Located on the banks of the River Ganges in Uttar Pradesh, Varanasi is a holy city believed to be the abode of Lord Shiva. Varanasi, which gets its name from two rivers Varuna and Assi, is among the oldest living cities in the world. The legendary place is a famous pilgrimage centre for Hindus and equally revered for Buddhist and Jain followers. Varanasi is the place where Parsvanath, the 23rd Jain Tirthankar, was born and Lord Buddha after attaining enlightenment in Sarnath preached his first sermon. Famed for its various ancient temples and beautiful ghats, Varanasi is an ideal place for spiritual purification.
Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Kashi Vishwanath Temple is one of the most sacred temples in India. The temple is famous for housing one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva. Often referred as ‘Golden Temple’, the temple was rebuilt by Maharani Ahilya Bai Holkar of Indore in the 18th century. Tulsi Manas Temple, Durga Temple and Bharat Mata Temple are other famous temples in Varanasi.
The vibrant ghats of Varanasi are a delight to explore. There are nearly 100 ghats in Varanasi. Out of them Assi Ghat, Dasashwamedh Ghat, Manikarnika Ghat and Panchganga Ghat are the most famous and oldest ones. Spending an evening at Dasashwamedh Ghat taking part in the aarti is surely going to be a quintessential experience. Moreover, a boat ride along the River Ganges praising the beauty of the ghat is quite a wonderful activity.
Founded by Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya in 1917, Banaras Hindu University is spread in 1,300 acres. Housing new Vishwanath temple built by the Birlas in 1966, the university is the largest residential university in India. Bharat Kala Bhavan, an art museum, is also located inside the university campus. A vast collection of scriptures, miniature paintings, sculptures and old photographs of Varanasi are found in the museum.
Ramnagar Fort was once the royal residence of former Maharaja of Varanasi. Built by Maharaja Balwant Singh, the red sandstone edifice houses a temple dedicated to Ved Vyasa and a museum displaying vintage cars, royal palanquins, swords, guns, antique clocks, etc.
Ashoka Pillar is a prominent site in Sarnath located 10 kms away from Varanasi. Mauryan Emperor Ashoka built it. Sarnath, being the place where Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon post his enlightenment, holds a very important place among Buddhists. Here, one can also visit stupas, temples and Sarnath museum.
Varanasi is also renowned for its silk industry. Its street markets namely Chowk and Vishwanath Gali deal in classic Banarasi silk sarees, silk brocades and wide variety of jewellery. Food lovers must have hot kachoris, lassi, sweets, paan and thandai.
By Air: The nearest airport is Varanasi Airport connecting the city to all major cities in the world.
By Rail: Varanasi Railway Station is the main railhead.
By Road: There are good network of roads which connect Varanasi to all major cities of Uttar Pradesh. Tourists can take state-run or private buses here. Cabs are also there.
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