Varanasi, also known as Benares, one of the oldest and holiest of the Indian cities lies on the banks of the Ganges River in Uttar Pradesh, India.

Varanasi, also known as Benares, one of the oldest and holiest of the Indian cities lies on the banks of the Ganges River in Uttar Pradesh, India. The seat of North Indian culture for several thousands of years, it is one of the oldest cities in the world which has been continually inhabited. Referred to as the Indian spiritual capital, Varanasi attracts millions of domestic and foreign tourists from all over the world. An uniquely and vibrant 5000 years old city, Varanasi has been aptly described by Mark Twain in the following words, "Benaras is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend and looks twice as old as all of them put together."

Varanasi presents a microcosm of Hinduism, a city of steeped in the traditional culture of India. Glorified in Hinduism and sanctified in religious scriptures, it has attracted devotees, pilgrims and worshipers from time immemorial.

Varanasi is the city of Lord Shiva. The original name of Varanasi was 'Kashi,' derived from the word 'Kasha,' meaning brightness. According to Hindu scriptures, Varanasi was founded by Lord Shiva that’s why it is called as Mahashamshaan or the final resting place of humans. From birth to death, every aspect of earthy existence and some say even salvation is achieved only in the 5000-year-old city. The experience of the city cannot be limited to words. Spiritually enlightening and fantastically photogenic. It is also known variously as Avimuktaka, Anandakanana, Mahasmasana, Surandhana, Brahma Vardha, Sudarsana and Ramya.

The city derives its name from the two rivers, Varuna and Asi. According to the ‘Vamana Purana’, the Varuna and the Assi rivers originated from the body of the primordial being at the beginning of time. The present name Varanasi has its origin in these two tributaries of the Ganges, Varuna and Asi, which flank its northern and southern borders. The tract of land lying between them was named ‘Varanasi,' the holiest of all pilgrimages. Banaras or Benaras, as it is popularly known, is only a corruption of the name Varanasi.

The favorite city of Lord Shiva is also mentioned in the ancient Hindu scripture, the ‘Rig Veda’, as an important seat of learning. The first settlement in this area goes back to 11th century BCE and according to Hinduism, it was Lord Shiva who founded this city. It was also home to the twenty third Jain Tirthankara, Parshva in the 8th century BCE and during the lifetime of Gautam Buddha, the city was a thriving centre and the capital of the Kashi kingdom. Around 635 ADE , Xuanzang, a Chinese traveler who visited the city noted that, as a throbbing centre of cultural and religious activities the city stretched for almost 5 km by the riverside. Qutb-ud-din Aibak who conquered Varanasi around 1194 supposedly destroyed thousands of temples in the city. Even though the process of suppression was continued by successive rulers like Feroz Shah and Sikandar Lodi, Varanasi still continued to remain the nerve centre of religious and intellectual activity of the middle ages in India.! 🕉👁🕉

Har Har Mahadev Shambhu Kashi Vishwanath Gange 🙏🕉🙏
Shubh Ratri ✨📿✨