Introduction
320km (198 miles) SE of Lucknow; 765km (474 miles) SE of Delhi
A crumbling maze of a city that rises from the ghats (steps) on the western banks of the Ganges, Varanasi is in many senses the quintessential India. With an ancient history -- Mark Twain famously described it as "older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend, and looks twice as old as all of them put together" -- it is also one of the most sacred cities in the world today. Kashi, or "City of Light, where the eternal light of Shiva intersects the earth," as Varanasi is seen by devotees, is the holiest of Indian pilgrimages, home of Shiva, where the devout come to wash away their sins. It is also one of the holiest tirthas (literally a "crossing" or sacred place where mortals can cross over to the divine, or the gods and goddesses come to bathe on earth), where many return to die in the hope that they may achieve moksha, the salvation of the soul from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth.
... more local info
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Bharat Kala Bhavan Museum
As is so often the case in India, this museum suffers from poor curatorship, with exhibits -- which are marvelous -- haphazardly displayed and...
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- Museums
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Kashi Vishwanath Temple
Of the more than 2,000 temples in Varanasi, the most important is Kashi Vishwanath Temple, or "Golden Temple," dedicated to Lord Shiva, the presiding...
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Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
- Varanasi (Benaras) has been acknowledged worldwide as the world's oldest continuously inhabited city - how much more historic can it get? :)
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- Attractions
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