Formerly known as Benares, the holy city of Hindus on the banks of the sacred, purifying river Ganga. 10 kilometers away is Sarnath where the Buddha preached his first sermon of enlightenment, 25 centuries ago. Varanasi is one of the most important pilgrim sites in India.

An 'eternal' city, it abounds with a rich and vibrant past. Varanasi is another holy spot on the life giving Mother Ganges. As a religious centre, it is beyond compare. It is one of the foremost 'tirthas' (place of pilgrimage). Varanasi, as the legend goes was created by Shiva, the cosmic lord. It figures prominently in the epic Mahabharat. Puranic Literature dates its existence to at least three millennia.

SIGHTSEEING

VISHWANATH TEMPLE
The Vishwanath temple, or Golden Temple, is the most sacred temple in Varanasi and is dedicated to Vishveswara-Shiva as lord of the universe. The original temple was destroyed by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, and the present temple was built in 1776 by Rani Ahilyabai of Indore . 800kg of gold plating on the towers, which gives the temple its colloquial name, was provided by Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Lahore some 50 years later.

BENARAS HINDU UNIVERSITY
Varanasi has long been a centre of learning and that tradition is continued today at the Benaras Hindu University (BHU) built in 1917. It is considered to be the largest residential university in Asia. It was founded by the great nationalist Pandit Malaviya as a centre for education in Indian art, music, culture and philosophy, and for the study of Sanskrit. The five sq km campus houses the Bharat Kala Bhavan which has a fine collection of miniature paintings, sculptures from 1st to 15th centuries.


RAM NAGAR FORT & MUSEUM
On the opposite bank of river, this 17th century fort is the home of the former maharaja of Benaras. It looks most impressive from the river, though the decrepit planking of the pantoon bridge you cross to reach it is somewhat of a distraction. During the monsoon access is by ferry. The interesting museum here contains old silver & brocade palanquins for the ladies of the court, gold-plated elephant howdahs, an astrological clock, macabre elephant traps and an armoury of swords and old guns.

 

SARNATH
About ten kms from the Varanasi, is the place where lord Buddha after enlightenment gave his first sermon or as the Buddhist say set the 'wheel of dharma' or law rolling. Today Sarnath is considered as one of the richest place to have antiques since the Ashoka period to the 12th century.

BHARAT MATA TEMPLE
Dedicated to 'Mother India', this temple has a marble relief map of India instead of usual images of gods & goddesses. The map is said to be perfectly in scale, both vertically and horizontally. The temple was opened by Mahatma Gandhi.

TULSI MANAS TEMPLE
Only 150m south of Durga Temple is the modern marble shikhara-style Tulsi Manas Temple, built in 1964. Its two tier walls are engraved with verves and scenes from the Ram Charit Manas, the Hindi version of the Ramayana. Its author , poet Tulsi Das, lived here while writting it.This Temple is on the spot where Saint Tulsidas composed the Ramayana in Hindi (The Ramacharitamanas).
 

DURGA TEMPLE
The Durga temple is one of the most important temples in Varanasi and is built in the 18th century, by Bengali maharani and is stained red with ochre . This temple is built in north Indian Nagara style with a multi-tiered shikhara (spire). The shikhara of the temple is formed by many small spires which are built one on top of the other. Durga is the 'terrible' form of Shiva's consort Parvati, so at festivals there are often sacrifices of goats. It is commonly known as Monkey Temple due to many frisky monkey that have made it their home.