30
P.M. the Sapta Rishi Aarati is held
after which Darshan is possible again
till 9 P.M. At 9 P.M. the Shringar/Bhog
Aarati starts and after that Darshan
is possible only from outside. Shayana
Aarti starts at 10.30 P.M. and the
temple closes at 11 P.M. Most of the
offerings at the Kashi Vishwanath
temple are given to poor.
Bharat Mata temple
at Varanasi is the only temple dedicated
to Mother India. It is located in
the Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth
campus. The Bharat Mata temple was
built by Babu Shiv Prasad Gupt and
inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi in 1936.
The statute of Bharat Mata is built
in marble and is a model of undivided
India, depicting the mountains, plains
and oceans. The most peculiar thing
about the Bharat Mata Temple is that
instead of the customary gods and
goddesses, it houses a relief map
of India, carved out of marble.
Durga temple, also
known as the "monkey temple"
is one of the important temples of
Varanasi. This temple is dedicated
to Goddess Durga. The Durga temple
was built in the eighteenth century.
According to the Puranas, Goddess
Durga has kept this place for many
centuries and protects the holy city,
Varanasi, from the South. In Hinduism,
Durga is represented as the embodiment
of shakti or female power, clad in
red, riding a tiger and fully armed
with Shiva's trident, Vishnu's discus
and a sword. Non-Hindus can enter
the courtyard of the Durga temple
but not the inner sanctum. Thousands
of Hindu devotees visit the Durga
temple during Navratri and other auspicious
occasions.
New Vishwanath Temple :
Located in the premises of the Banaras
Hindu University, this temple is also
known as Birla temple (as the famous
industrialist family of Birlas, constructed
it). This temple is a replica of the
original Vishwanath temple. The temple
is built in white marbles, and was
planned by Madan Mohan Malviya, the
founder of the Banaras Hindu University.
The most important characteristic
of the new Vishwanath temple is that
it is open to people from all castes
and religions.
Sankat Mochan Temple
: is one of the sacred temples of
Varanasi. It is located in the southern
part of Varanasi, near the Banaras
Hindu University. It is dedicated
to the Hindu God, Hanuman. The word
"Sankat Mochan" means one
who helps in removing sufferings.
Tulsidas, the author of the famous
Hindu epic Ramacharitamanasa, founded
the Sankat Mochan temple. According
to Hindu mythology, one who visits
the Sankat Mochan temple regularly,
his wishes get fulfilled.
Tulsi Manas Temple
: is one of the most famous temples
of Varanasi. It is also an important
tourist attraction of the holy city.
Built in white marble in the year
1964, this temple has been made more
charming by the magnificent landscaping
around it. The Tulsi Manas temple
is dedicated to lord Ram. It is believed
to be built at the same place where
Tulsidas wrote the famous Indian epic,
Ramcharitamanasa. The walls of the
Tulsi Manas temple are engraved with
verses and scenes from the Ramcharitammanasa,
the Hindi version of the Ramayana.
Banaras Hindu University
(BHU) : An internationally
reputed University and is situated
in Varanasi. The great nationalist
leader, Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya,
founded the Banaras Hindu University
in the year 1916. Dr Annie Besant
also played an important role in the
formation of the BHU. The Banaras
Hindu University played an important
role in the Indian independence movement.
Over a period of time, it has developed
into one of the greatest centers of
learning in India. The BHU has produced
many great freedom fighters and Nation
builders. It has immensely contributed
to the progress of the nation through
a large number of renowned scholars,
artists and scientists.
The Banaras Hindu University has
a sprawling campus, spanning across
1300 acres. It has well maintained
roads (crossing each other at right
angle), extensive greenery, a temple,
an airstrip and buildings, which are
an architectural delight. There is
another campus of the Banaras Hindu
University at Barkachha, in Mirzapur
district, covering an area of 2700
acres. The BHU comprises of 3 Institutes,
14 Faculties, 124 Departments, 4 Interdisciplinary
Centers and 3 Constituent Schools,
spanning a vast rang of subjects pertaining
to all branches of humanities, social
sciences, science, technology, medicine,
fine arts and performing arts.
The Banaras Hindu University consists
of about 15000 students, coming from
to all streams of life, castes, religions
and races. It has about 2000 teachers
and nearly 5000 non-teaching staff.
Another important feature of the BHU
is the number of foreign students.
A large number of students come from
the U.S.A., Europe, Asia, Middle East,
Africa, etc..
Go to Top
Excursions
from Varanasi
Ramnagar fort
(14 kms) : Situated on the
opposite bank of river Ganga from the
city side. It is the ancestral home
of the Maharaja of Banaras. Maharaja
Balwant Singh built this fort-palace
in the eighteenth century. The fort
is built in red sandstone. The Ramnagar
fort has a temple and a museum within
the grounds and the temple is dedicated
to Ved Vyasa, who wrote Mahabharata,
the great Indian epic. Legends have
it that Ved Vyasa stayed here for a
brief period. The Ramnagar fort houses
a museum displaying the Royal collection
which includes vintage Cars, Royal palkies,
an armory of swords and old guns, ivory
work and antique clocks. The Durga Temple
and Chhinnamastika Temple are also Located
at Ramnagar. A temple of Dakshin Mukhi
Hanuman is there. Inside the giant walls
of the Ramnagar fort-palace, there is
a big clock. This clock not only displays
year, month, week and day but also astronomical
facts about the sun, moon and constellation
of stars. An interesting array of ornate
palanquins, gold-plated howdahs and
weapons are some of the artifacts on
display in the Ramnagar fort-palace
museum.
Sarnath (10 kms)
: This is is the place where
Buddha chose to deliver his first sermon.
The celebrated Mantra, 'Buddham Sharanam
Gachhami', owes its origin to Sarnath.
On the day before his death Buddha included
Sarnath along with Lumbini, Bodh Gaya
and Kushinagar as the four places he
thought to be sacred to his followers.
It makes Sarnath one of the most venerated
Buddhist places. Besides Buddhism, Sarnath
is also connected with Jainism.
There are many Buddhist monuments and
edifices in Sarnath. Some of the important
Buddhist monuments at Sarnath are the
Dhamekha stupa, the Chaukhandi stupa
and monasteries and temples of different
schools of Buddhism from Japan, China,
Thailand, Burma and others. The Indian
Buddhist society called Mahabodhi Society
maintains a park around the Buddha temple.
The Mahabodhi Temple within the park
has a tooth relic of the Buddha. There
is also a vast expanse of ancient ruins
at Sarnath. Several Buddhist structures
were raised at Sarnath between the 3rd
century BC and the 11th century AD,
and today it presents the most expansive
ruins amongst places on the Buddhist
trail. The Ashoka pillar of Sarnath
is the National emblem of India.
Chandraprabha
Wildlife Sanctuary (55 kms) : Situated
at the southeast side of Varanasi. Though
one of India's lesser-known sanctuaries,
Chandraprabha is endowed with beautiful
picnic spots, dense forests, and scenic
waterfalls like Rajdari and Devdari
that attract a large number of tourists.
The Chandraprabha sanctuary was established
in May 1957. Asiatic lions were introduced
at Chandraprabha in 1958. To start with
the exercise was successful, with the
number of lions rising from three to
11 by 1969. However, the next year the
lions were found missing. The plan to
put lions was again revived in 1993
but sadly not much has happened since
then. Flora & Fauna : A
variety of wild animals and plant life
are found at Chandraprabha. The animal
life includes blackbucks, chital, sambhar,
nilgai, wild boar, porcupine and Indian
gazelle. The reptilian species include
gharial and python. In terms of flora,
it is a typical dry deciduous forest,
composed of gneiss and laminated stone.
Chunar Fort (45 kms) :
The Chunar fort is situated in the Vindhya
Range of Mirzapur district. According
to the Puranas the oldest name of Chunar
was Charanadri as Lord Vishnu had taken
his first step in his Vaman incarnation
in the dynasty of Great king Bali. However
Chunar came into prominence after the
visit of Babar followed by Shershah
Suri, Humayun, Akbar, Aurangzeb and
finally the Britishers. It is said that
Maharaja Vikramaditya, the king of Ujjain
established the fort of Chunar. According
to the Alha Khand, King Sahadeo made
this fort as his capital and established
the statue of Naina Yogini in a cave
of Vindhya hill. To commemorate his
victory on 52 rulers, King Sahadeo built
a stone umbrella inside the fort. The
Chunar fort became important for its
association with the Mughal king, Babar
and later Shershah Suri, who got the
possession of the fort by marrying the
wife of Taj Khan Sarang-Khani, the Governer
of Ibrahim Lodi. In 1531 AD Humayun
made an unsuccessful effort to capture
this fort but later in 1574AD, Akbar
the great captured this fort and since
that very time it remained under the
Mughals up to 1772AD. In the year 1772AD
the East India Company captured the
Chunar fort.
Vindhyachal : Vindhyachal
is one of most important Shaktipeeths.
It is believed that Goddess Durga had
established herself here after having
killed the demon king Mahishasura. Thus,
Goddess Durga is also known by the name
of Vindhyavasini in this area. In the
latter years, the goddess had also defeated
Shumbha and Nishumbha. Apart from its
Mythological relevance, Vindhyachal
is known for its beautiful natural surroundings.
Sitakund is one of the popular attractions
at Vindhyachal. It is said that when
Sri Ram, Sita and Lakshman were returning
home after their exile, Sita became
very thirsty at this place. Since water
was not easily available, Lakshman pierced
an arrow and immediately a fountain
of water came out. In memory of Ram,
Sita and Lakshman and Goddess Durga
a temple was constructed. One can quench
his/her thirst here at the Sitakund.
After climbing 48 steps to the Sita
Kund the track leads to another low
hillock, where the Ashtabhuja Temple
is situated. Near to the Ashtabhuja
temple, there is another cave temple
with a narrow path. The cave roof is
so low that one has to bow down to have
a glimpse of the subterranean Goddess
Kali. Besides these temples there are
many more temples at Vindhyachal. There
are also the Brahmakund and Agastyakund
whose waters are very sacred and it
is believed that bathing in these water
can relieve one of his/her sins. Besides,
there is also an Ashram of Anandamayee
Ma.
Jaunpur : This small
district is located to the northwest
of Varanasi. Jaunpur's history dates
from 1388 when the Sultan of Delhi,
Feroz Shah Tughlaq, appointed Malik
Sarwar, a eunuch, as governor of the
region. The Delhi Sultanate was weakened
by the 1398 sacking of Delhi by Timur
and Malik Sarwar declared independence.
Malik Sarwar and his son founded the
Sharqi dynasty. During the Sharqi period
the Jaunpur Sultanate was a strong military
power in Northern India, and on several
occasions threatened the Delhi Sultanate.
Jaunpur was then a major center of
Urdu and Sufi knowledge and culture.
Slowly Jaunpur flourished as an important
cultural center. Jaunpur's independence
came to an end in 1480, when Sikander
Lodi, the Sultan of Delhi, conquered
the city. The Sharqi kings attempted
for several years to retake the city,
but ultimately failed. Though the Jaunpur
Kingdom did not last long yet it left
its mark, particularly, in realms of
culture and music. The period saw the
construction of many great and beautiful
buildings. Although many of the Sharqi
monuments were destroyed when the Lodis
took the city, several important mosques
still remain. The most important one
of them are the Atala Masjid, Jama Masjid
and the Lal Darwaza Masjid. The Jaunpur
mosques display a unique architectural
style, combining traditional Hindu and
Muslim motifs with purely original elements.
The old bridge over the Gomti River
dates back to year 1564 AD.
Kaushambi : has been
a great center of Buddhist culture and
heritage. In ancient times Kaushambi
was an important seat of Buddhist learning
and the remains of various monuments
bear testimony to this fact. The capital
of the ancient Matsya kingdom was in
Kaushambi during the time of Lord Buddha.
It is about 57 km away from modern Allahabad.
In ancient times it was known as Kosam.
Kaushambi, which is reminiscent of Buddhist
culture, is now into ruins but lot can
be read into the great past of the place.
The 6 km expanse of Parikshit's fort
is now extinct. In the 4 BC, the great
Mauryan emperor, Ashoka, had built two
pillars in Kaushambi. One of these pillars
now is in Allahabad fort and the other
is in a dilapidated condition in Kaushambi.
In Buddhist scriptures and ancient Indian
literature we find mention of a Buddhist
Vihara (Ghositaram Vihara) but unfortunately
no trace of the Ghositaram Vihara is
present now.
How
to reach Varanasi?
By Air : Varanasi is
well connected and accessible to major
Indian cities and tourist spots. There
are daily domestic flights to and from
Varanasi to several cities in India.
By Train : Varanasi
is a important junction of Northern
India. There are two railway stations
in Varanasi, the Kashi Junction and
the Varanasi Junction (also known as
Varanasi Cantonment). Rajdhani Express
from Delhi or from Calcutta passes through
Varanasi too. One can also catch trains
from Mughalsarai, just 10 km south of
Varanasi.
By Road : Well-connected
road network for all major cities of
India.
