By: David H.
Submitted: 2011-09-26 01:21:33 | Word Count: 564
Varanasi or Benares or Kashi as the city is popularly known is located on the most pious of the Indian rivers, the Mighty Ganges.It is said that one can attain salvation and purify one's soul after visiting Varanasi and taking a dip in the Holy River.
The famous American writer Mark Twain had once remarked that "Benares is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend, and looks twice as old as all of them put together."It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and the most ancient one in India.
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According to a legend, the city was founded by Lord Shiva, the Hindu diety, some 8000 years ago which makes it one of the most pious and important pilgrimage in the country.Many of the ancient Hindu scriptures like the Rigveda, Skanda Purana, Ramayana and Mahabharat have mention of this city.
Apart from the Hindus, Kashi is equally significant for the people belonging to the Buddhist as well as the Jain religious philosophy.
One of the most prestigious universities in India, the Banaras Hindu University is situated in this city.It ranks among the top notch institutions of the country which are engaged in the field of academics and research consistently.The University was founded by Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya in 1916 and has been an inspiration for many freedom fighters.
Varanasi is often identified by its various religious flavors.Ganga is called the Mokshadayini River which literally means that she absolves a person of all his/her sins and purifies the soul.And when that purest river flows past a city, it is but natural that the city also gains significance for the same. Due to its positional advantage along the banks of River Ganga, Varanasi is given a place at the forefront of the Hindu religion.It is considered to be the Gateway to the Heaven.
One of the most chief places to visit in the city is the holy shrine of Lord Kashi VIshwanath( one of the forms of Lord Shiva) and is also one of the 12 Jyotirlingas across the country.It is said that if a person visits this temple and diety once then he gets as much benefit as he or she would if they visited the rest of the 11 jyotirlingas.
For so many centuries, Varanasi has been a center of learning and has been a leading light of the Indian philosophy, mysticism and spiritualism.It is also called the city of Ghats and Ashrams.There are numerous Ashrams and Muths which are run by different religious outfits and which also serve as centers for learning and teaching.
One of the major attractions of the city is the various Ghats along the River Ganga.Banaras has as many as 100 Ghats.Many of them were built by the Maratha Rulers like the Shindes, Holkars, Bhonsales and the Peshwas.Some of these Ghats are used for bathing while some others are used as cremation sites.
Some of the most famous Ghats along the river are the Manikarnika Ghat, Dashashwamedha Ghat located near the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Scindia Ghat, Mata Mandir Ghat and Lalita Ghat.
Varanasi is an amalgamation of various religious beliefs which have coexisted harmoniously through the centuries.It is one of the most significant places of tourist interest and many of the western tourists come here in search of solace and salvation.
