SWAGATAM
VARANASI
Distance Calculator in India


Location: National Highway No. 2 On Delhi-Calcutta Route (Uttar Pradesh)
Also Known As: Kashi
Main Attraction: The Ghats, Benaras Hindu University
Best Season: September-March

Varanasi or Banaras is one of the oldest cities of India. 
This city has found place in the Buddhist scriptures as well the epic of Mahabharata. 

In Pali language Varanasi was called Banarasi hence it got the name 'Banaras'. 
Varanasi is also called 'Kashi' or the city of spiritual light. 
Kashi is the place where Shiva and Parvati stood when the "time started ticking". 

This ancient city of India is located on holiest river of India--Ganga. 
This relation is unique and has attracted thousands of pilgrims. 
One theory also goes that Varanasi is located on the land 
between the river Varuna and Assi hence the name Varanasi. 

This town also has its place in history with many events and incidents 
being related with it. From time immemorial Varanasi has 
been the center of education, religion, art and culture. 

For every visitor Varanasi has different experiences to offer. 
The shimmering red and golden water of the Ganges when rays of dawn 
falls on them, the high banks, the temples, the Ashrams, 
the pavilions all are an experience in themselves. 

Gomukh to Ganga Sagar, 
Virtual Tour with all Details Varanasi Banaras

Chanting of Mantras, the hymns along with the fragrance of incense 
in fills the air with mysticism which entrails every person. 
The refreshing dip in the Ganges with the splashing of water along the 
ghats-- in Varanasi discovery and experience takes to the ultimate bliss. 

Not only for its temples, Ghats and Ganges Banaras has produced many 
exponents of art, music, literature and crafts. These people were not 
different from others but it was the tradition of Banaras
which moulded them in the way they came out to be. 

Why only the luminaries, Varanasi has excelled in the art of silk weaving. 
The Banarasi silk sarees and brocades are cherished as collector's items across the world. 

As a eternal city with rich and vibrant past, it has no exquisitely carved palaces, 
no impregnable fort no architectural splendour but still the city has an inherent charm of its own. 

The ghats dotted with temples, the maze of alleys along the ghats, what ever 
Varanasi has is enough to attract the visitor again and again. 
The city which did not die even after being plundered many 
times in is a true sense a fascinating area to wander around.

PRIME ATTRACTIONS
Religious Places
The Ghats Of Varanasi
In this ancient city of pilgrimage, the bathing ghats are main attraction. 
People flock here in large numbers every day to take bath and worship in 
the temples built beside the river bank. 
Centuries old tradition to offer puja to the rising Sun is still maintained.

The Kashi Vishwanath Temple / Gyanvapi Mosque 
This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is popularly known as the golden 
Temple due the Gold plating done on its 15.5 meter high spire. 
One tonne of gold donated by Maharaja Ranjit Singh has been used in the
gold plating of the spire. The temple was destroyed in the various
invasions and was rebuilt in 1776 by Rani Ahilyabai of Indore. 

St. Mary's Church
Situated in the cantonment area of Benaras (Varanasi) the St. Mary's 
Church has a low tower, spire and projecting poitico. Instead of windows tile, 
church has louvred doors to the sides and hooded ventilation slots beneath the cornice.

Durga Temple
Built in the 8th century, the Durga temple is one of the most important temples in Varanasi. 
This temple is built in Nagara Style. The shikhara of the temple is formed 
by many small spires which are built one on top of the other. 

Bharat Mata Temple 
This temple is dedicated to Mother India. Just one kilometer from the 
Varanasi station. The temple is built in the Mahatma Gandhi Kashi 
Vidyapeeth which was built by Babu Shiv Prasad Gupt. 
This temple was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi in 1936 so that the 
citizens could respect Mother India in statue form. The statute is built in marble. 
The statue is a replica of undivided India in three dimension which 
has the mountains, plains and oceans in right proportion. 

Tulsi Manas Temple
This temple is dedicated to Lord Rama. The temple is built in the place 
where Goswami Tulsidas composed the epic 'Ramacharitramanas' 
which provides us with detailed description of the history and deeds of 
Lord Rama. Tulsi Manas Temple was constructed by a philanthropist family in 1964.

Nepali Temple
The King of Nepal had built this temple on Lalita ghat in Nepali style. 
The Nepali temple is also called the 'Kathwala temple'. The temple has 
some magnificent woodwork. Tourist from all over the world come just to
see this temple which has no comparison with any other temple in India. 

The workers who carved this temple out were brought from Nepal. 
The wood used in the temple is also found in Nepal. The speciality of 
this wood is that termites do not eat this wood.     { Book Religious Tours }

Museums
Ram Nagar Durg 
2 kms from the Kashi Hindu university, across the Ganges is located 
the ancestral house in the fort which was built by the former rulers of Kashi. 
In one of the sections of the fort is the museum which displays 
the royalty which was once part of the kingdom. 

This museum gives an insight into the grandeur which once prevailed in the fort. 
On the Ramnagar Pandav road is a beautiful Durga temple. This temple has very 
delicate and intricate carving done on stone. These carvings are worth giving a look. 

Bharat Kala Museum 
The Kashi Hindu university has a museum which has a very rich collection 
of precious and rare historical artifacts, statues, pictures, paintings and manuscripts. 
This small but very well maintained museum gives an over view of the ancient 
city of Varanasi. Entry in the museum is free but check out the timings. 

Others
Nandeshwar Kothi
Nandeshwari Kothi, designed by James Prinsep is 
a typical building of the early 19th century in Benaras.

Benaras Hindu University
This is the largest and oldest university in north India. 
Spread over an area of 2,000 acres, this great place of education was
established by Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya. Today the campus has 
faculties of Arts, Science, Music, Sanskrit, Languages,
Engineering, Statistics and Medical to name a few of them. 

The university also has the huge Vishwanath temple which was built 
and maintained by the Birla family. The Sunderlal Medical center has 
all the modern facilities of medical field is also located in the university campus. 

Jantar Mantar 
The ruler of Jaisingh built an observatory in Varanasi in line with those 
built in Delhi, Mathura, Ujjain and Jaipur observatories. 
The Varanasi observatory has all the instruments which were required
to record the motion , speed and properties of various stars and 
planets and other cosmic objects. The observatory was built in 1600 and
still the instruments give the exact measurements which can match any modern instrument.
 Gomukh to Ganga Sagar, 
Virtual Tour with all Details Varanasi Banaras


Incredible India liveindia from Rajesh Chopra

Home

Goa
Rajasthan
Delhi
Mumbai
Bangalore
Chennai
Kerala
Kullu-Manali
Shimla
Khajuraho
Varanasi
Agra
All India
Palace on Wheels
Car rental
Air Tickets
Railways
Groups

 
live India
Copyright © 1998-2001 Live India Internet Services! All rights reserved

Legal Information
All rights reserved. No part of this publication and other sites of under liveindia.com may be transmitted 
or reproduced in any form or by any means without prior permission from the publisher 
Live India Internet Services or Rajesh Chopra,
L.C.Premium Cables, 1826, Amar Nath 2nd Building, Bhagirath Palace Delhi - 110006, India. 
Liveindia.com or Mr.Rajesh Chopra is not responsible for any wrong information under this site, 
For confirmation of any information it is recomended that you can reconfirm from yours end.