Travel to Varanasi to Experience the Union of Body with Soul

The holy city of Varanasi is an important Hindu pilgrimage destination. Banaras or Kashi are another names of the city. A land of spirituality, mysticism and Hindu philosophy, the city lies along the banks of River Ganges. The prominence of the city in Hindu mythology is completely unmatched.

The history of Varanasi dates back to 1400 BC. Builtt in 8th century AD, Varanasi became prominent when Shankaracharya, a reformer of Hinduism, established the worship of Lord Shiva as the principal sect. The city has been an important centre of learning and civilization for around 2000 years. It is known as one of the oldest living cities in the world.

Varanasi is a hub of education. It has been connected with encouragement of yoga, spiritualism, Sanskrit and religious studies. The city may seem antique but several buildings are a couple of hundred years old.

Tourist Places in Varanasi

Being the oldest city of the world, Varanasi attracts thousands of people every year. Apart from many famous temples, you can also see Ashrams, Ghats, Buddhist Stupas and Jain temples.

Tulsi Manas Mandir is amongst the most popular temples of the city. It is the spot where the great saint Tulsi Das composed 'Ram Charit Manas'. Considered as an important Jyotirlinga in the country, Kashi Vishwanath Mandir is a revered temple. Dedicated to Lord Hanuman, Sankat Mochan is another important temple. Dating back to the 18th century, Durga temple is dedicated to Goddess Durga.

Dedicated to the human manifestation, Bharat Mata Mandir is also a popular temple of Varanasi. It does not house any statue but only a relief map of India, which is carved out of marble.

Varanasi boasts of its 80 ghats. Considered as the best spots to take bath or to perform rituals, these ghats are popular among devotees. Dasaswamedh, Assi and Manika
ika ghats are the famous ones.

Banaras Hindu University (BHU) is another important place in Varanasi. It is an internationally renowned University, founded by Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, the great nationalist leader in 1916. The BHU campus houses Bharat Kala Bhavan, which is an art and architecture museum. It also houses a beautiful collection of paintings, Hindu and Buddhist sculptures.

Excursions

There are many historical and religious places and few towns around Varanasi, which are worth to visit. Some of the famous ones are Sarnath, Kaushambi, Chunar, Jaunpur, Kushinagar and Vindhyachal. Located about 10 km from Varanasi, Sarnath is popular for being the place where Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon after attaining enlightenment.

The city is a mirror of age old Indian civilization. You can still see the remains of past, including Ashoka Pillar, the National emblem of India in the Archaeological Museum at Sarnath.