Varanasi
or Banaras is one of the oldest cities of India. This city has found
place in the Buddhist scriptures as well the epic of Mahabharata.
In Pali language Varanasi was called Banarasi hence it got the name
'Banaras'. Varanasi is also called 'Kashi' or the city of spiritual
light. Kashi is the place where Shiva and Parvati stood when the
"time started ticking".
This ancient city of India is located on holiest river of India--Ganga.
This relation is unique and has attracted thousands of pilgrims.
One theory also goes that Varanasi is located on the land between
the river Varuna and Assi hence the name Varanasi.
Tourist
Destinations:
» The
Kashi Vishwanath Temple
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 tonne 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.
» 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.
» Museums
& Arts Galleries
Archaeological
musuem Sarnath open 09:30 am.- 5 pm. Friday clossed. Ramnager fort
musuem, open 10 am.-5 pm. Clossed on Friday. Bharat Kala Bhawan
B.H.U. open 10:30 am.- 4 pm. Clossed on Sundays & university
holidays. Archaeological musuem, Sampurnanand Sanskrit University
open 10 am. – 5 pm. Clossed on Sunday & university holidays.
» 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.
» Nepali
Temple
The
King of Nepal had built this temple on Lalita ghat in Nepali style.
The Nepali temple is also called the 'Kathwala temple'. The temple
has some magnificent woodwork. Tourist from all over the world come
just to see this temple which has no comparison with any other temple
in India. The workers who carved this temple out were brought from
Nepal. The wood used in the temple is also found in Nepal. The speciality
of this wood is that termites do not eat this wood.
» How
to reach Varanasi
By
Air : Varanasi is well connected and accessible to major Indian
cities and tourist spots. There are daily domestic flights to and
from Varanasi to several cities in India.
By Rail : There are two railway stations in Varanasi,
the Kashi Junction and the Varanasi Junction (also known as Varanasi
Cantonment). Rajdhani Express from Delhi or from Calcutta passes
through Varanasi too. One can also catch trains from Mughalsarai,
just 10 km south of Varanasi.
By Road : Situated in the flat Ganga plains, Varanasi
has a good network of roads. frequent public and private buses
and road transport to all the major towns of Uttar Pradesh and
nearby areas.
