Varanasi- The Land Of Temples
Varanasi is the spiritual capital of India . It is One of the seven Holy Cities, one of the twelve Jyotir Linga sites,Varanasi also known as Banaras or Kashi,the city is located on the bans of the river Ganga in the Uttar Pradesh and is the capital of Lucknow.
Talking about the history of Banaras- In the 16th century, Varanasi experienced a cultural revival under the Mughal king Akbar and built two large temples dedicated to Shiva and Vishnu, though much of modern Varanasi was built during the 18th century, by the Maratha and Brahmin kings. Varanasi has been a cultural centre of North India for several thousand years. Hindus believe that death in the city will bring salvation and thus make it a major centre for pilgrimage. Silk weaving, carpets and crafts play a major role in tourism.
Top Tourist Attraction-
Dashashwamedh Ghat– is one of the oldest, most spectacular ghat, at the bank of the river Gange.It is believed that this is the place where Lord Brahma performed the Dasa Ashwamedha sacrifice.This Ghat is always crowded ,one can enjoy aarti every evening at 7pm.
Kashi Vishwanath Temple– One of the most visited temples in India, the Kashi Vishwanath lies on the western banks of the river Ganga. Home to the 12th Jyotirlinga of Lord Shiva, this city finds mention in most Vedas and scriptures and once has gold spires, which is why it is also called the Golden temple.The temple opens at 2.30 AM every day. There are 5 Aartis that are conducted in the Kashi Vishwanath Temple daily.
1.Mangala Aarti: 3 AM – 4 AM
2. Bhoga Aarti: 11.15 AM – 12.20 PM
3. Sandhya Aarti: 7.00 PM – 8.15 PM
4. Shringara Aarti: 9.00 PM – 10.15 PM
5. Shayana Aarti: 10.30 PM – 11.00 PM
Manikarnika Ghat– It is not an ordinary ghat ,it is the cremation ground.Manikarnika ghat is a Shakti Peetha. Shakti Peeths are places on Earth where parts of the corpse of Sati Devi fell, when Lord Shiva carried it and wandered. There are 51 Shakti Peeth linking to the 51 alphabets in Sanskrit. Sati Devi also known as Dakshyani, is believed to be the first wife of Lord Shiva, the second being Parvati. Goddess Parvati is known to be the reincarnation of Sati Devi.
Sarnath – It is one of the world’s most important Buddhist sites, Sarnath is the place where Gautam Buddha first taught the Dharma then Buddhist Sangha originated . There is a village 1 km away from the Sarnath known as the Singhpur where Shreyansanath was born. He was known as the eleventh Tirthankara of Jainism. This is why the sarnath is also an important pilgrimage site for Jainism. Sarnath originated from Saranganath known as the “Lord of the Deer”. This park is still exists there today.
Ramnagar fort-Ramnagar Fort is a great place to visit as there you can see the ancient type of architecture and style. It serves as a great place for amateur photographers with its picturesque views from the fort during the sunset. The quaint fort was constructed using red sandstone. This fort has two stunning temples and a museum within the property. While one temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, the other one was built to venerate Ved Vyasa, who wrote the great Indian epic, Mahabharata.
Chunar fort-The chunar fort is in the out skirt of Varanasi.The Chunar Fort was established by Maharaja Vikramaditya, the King of Ujjain for his brother Raja Bhartihari. As per Alha Khand, King Sahadeo made this fort as his capital and renamed as Nainagarh in 1029 AD.It is known as Chandrakanta Chunargarh and Charanadri, it is one of the best places to visit near Varanasi.Even today the Chunar fort stands tall above the Ganga, but sadly most tourists who visit Varanasi give miss this beautiful fort.
I have covered top 5 attractions in Varanasi ,hope my post helps one .It is a beautiful place with Ghats ,temples and fort .
Do share in the comments if you have been here once.
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Thats a nice informative post Pallavi
Loved the pictures. I have been to Varanasi, when I was 12 years old. That makes it almost 25 years ago. Reading your post makes me realise that its time to make a trip to the holy city once again.
I will be going here soon!! thank you for this wonderful post!
I visited Varanasi during my college days. Although it was just a day trip, we had thoroughly enjoyed the places within Banaras. The ghats, the temple and the boat ride in river Ganga is something that I thoroughly enjoyed. Thank you for bringing back those moments back.
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Thanks for such an informative post. I knew only about the temples, but after reading your post, forts also have made into my must-visit list. Thanks for bringing the unknown places in Varanasi into focus with your article. Wonderful photos
That’s an informative post. I still remember and get mesmerized by the guided Ganga Aarti boat ride, the unforgettable experience. Varanasi gets its name from 2 ghats i.e. Varun+Assi the two prominent ghats on the two edges of the city.
Very detailed post…thanka for sharing this
What a detailed post it is. Varanasi is on my wish list of temple visits. And the post is a full fledge guide.
I really like your writing style, fantastic information, thank you for posting :D. “You can complain because roses have thorns, or you can rejoice because thorns have roses.” by Ziggy.
Such a fabulous post, Pallavi! You have even mentioned the history and aarti timings! In Gujarat, it is said – surat nu jaman ane kashi nu maran which roughly translates to food in Surat and death in Kashi are unparalleled. I have not been to Benaras, though I love Benarasi aloo ka papad and lal mirch ka achar. My husband visited the city, but somehow I couldn’t at that time. I regret my decision every day, more so when I read such lovel posts! ?
What a wonderful and informative post! And the images too, beautiful. Most tourists only know of the Kashi Vishwanath temple and the ghats of Varanasi. This post will do its bit in sharing the knowledge.??
A post as beautiful as the city you’ve written about. I have wanted to visit Varanasi forever now. Reading your informative posts makes me wish I visit it soon.
Varanasi seems like a fascinating place and after reading your post I’m surely going to plan a trip there. Thanks for sharing!
Lovely post Pallavi. Loved the details and pictures. Chunar fort which finds mention in Devkinandan Khatri’s Chandrakanta Santati (8 novel series) is skipped because it’s not so well promoted. I wish you had mentioned the new Kashi Vishwanath temple in BHU campus and Sankatmochan temple also. Also the most important shopping experience- Banarasi silk sarees which are in vogue currently.
Varanasi is on my bucket list for quite a while. Very detailed post and great clicks.
Nice post Pallavi. Good information on timing of Aartis. Keep the good work going. Just a small thing you can use bigger images – that will definitely highlight the post.
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Thanks for becoming my guide to Varanasi. Nice write-up:)
Very informative post. I spent 4 years in Varanasi between 1984 and 1988 when I did my engineering in IIT-BHU. Those days it was called IT-BHU. I have visited the ghats and have also gone boating in the Ganges. It used to be a heavenly experience.
Thanks for sharing about the city in such detail. It will be fun as we will be visiting the city soon for a marriage.
This has been on my wishlist for a while now. Very detailed post.
Varanasi attracts tourists from all over the world for its heritage and spirituality. It is in my bucket list but never got a chance to be there. Thanks to you I can zero down places to visit when I reach there. Must add, beautiful pictures and details shared are helpful.
Very informative and detailed post, Pallavi! Really great! And what amazing photos ?