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Varanasi,
or Benaras as it was earlier called, sacred to the Hindus has
many names: Kashika, or 'the shining one' referring to the light
of Shiva. Avimukta, meaning 'never forsaken', refers to the
city that Shiva never deserted. Anandavana, the 'forest of bliss',
and Rudravasa, the place where Shiva (Rudra) resides. This city
has held many a true sceptic captive, despite the atmosphere
being dirty and crowded, badly planned and chaotic.
The holy river of the Hindus, the Ganga traces a great arc through
Varanasi, perfectly aligning the river bank with the rising
sun. A dip in the Ganga is considered to be a rite of purification,
with the power to purge all sins. The ultimate pilgrimage Varanasi,
or Kashi or Benaras as is believed to be the place that provides
man the answers to the penultimate quest for salvation and enlightenment.
Wake up early and hire a boat, watch the sun rise over the famous
ghats and close your eyes before you open them again to let
the sight stay with you. For a city that is considered ancient,
there is no temple, no monument older than 3 centuries ago.
Credit for this shame goes to the destructive Emperor Aurangzeb
and the carnage he wrought here. But for all of that, the city
gazes at you calmly and waits for you to realize the answers
to all your questions and at Varanasi, this seems completely
possible.
Population : Approx 1.2 million
Climate : Varanasi ensures that its pilgrims have a hard
time at least by way of the weather. Hot and humid summers make
you swelter at 45°C. the monsoons offer some respite but not
much at 37°C. Winters are the best, with temperatures at 30°C.
Best times to visit : Other then the peak of summer from
May to June and the monsoons from July to August, plan a trip
anytime. |
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The Ghats
Many a story has been told of the Ghats of Varanasi. Quite an
amazing experience as you either walk along or brave the waters.
This is the real Varanasi, with its godmen in saffron, the echoes
of the shlokas, bathing pilgrims with prayers on their chilled
and stuttering lips, the shoreline with flames lapping up towards
the sky where the dead are sent to heaven - a thousand sights
and smells assault and overwhelm you. The more famous of the
Ghats are the Dasashwamedha, Manikarnika, Assi, Panch Ganga
and Harishchandra Ghats.
Vishwanath Temple
With the only constraint being that only Hindus are allowed
inside the temple, the Vishwanath Temple was built in 1777,
by Ahilya Bai Holkar of Indore. Aurangzeb's destruction of the
temple and the rebuilding of it on the same site gives its history
value and the temple has been the principal Shiva Temple in
Varanasi for more than a thousand years. Known as the 'Golden
Temple', because of the 800 kgs of gold, which adorns its shikharas,
the roof was gold-plated by the blessing of Maharaja Ranjit
Singh in 1835. In the inner sanctum, the shivling is enshrined
atop a golden altar.
Bharat Mata Temple
Dedicated to India, this temple was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi.
Inside, there is a marble relief map of India and other related
memorabilia. The symmetry of design and scale of the map catches
your attention.
Gyan Kup
Said to date back to well before the birth of the Ganges, Gyan
Kup literally translates into the 'Well of Knowledge and Wisdom'.
The kup is conveniently situated next to the main temple and
the water from the well is believed to 'indicate the highest
spiritual illumination'.
Gyanvapi Mosque
In an act that was typical of its eccentric and destructive
builder Aurangzeb, this great mosque was built with materials
salvaged from plundered Hindu temples. The monument is an architectural
wonder, with minarets, which are 71 m in height. It is only
the rear portions of the mosque that give away its Hindu origins.
Benares Hindu University
The BHU, as it is popularly known, was founded in 1917 by well-known
nationalist Pt Malviya. The largest residential university in
India, it houses an excellent Sanskrit School as also a museum
within its campus, the Bharat Kala Bhavan Museum. The Museum
has an amazing collection of old manuscripts, ancient sculptures
and paintings.
Ramnagar Fort and Museum
The ancestral home of the former Maharaja of Varanasi, this
17th century fort-palace was built by Maharaj Balwant Singh
and is situated across the river to the south of the city. The
fort has a temple and a museum within the grounds, the temple
being dedicated to Veda Vyasa, the author of the Mahabharata,
who stayed briefly at the Ramnagar Fort. An interesting array
of ornate palanquins, gold-plated howdahs and weapons are some
of the artifacts on display. |
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| Special Festivals |
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Annakuta
Held from October to December, this festival is held at the
Annapurna Temple in Vishwanath Gali. On this occasion, small
mounds or 'hills' are made of sweets and distributed to the
devotees.
Ganga Mahotsav
Held during the months of October and November, this is a great
time and event to be a part of. A festival of music and dance,
there is great enthusiasm both on the side of the dancers as
well as the onlookers. The music is fast and then slows down
to accommodate the scenes that the dances portray. Sometimes
swinging and simply graceful at other times, there is excitement
in the air.
Ganga Saptami and Ganga Dussehra
This festival, dedicated to the river is celebrated from April
to June. At this time, a fair is held at Manikarnika Kund above
Manikarnika Ghat. In thanks and worship of the river, people
string huge garlands, go out in boats and float them across
the river.
Kartik Purnima
Like most of the festivals celebrated with lights, Kartik Purnima,
celebrated from October to December is a beautiful sight. Held
at Panchganga Ghat, you can see people come and leave behind
lamps, which gently float in the river. At times when the crowd
thins, all you can see is the gleaming river and the hundreds
of earthen lamps, bright and burning in little dots all across
the river.
Maha Shivaratri
January to March sees the grand celebrations of Maha Shivratri
or the night of Shiva. This is a night where people throng the
temples in Varanasi, since sleep is forbidden on this night.
There is a lot of noise and excitement as people sing with abandon
and pray with fervour. The best place to be in Varanasi on this
night is the Vishwanath temple.
Navaratra
Like all parts of India, Navratri is a much celebrated festival
in Varanasi too. From October to December, there are constant
activities in the temples of the city and on the lanes as well.
Ramleela
Celebrated in October, the Ramleela is part of folklore and
marks the glory of Lord Rama. It is held both in the city and
at Ramnagar. Performances and music make for an exciting time |
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By Air
: Indian Airlines and Jet Airways connect Varanasi to Agra,
Delhi, Khajuraho, Lucknow and Mumbai. There are also regular
flights connecting Varanasi with Kathmandu.
By Rail : Varanasi is well connected by trains from Delhi,
Agra as well as Kolkata. |
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