Varanasi is also known as Banaras or Kashi situated on the banks of river Ganges. It is a major religious hub in India for Hinduism and Buddhism. The city is considered as one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world and the people here to take bath in the holy river” Ganges” that allows them to break the cycle of rebirth and attain deliverance by washing away their sins. Many people perform funeral rituals at the Ghats.
The city is known all out for very fine silk and banarasi saree, with the work of gold and silver threads and these saris are often wore in marriages and other special occasion. The climate is called as humid subtropical climate. The summers and monsoons are brutal. Relatively best time to explore the city is winter.
How To Visit
Road –
Banaras is well connected with NH 12 and 28 that means it is Coupled with Lucknow, Allahabad, Patna, Gorakhpur and Ranchi. There are ample amount of buses running to and fro.
Railways –
There are 2 main railways networks in Kashi; Kashi railway station and Varanasi railway junction. The trains from cities like Jaipur, New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Patna and Allahabad. The ticket charge per person is around Rs. 550 to Rs. 1500.
Airways –
Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport is nearest at the distance of 24kms which is easily covered by local transportation like auto or pre-booked cabs. The airport may doesn’t have frequent flights but it has seen flights from Goa, Chennai, Bangalore, New Delhi, Jaipur and Ahmedabad. The flight charge starts from Rs. 1500.
Tourist Attractions
Manikarnika Ghat
This place is believed to be one of the most auspicious Ghats to attend “moksh’’ and number of funeral rituals performed here on daily basis here is quite high. The holy water of Ganges is often seen with floating flowers and diyas.
Dhamek Stupa
This is massive stone of 43.6m tall and 28m wide built 1500 years ago. It is believed that Buddha has delivered his first lecture i.e.” Eightfold Path”.
Kashi Vishwanath Temple
This is one of the significant temples of Hindu Mythology dedicated to Lord Shiva. The statue of Shiva is 253 feet tall and is one the 12 jyothirlingas . The temple is known as Golden Temple.
Banaras Hindu University
The university comes under the world’s ancient university running since 1916. It is home land for 25k students making it Asia’s largest resident university. The centre of attraction is Bharat Kala Museum. The Museum is centre of over 10k miniature paintings and holds archeological and artistic importance.
Miscellanous Places
Assi Ghat
Dasaswamedh Ghat