Popularly known as Cultural capital of India, Varanasi is one of the oldest
living cities of the world. The city has a past that dates back to 3500
hundred years, during which it has continuously been populated. Varanasi is
a restoration of an ancient name meaning the city between two rivers - the
Varuna and Asi. There are supposed to be 2,000 temples in Varanasi.
Tourist attraction in Varanasi
» The Ghats : Varanasi is famous for its ghats. Since the holy
dip in the Ganga as is considered sacred, so numbers of Ghats were formed on
the banks of the river Ganges. The Dasashvamedh Ghat offers a marvelous view
of the river front. According to legend, it was executed by Brahma to pave
way for Shiva's return to Varanasi after a curse of expulsion. Some of the
other special ghats are the Asi, Barnasangam, Panchganga and Manikarnika,
Ghats.
» Vishwanath Temple : Built in 1776, The holy Vishwanath temple
is dedicated to Vishveswara-Shiva as lord of the universe. The towers of the
temple are gold plated by 800 Kg of gold and was provided by Maharaja Ranjit
Singh of Lahore some 50 years later. The temple was built by Rani Ahilyabai
of Indore and non hindus are not allowed in temple.
» Bharat Mata Temple : Gifted by the nationalists Babu Shiv
Prasad Gupta and Shri Durga Prasad Khatri, leading numismatists and
antiquarians, its a unique temple devoted to Mother India, houses one of the
most perfect relief maps of India carved out of marble.
» Tulsi Manas Temple : Built in 1964, The temple is located at
the place where the great poet Goswami Tulsidas lived and composed the epic
poem 'Ramcharitmanas' explicatory the history and deeds of Lord Ram. Built
by a philanthropist family of Varanasi, this temple is dedicated to Lord
Ram.
» Banaras Hindu University : Built in 1917, Benares Hindu
university (BHU) is the largest residential university in Asia. Founded by
the great nationalist Pandit Malaviya, has been a centre of learning for
years. It has been a centre for education in Indian art, music, culture and
philosophy, and for the study of Sanskrit. It is famous for Bharat Kala
Bhavan which has a fine collection of miniature paintings, sculptures from
1st to 15th centuries.
Places of Interest Around Varanasi
» Sarnath : 10 Kms away from Varanasi. The great Buddha gave
his first sermon at Sarnath, after attaining enlightenment. Later Ashoka,
the great Maurya Emperor established outstanding stupas and other buildings
along with his mighty stone pillar, Dharmarajika Stupa. The 110 ft. tall
Damekh Stupa marks the place where Buddha preached first sermon.
» Chunar Fort : 22kms from Varanasi, the imposing sandstone
ramparts of Chunar command a wander in the Ganga before the river. Chunar
sandstone has been used for centuries, most popularly in Ashoka pillars .
Buyer's Paradise
Varanasi is especially known for its handicraft and is famous for its silk
You can also buy brass ware, ivory ware, gold jewellery, woodcraft, wall
hangings and lamp shades, carpets and masks of various Hindu/Buddhist gods,
goddesses and saints.
The main shopping areas are Chowk, Godowilia, Vishwanath Lane and Thatheri
Bazar. The hand - knotted carpets of Mirzapur and musical instruments are
among the other shopping attractions. 'Langda Aam', a variety of mangoes
available in the summer, is quite famous in Benares
