Varanasi Varanasi, the city of Shiva, is one of the holiest cities in India. Hindu pilgrims come to wash away all their sins in the Ganges. Varanasi was previously called Benares and Kashi (City of Life) and has always been an auspicious place to die, since expiring here offers moksha - liberation from the cycle of birth and death. The city is the beating heart of the Hindu universe, a crossing place between the physical and spiritual worlds, and the Ganges is viewed as a river of salvation, an everlasting, ever flowing symbol of hope to past, present and future generations. The magical but sometimes overwhelming city is where the most intimate rituals of life and death take place in public on the city's famous ghats. The accessibility to the practices of an ancient but still living religious tradition is what captivates many visitors.Varanasi has been a centre of learning and civilisation for over 2000 years, and claims to be one of the oldest living cities in the world. Mark Twain wrote that 'Benares is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend, and looks twice as old as all of them put together.' Its history dates back to 1400 BC, but it was around the 8th century AD that Varanasi rose in prominence when Shankaracharya, a reformer of Hinduism, established Shiva worship as the principal sect. The Afghans destroyed Varanasi around AD 1300, after laying waste to nearby Sarnath, but the fanatical Mughal emperor Aurangzeb was the most destructive, looting and destroying almost all of the temples. The old city of Varanasi may look antique, but few buildings are more than a couple of hundred years old. The old city of Varanasi is situated along the western bank of the Ganges and extends back from the riverbank ghats in a labyrinth of alleys called galis that are too narrow for traffic. The galis can be disorienting but the hotels are usually well-signposted and however lost you become, you will eventually land up at a ghat where you can get your bearings. Other Useful Information
ShoppingVaranasi is famous for silk brocades and beautiful Benares sarisBe careful if you buy musical instruments as some will crack or change shape when subjected to a different climate. Talk to musicians, about the different prices and types of instrument before venturing into a shop. Ingenious locally made toys, Bhadohi carpets, brass ornaments, perfumes and textiles are other popular purchases. SightsGhatsVaranasi's principal attraction is the long string of ghats that line the western bank of the Ganges. Most are used for bathing but there are also several 'burning ghats' where bodies are cremated in public. The best time to visit the ghats is at dawn when the river is bathed in a mellow light as pilgrims come to perform puja to the rising sun, and at sunset when the main ganga aarti ceremony takes place at Dasaswamedh Ghat. Vishwanath Temple Also called the Golden Temple, this is the most popular Hindu temple in Varanasi and is dedicated to Vishveswara - Shiva as lord of the universe. The current temple was built in 1776 by Ahalya Bai of Indore, while the 800kg of gold plating on the tower and dome was supplied by Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Lahore 50 years later. There has been a succession of Shiva temples in the vincinity, but they were routinely destroyed by Muslim invaders. Aurangzeb continued this tradition, knocking down the previous temple and building the Gyanvapi Mosque over it. Benares Hindu University Varanasi has long been a centre of learning and that tradition continues today at the large and well-regarded Benares Hindu University (BHU), which was established in 1917. Founded by nationalist Pandit Malaviya as a centre for education in Indian art, music, culture and philosophy and for the study of Sanskrit, it now offers courses in just about every subject and has 14,000 students including 2000 foreigners. New Vishwanath Temple The New Vishwanath Temple (from 4 am-noon & 1-9 pm), unlike most temples in Varanasi, is open to all, irrespective of caste or religion, but is nothing special. The university is a 40-minute autorickshaw ride (Rs 150) from the train station. Ram Nagar Fort & Museum On the eastern bank of the Ganges, inside a crumbling 17th-century fort and palace is a haphaza Road museum (admission Rs 7; from 9 am-noon & 2 - 5.30 pm). Exhibits include palanquins, howdahs, an astrological clock, clothing, weapons and other collectables. The maharaja still patronises the annual month-long Ram Lila drama festival held around here. Yoga & meditation The Malaviya Bhavan (Benares Hindu University) offers a four-week physical yoga certificate course (one hour per day) that also covers Hindu philosophy. Students must obtain a student visa. Certificate courses begin in March, April, August, September, November and December, while the diploma course starts in January.
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