Uttar Pradesh Cities
- Agra |
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Call it Kashi or Benaras, the holy essence of the city of Varanasi
will not change. Varanasi is considered as the city of Moksha by the Hindus
since ages. Being an important pilgrimage point of the Hindus, the city is
always crowded by innumerable tourists all the year round. People say that a
dip in waters of the holy ghats of Varanasi sets an individual free from his
or her sins. Varanasi is known to all as the oldest city of the world. The
city is not only associated to the Hinduism but also with Buddhism and
Jainism.
In Hinduism it is believed that if after death a person is cremated here he
gets an instant gateway to liberation from the cycle of births and re
births. Having a history of about 3000 years, the city is situated on the
banks of river Ganges. It is the temples of this city that are the major
draws of the place. The aura of 'Bhakti' ( devotion) can be felt everywhere
by all those visiting the city of Varanasi.
Main Attractions
Ghats - If in Varanasi, you really cannot miss on
spending hours siting near the Ghats and enjoying the nature at its peak.
There are around 80 Ghats in Varanasi. Ghats are the steps that lead down to
the river. There are a number of Ghat, some of them are:
- Dasawamadh Ghat
- Manikarnika Ghat
- Asi Ghat
- Mir Ghat
- Harishchandra Ghat
- Dattatreya Ghat
- Barnasangam Ghat
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- Scindhia Ghat
- Balaji Ghat
- Lalita Ghat
- Gwalior Ghat
- Manmandir Ghat
- Panchganga Ghat
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Temple Land - The aroma of incense sticks,
ringing temple bells, humming prayers of the pundits, the flame of the
temple Aarati are some of the important features of temples that would
persuade you to change the atheist attitude within you if any. At every
corner in Varanasi you would come across a temple.
- Golden Temple
- Durga Temple
- Tulsi Manas Temple
- New Vishwanath Temple
- Bharat Mata Temple
Banaras Hindu University - The internationally
famed university, Banaras Hindu University is located in Varanasi. National
leaders like Madan Mohan Malviya and Dr. Annie Besant played a pivotal role
in the formation of this university. The university has a sprawling campus
of 1300 acres. And comprises 15000 students and 2000 teachers and nearly
5000 non-teaching staffs.
Ramnagar Fort & Museum - This fort was
constructed in the early 18th century. The museum contains old silver and
brocade palaquins for the ladies of the court, elephant howdahs made of
silver, old brocades, a replica of the royal bed and an armoury of swords
and old guns.
Shopper's Delight
Ladies are always delighted by the very idea of shopping and when they land
to a place which is said to be the hub of excellent silk sarees, you can
very well imagine their state. What to buy and what not???
Brocade and silver embroidered sarees of Varanasi are very famous. Apart
from these wonderful pieces of brassware, copperware, wooden and clay toys,
hand made carpets, shawls, wall hangings, zari work are the chief buys. The
major shopping zones of Varanasi are:
- Gyan Vapi
- Vishwanath Gali
- Thatheri Bazar
- Lahurabir
- Godoulia or Dashswamedh Gali
- Golghar
How To Reach
By Air - Varanasi is well connected by Air to all
the major Indian cities. Several domestic flights operate to and fro from
Varanasi to major cities.
By Rail - Varanasi being a major tourist destination
is well linked by rail lines to most of the places like Delhi, Mumbai ,
Kolkata and others. The Kashi Junction and the Varanasi Junction are the two
main stations of Varanasi.
By Road - The city of Varanasi has a good network of
roads. The public and private buses run through all the major towns.
