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Varanasi

Varanasi

Also called Benaras, Avimukta or Kashi, this ancient city is the spiritual heart of India. Considered the dwelling of Lord Shiva and Parvati, it is home to the sacred river Ganges, various ghats and temples. It is called the City of Lights and is renowned for the fine silk called Benaras and its trade and is the hottest spot for pilgrimage among Hindus for moksha or enlightenment.

It is believed that those who repent their sins in the holy water of the Ganges get liberated from the cycle of rebirths in the afterlife. The oldest inhabited city in India, it is believed to be 3000 years old and located along the banks of the famous River Ganges in the state of Uttar Pradesh, in North East India. Also, see must visit 30 Things to Do in Your North East India Tour.

River Ganges is considered holy and hold the power of absolving all of one’s sins. As the scriptures and tradition dictate, every good deed that one does or any sacrifices that one offers here or any prayers that speak here will reap their benefit a thousand times here than in any other places.

Such is the power and influence of Varanasi. It is believed that three nights of fasting can reap you rewards of many thousands of lifetimes of asceticism.

 

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River Ganges

This river is personified as Goddess Ganga, and it’s considered holy by Hindus and Jains, believed to provide sustenance to all those who live by its banks and come to visit it from far away. Its purifying nature is so strongly upheld by Hindus who believe that taking a dip in its water is equivalent to absolution of all their sins and purification of the soul, as mentioned in the Puranas, ancient Hindu scriptures.

Kumbh Mela has been declared the largest peaceful gathering of more than 120 million pilgrims in one place at a time and has been mentioned in the UNESCO’S list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The main ritual of this gathering is pilgrims bathing themselves in the Ganges in the open in huge numbers, offering prayers and repentance for their sins. Tokens are set adrift in the river. Men smear white and orange paint and ash and storm into the river.

Although its sanctity is incomparable in modern Hindu culture, it has also become one of the most populated rivers in the world, with 80 % of the sewage being dumped here being left untreated.

Ghats

Literally, these are the riverfronts or the huge steps that lead down t the banks of the River Ganges. More than 100 ghats are present alongside the Ganges in Varanasi. The pilgrims and inhabitants of Varanasi flock to the ghats for offering prayers to the rising sun, and to meditate.

Each ghat has a special purpose for the pilgrims. A walk along any of these ghats provides a glimpse of the rich culture and lives of its dwellers. Some of the significant ghats are:

ManikarnikaGhat

This is the main cremation ghat in Varanasi. It is considered a very auspicious location for dying among the Hindus pilgrims. Hence the number of elderly and sick patrons comes here to breathe their last and be cremated.

The story goes that Lord Shiva himself gave Manikarnika Ghat its revered status. Lord Vishnu himself had to pray to Lord Shiva to forgive Varanasi. At the time, Varanasi was known as Kashi. Lord Shiva accepted his prayers and appeared before Lord Vishnu in Kashi, along with his wife, Parvati. Pleased from the prayers of Lord Vishnu, a boon was given to Varanasi. It is believed that any soul that receives its final ritual, the rites in Varanasi, receives moksha. Also known as freedom from the rebirth cycle.

It is believed that Lord Vishu built Manikarnika Kund, with an intention to offer a well for the couple to bathe. When Lord Shiva was taking his bath, one of his jewels fell off his earrings. The jewels that Shiva wore were known as Mani; hence the Ghat and Well received their name as Manikarnika.

Two to three hundred corpses are burned out in the open at this Ghatevery day. The corpse is first dipped in the Ganges to wash away all its sins and then burned at the banks. Piles of firewood line the shores. The ghastly sight of burning bodies might be too overwhelming to some tourist, so discretion is advised.

Assi Ghat

This ghat is the meeting place of the River Ganges and River of Assi at the southernmost part of Kashi. There is a custom for people to take a bath in the river stream of Ganga before worshipping Lord Shiva. He is located here in the form of a shivling, a black cylindrical pillar. It is believed that Goddess Durga had discarded her blood tainted sword after her battle and eventual victory over the demon Shumbha- Nishumbha. The place where the sword had fallen resulted in the formation of a stream of gushing water known as Asi River. Revered poet Tulsidas has been said to have written the Ramcharitmanasand to have taken his last breaths here.

Assi Ghat is frequented by foreign and local students, researchers and tourists being a secluded and spacious space. This Ghat can accommodate about 22,500 people during festivals that are held here, such as Shivratri and Diwali. This Ghat sees an influx of more than 300 tourists each day. Ganga Aarti is also a popular custom near the ghat that takes place every evening.

Dashashwamedh Ghat

A site of spectacular celebrations and pageantry, this is considered the main introductory Ghat in the heart of Varanasi. The AngniPooja(worship to the fire) takes place at this Ghat every evening. There is also a hectic marketplace here, due to which there is a constant and uninterrupted flow of tourists, priests, locals, photographers, sellers, beggars etc. Celebrations such as Diwali and Shrivrarti are celebrated grandiosely here. It is located close to the sacred Vishwanath Temple, and Jantar Mantar is a few paces from here. Boat rides all along the Ganges area available at this Ghat.

This ghat owes its origin to two legends. One goes as Lord Brahma built this ghat so that he can welcome Lord Shiva to Kashi. The other one states that Lord Brahma ten horses during the Dasa – Ashwamedhayajna, (a ritual performed in front of the huge sacred fire) he had performed in the name of Lord Shiva.

ther notable Ghats present in Varanasi are

  1. HarishchandraGhat- Similar to ManikarnikaGhat, this one is also solely used for cremation, getting its name from Raja Harishchandra did the last rituals of his son.
  2. Chet Singh Ghat- this Ghat is seen in history as the battleground of the 18th century battle between Maharaja Chet Singh, the ruler of Varanasi at the time and the British led by Warren Hastings, the first governor-general of India.
  3. ManmandirGhat- Popular for housing JantarMantar, built by RajaSavai Man Singh.
  4. ScindiaGhat- a picturesque and secluded ghat, it is notable for its submerged Shiva temple and a number of other nearby temples. This area is also called Siddha Kshetra
  5. Lalita Ghat. Inspired by the Pashupatinath Temple, Rana Bahadur Shah decided to build a replica. He was the kind of Nepal and under his reign, the temple was built in Kathmandu. Hence, the Nepali temple dedicated to Lalita was constructed. It is dedicated to Goddess Adi-Shakti, believed to be a primal deity, stronger than the Trinity.
  6. Darbhanga and MunshiGhat-Both of these ghats house parts of the spectacular Darbangha Palace. Part of this palace has been converted into a hotel.

Varanasi: A City of Thousand Temples

Kashi boasts of more than 23,000 temples dotting every lane and corner of the city. Some are centuries old, and others are relatively new. These temples have become of great spiritual significance to Hindus across India. The crowning glory of Varanasi is its array of temples. Some of the most significant ones are:

Kashi Vishwanath temple

One of the twelve Jyotirlingas or sacred centres of worship of Lord Shiva in India, Kashi Vishwanath Temple is thought of as the holiest temple on the planet by Hindus across India. It is believed to have been the site where Lord Shiva appeared in the form of light. It finds mentions in the ancient Puranas. Praying here is believed to guarantee your absolute moksha. It has been destroyed and rebuilt several times throughout history. Millions of devotees throng to this temple during celebrations of Diwali and Shivratri.

The outstanding structure has a gold dome, and a gold spire on top, constructed from the 1000kg of gold contributed by MaharajaRanjit Singh of Punjab in 1839. Vishwanath Temple is also known as the Golden Temple. It is believed that if you make a wish after seeing the dome, Lord Shiva will most definitely make it come true.   

New Vishwanath Temple

Also known as the Birla Temple and inspired by the Kashi Vishwanath Temple,

This temple was built inside the campus of Banaras Hindu University, another landmark of Varanasi. This temple too is dedicated to Lord Shiva and constructed in grand white marble. An astonishing fact about this temple is that it possesses the tallest temple tower of any temple in the world. Measuring at 250 feet, this tower is now considered an architectural marvel. A total of 9 other shrines are also located there in this temple.

Durga Temple

A stunning specimen of Nagara style of architecture, which is a style of building temples on a stone platform and have giant steps that lead up to the main temple, popularly in Northern India. This red stone temple is built across a rectangular pond called Kund and features multi-tier spire. Dedicated to the goddess Durga, it was built by the orders of a Bengal queen n the 18thcentuary. The cool waters of the pond and the mesmerising beauty of the temple make for a memorable experience.

Legend has it that the idol of Goddess Durga inside the temple was not installed during its construction but in fact, appeared inside the temple. Devotees believe this as a blessing from Goddess Durga herself.

TulsiManasMandar

Constructed in 1964, it is adjacent to the Durga temple and equally striking. It was
named after Tulsidasthe reformer poet and dedicated to Lord Rama. Built-in
exquisite white marble, it is two-storied and features its own garden with lush
greenery and well-maintained lawns.

The significance of this splendid work of art can be seen in Tulsidas’s life work.
Tulsidas wrote the ancient Hindu Epic Ramcharitamanasaat this place, based on
the life history of Lord Rama. The epic came to become one of Tulsidas’s most
significant works.

To celebrate the life of Tulsidas and his work, the temple was constructed in the exact location and dedicated to Lord Rama. The walls were engraved with texts from Ramcharitamana

 
 

Some of the other significant temples are

  1. Nepali Temple- Built by the Nepal king RanaBahadur Shah as a replica of the Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu. He had also constructed the LalitaGauri temple.
  2. Vishalakshi Temple- Dedicated to the Divine Mother. The goddess is worshipped as the one with large eyes in this temple, and so, she is known as Vishalakshi (the word Vishal means large and akshi means eyes)
  3. Annapurna Temple- Dedicated to Annapurna, an incarnation of Goddess Parvati. In this temple, she is worshipped as the provider of food and nourishment.
  4. SankatMochan Hanuman Temple- Built by Tulsidas, it is dedicated to Lord Hanuman. The temple is filled with monkeys, reminiscent of Hanuman, the God with the face of a monkey.
  5. Bharat Mata Temple- The campus of Mahatma Gandhi KashiVidyapith contains this temple dedicated to Mother India. The temple was set up around the year 1936 by Babu Shiv Prasad Gupta.

Benaras Hindu University

The Banaras Hindu University upholds the practice of Varanasi being an ancient seat of learning and renaissance. Found in 1916 by Pandit Mohan Malviya, this university fascinates travellers with its Indo-Gothic architecture and extensive lawns. BHU is an iconic institution. It is the largest residential university in Asia. Located in the campus of the university is Bharat Kala Bhavan, a stirring museum with a wide collection of ancient manuscripts, sculptures and miniature paintings.

Attractions nearby Varanasi

Sarnath-
From a distance of 10 km from Varanasi is the town of Sarnath. Most notable for being the place where Buddha received enlightenment and gave his first dharma. A hot spot of pilgrimage for Buddhists, Archaeological Museum and the Ashoka Lion Capital in polished sandstone are other major attractions in Sarnath.
Ayodhya-
This town is considered as the birthplace of Lord Rama, located on the remarkable banks of River Sarayu. In addition to a large number of temples thronged by pilgrims annually, this town is considered one of the holiest by Hindus.Itis almost 205 kilometres away from Varanasi

Things to do in Varanasi

  1. Take a boat ride along the scenic Ganges and explore the various ghats and temples. Early morning rides are available from 5 am from the DashwamedhaGhat.
  2. Observe the fascinating art of brocade weaving. Varanasi is renowned for its silks called Benaras silk. It is woven into expensive sarees, dresses etc. In Rig Veda, Benaras has been mentioned as the Hiranya Vastra or golden cloth. You can also purchase this silk all around Varanasi, especially in Jatipura, Madanpura, Mubarakpur
  3. The shopping scene in Varanasi is nothing short of spectacular. The main bazaars such as Thatheri Bazaar, Vishwanath Lane, Godowlia and Chowk sell a variety of goods from Benrasisarees, brocade arts, idols for worship. You will also find enlightening books on Philosophy and Spiritualism. Many religion books of Hinduism and Jainism are also available. Jewellery and embellishment in the form of glass beads and bangles and necklaces of real rudraksha are also available.
  4. The culinary scene of Varanasi is as rich and flavorful as Varanasi itself.
    • Try Kachorisubzi, and a tasty bun called kachori filled with vegetables at Kachori Bazaar or ThatheriGali.
    • Chooramatar, green peas cooked with puffed rice at GopalMandirGali.
    • MeetheGolgappe, a sweet crepe delight at GolGanj.
    • TamatarChaat, a tomato delicacy served as an hors d oeuvre at Dashwamedh Road.
    • Nimish (also known as makkhanmaliyyo), a creamy delight at KachoriGali.
    • Try the PehelwankiLassi, a yoghurt drink at Lanka Crossing and the famed BanarasiPaan, tasty condiments wrapped in an edible leaf.
    • And don’t forget bhang, which is cannabis in a drink, found at any bhang shop.

VARANASI:

One of the holiest cities in India, Varanasi is a cultural and religious pilgrimage destination for many Hindus and even Jain in India and worldwide as well. Located at the banks of the holy river of Ganges, it is home to many Ghats and temples. Also known as Kashi and Banaras, Varanasi is also held by many as the site where one can be liberated from the cycle of rebirths by taking a dip in the sacred waters of Ganges.

Many Hindu festivals such as Dusshera, Durga Pooja, Holi, Diwali etc. are celebrated lavishly with great fervour and excitement. The Ghats in Varanasi are the huge steps that lead to the River Ganges and hold great significance, main being the Assi Ghats, Dashaswamedha Ghat, Harichandan Ghat etc.

Ghats such as Manikarnika Ghat is the main cremation Ghats where hundreds of bodies are burnt every day. Varanasi is also home to 23,000 ancient temples such as Kashi Vishwanath temple and Durga Temple. Varanasi is also world-famous for its brocade sarees called Benarasi Sarees.