Varanasi

      Varanasi

 





 
 

 


Introduction Varanasi,
also known as Benaras or Kashi, the "City of Light," is the oldest
living city in the world and one of the most significant religious and
cultural centers in India. Varanasi is one of main spritual and
cultural cities of India. There are many temples and ghats most of
which built between eighteenth and nineteenth century. Each of the
hundred ghats, big and small, is marked by a lingam and occupies it's
own special mark in the religious geography of the city. All these get
crowed early in the morning with the first ray of sun. You
can see here morning bathers, brahmin (priests) offering puja and
people practicing meditation and yoga. Hindus regard the river Ganges
here as "Amrita". It is believed that Gangajal (water of river) is like
a tonic of life, which brings purity to the living being and salvaion
to the dead soul. This town also has its place in history with many
events and incidents being related with it. From time immemorial
Varanasi has been the center of education, religion, art and culture.


 

 

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.Prime Attractions Religious Places The Ghats Of Varanasi :In
this ancient city of pilgrimage, the bathing ghats are main attraction.
People flock here in large numbers every day to take bath and worship
in the temples built beside the river bank. Centuries old tradition to
offer puja to the rising Sun is still maintained. The Kashi Vishwanath Temple / Gyanvapi Mosque :This
temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is popularly known as the golden
Temple due the Gold plating done on its 15.5 meter high spire. One ton
of gold donated by Maharaja Ranjit Singh has been used in the gold
plating of the spire. The temple was destroyed in the various invasions
and was rebuilt in 1776 by Rani Ahilyabai of Indore. St. Mary's Church :Situated
in the cantonment area of Benaras (Varanasi) the St. Mary's Church has
a low tower, spire and projecting poitico. Instead of windows tile,
church has louvred doors to the sides and hooded ventilation slots
beneath the cornice. Bharat Mata Temple :This
temple is dedicated to Mother India. Just one kilometer from the
Varanasi station. The temple is built in the Mahatma Gandhi Kashi
Vidyapeeth which was built by Babu Shiv Prasad Gupt. This temple was
inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi in 1936 so that the citizens could
respect Mother India in statue form. The statute is built in marble.
The statue is a replica of undivided India in three dimension which has
the mountains, plains and oceans in right proportion. Unique Attactions Benaras Hindu University :This is the largest and oldest university in north India. Spread over
an area of 2,000 acres, this great place of education was established by Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya. Today
the campus has faculties of Arts, Science, Music, Sanskrit, Languages,
Engineering, Statistics and Medical to name a few of them. The
university also has the huge Vishwanath temple which was built and
maintained by the Birla family. Ram Nagar Durg :2
kms from the Kashi Hindu university, across the Ganges is located the
ancestral house in the fort which was built by the former rulers of
Kashi. In one of the sections of the fort is the museum which displays
the royalty which was once part of the kingdom. This museum gives an
insight into the grandeur which once prevailed in the fort. On the
Ramnagar Pandav road is a beautiful Durga temple. This temple has very
delicate and intricate carving done on stone. These carvings are worth
giving a look.