Varanasi
About the city
Varanasi (Kashi)
Varanasi or Banaras, the ‘Abode of Lord shiva' is one of the oldest living cities in the world. Its place in Hindu mythology is virtually univalled and is in fact, the microcosm of Hinduism. According to legends, the city was created by Lord Shiva himself and the puranic literature dates its existence to at least three millennia. The early history of Varanasi is replete with hoary tles of plunder and destruction by conquerors and religious zealots. Kashi, the mythological name of this eternal city is said to be derived from the word ‘kasha', meaning shine or bright, as it was considered to be the ‘city of light' or spiritual luminance. The present name is a combination of varunal and Asi, the two tributaries of Ganga flowing along the northern and southern borders of the holy city. At Varanasi, Buddha and Mahavira preached and shankracharya wrote his commentaries on Hinduism. Patanjali, the sanskrit grammarian wrote Mahabhasya and Tulsidas composed Ramcharitmanas. and kabir preeached amity between religions. Varanas is also an important centre of education and has produced several world renowned academicians, musicians and artists. It is a famous centre for fine arts and crafts. The Benarasi silk sari with zari brocading in gold and silver and fine metal wires is a priceless possession of any Indian woman. It also has a rich repertoire of silver, brass, copper artefacts and trinkets as well as aromatic perfumeries. There is no Indian attraction like Varanasi. It is much more than just a mere city, but is a way of life.Varanasi (Benares) is the holiest and oldest city of the Hindus. The present name is derived from Varuna and Asi, two rivers on whose confluence the city exists. Now more than a million pilgrims a year, visit the most dedicated making a six- day, 58 km circuit of the city on foot. Anyone, regardless of creed, who dies within this area achieves nirvana, freedom from the cycle of death and rebirth. Hence many old and infirm people come here for their last days. There are old established places for these people, similar to hospices, where the accent is on spiritual care.
Kashi Vishwanath Temple Summers can be quite harsh in Varanasi with the temperatures going up to 45°C. The monsoon season, which starts by late June or early July, brings in the torrential rains and high humidity. Winters are quite pleasant with temperatures remaining at around 20°C in the day. However, the early part of the day can remain enveloped in the fog.
Located on the banks of the holy Ganga, Lord Shiva is believed to have established his permanent home here. It is one of the most sacred cities, holding great importance to Buddhists, Jains and Hindus alike. It is true that modern day Kashi is more a maze of winding lanes and markets and the ghats almost always teem with a huge crowd looking for the holy dip, prayeing to the sun or simply soaking in the mysticism that is Ganga. The important Vishvanatha Linga, believed to be the first Jyotirlinga, is accessed by several streets and severe checking by the authorities. Kashi does not only symbolize creation; it is also possibly the greatest example of destruction and life's end. This is made clear when you visit the Manikarnika Ghat, where almost 30,000 cremations take place over a year! We say, discover the town on foot or take a boat ride early morning on the Ganges, simply the best way to explore it! and carry back with yourself that, which cannot be seen or bought - just experienced...
Varanasi is one of the oldest living cities in the world. Many names have been given to Varanasi, though its recently revived official appellation is mentioned in the Mahabharata and in the Jataka tales of Buddhism. It probably derives from the two rivers that flank the city, the Varana to the north and the Asi to the south. Many still use the anglicized forms of Banaras or Benares, while pilgrims refer to it Kashi, first used three thousand years ago to describe the kingdom and the city outside which the Buddha preached his first sermon; the "City of Light" is also called Kashika, "the shining one", referring to the light of Shiva. Another epithet, Avimukta, meaning "Never Forsaken", refers to the city that Shiva never deserted, or that one should never leave. Further alternatives include Anandavana, the "forest of bliss", and Rudravasa, the place where Shiva (Rudra) resides.
Varanasi's associations with Shiva extend to the beginning of time: legends relate to how, after his marriage to Parvati, Shiva left his Himalayan abode and came to reside in Kashi with all the Gods in attendance. Temporarily banished during the rule of the great king Divodasa, Shiva sent Brahma and Vishnu as his emissaries, but ultimately returned to his rightful abode protected by his loyal attendants Kalabhairav and Dandapani. Over 350 gods and goddesses, including a protective ring of Ganesha form a mandala or sacred pattern with Shiva Vishwanatha at its center.
While the boundary of Kashi is delimited by the circular Panchakoshi Road, Varanasi is the main city, extending from Asi Ghat and circling around to the confluence of the Ganges and the Varana. Yet a smaller area, defined as Avimukta, starts at Kedara Ghat in the south and ends at Trilochana Ghat. Most important of all is Antargriha, the "Inner Sanctum" around the Vishwanatha Temple, which encompasses Dashashwamedha Ghat, Surya Kund, the lingam of Bharabhuta, and Manikarnika Ghat. Another, later, interpretation suggests three sectors of khandas in the form of Shiva's trident, each centered around a temple - Omkara to the north, Vishvanatha in the centre and Kendra to the south.
A city which, since it is both an exalted place of pilgrimage and a centre of faith, has been likened to Jerusalem and Mecca. According to the historians, the city was founded some ten centuries before the birth of Christ. The city is mentioned in Holy Scriptures like 'Vamana Purana', Buddhist texts and in the epic 'Mahabharata'. Mark Twain,the English author and littérateur, who was enthralled by the legend and sanctity of Banaras, once wrote:"Banaras is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend and looks twice as old as all of them put together."
Varanasi's prominence in Hindu mythology is virtually unrivalled. For the devout Hindu the city has always had a special place, besides being a pilgrimage centre, it is considered especially auspicious to die here, ensuring an instant route to heaven. The revered and ancient city Varanasi is the religious centre of the world of Hindus. A city where the past and present, eternity and continuity co-exist.
The city of Varanasi is situated on the west bank of the holiest of all Indian rivers, the Ganga or Ganges. The relationship between the sacred river and the city is the essence of Varanasi - 'the land of sacred light'. The Ganga is believed to have flown from heaven to wash away the worldly sins of the human race of mortal's .The life and activities in the city centre around the holy river. Life on the banks of the Ganga begins before dawn when thousands of pilgrims - men, women and children - come down to the river to wait for the rising sun when immersion in the sacred river will cleanse them of their sufferings and wash their sins away.
Along the water's edge, there are the burning ghats. The most sacred one is Manikarnika, associated with Goddess Parvati, Lord Shiva's wife. The major shrine is the Vishwanath Temple the abode of Lord Shiva, the most important of the trinity, Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara, the Lords of this universe. Around this temple evolved the spiritual identity of Varanasi .The holy city within Banaras is thus called, Kashi, the luminous one or the city of the light.
It is beside the holy waters of the Ganga that the activities for which Banaras is held sacred are performed. Everyday thousands of residents and pilgrims bathe, offer prayers to the elements, to the rising sun, and to their dead ancestors who have been carried away by these waters. What draws people to the river is an ingrained belief that these waters can absolve the sins of many generations.
Everyone has their own way of celebrating the ritual contact with the holy Ganga: some bathe; others dip themselves entirely into the water once, thrice or any number of times; some drink the water; other make water offerings to the sun; while others fill their pots with holy water to take back to their homes to perform rituals and purification. The offerings to the sacred waters vary. Pilgrims give flowers, fruits, lamps and their respectful prayers. On festival days and religious occasions the riverside is thick with their colorful bobbing up and down on the waters.
The land around Varanasi is also held sacred since Shiva is believed to have lived here. There are thousands of temples at Varanasi dedicated to different gods and goddesses, particularly to the deities of good fortune and prosperity-and to the sun and the planets. The most important are those that honor the diverse manifestations and attributes of Shiva. The major shrine at Varanasi is the Vishvanatha Temple, devoted to Shiva, the Lord of the Universe.
In Vaaranasi, we find many places where a temple once stood and where now mosque or some other structure stands. However, there is a little known farman, or royal decree, in the Bharat Kala Bhavan museum, which claims that Aurangzeb, the last great Mughal ruler, ordered his administrators to abstain from destroying any more temples. In succeeding years as Varanasi continued to grow, the temples that were destroyed, were rebuilt or relocated.
Since Varanasi is a pilgrimage centre, revered and honored throughout India, pilgrims come from all parts of the country to visit it. Some travel 2,000 kilometers to bathe in the Ganga and to honor their dead. Earlier pilgrims used to walk to Varanasi on foot, and along the way visited other holy places. The antiquity of Varanasi is known not just by the archeological remains but also by the diverse and varied literature of India.
The inflow of pilgrims developed Varanasi as a trade centre. Besides traders, crafts people also settled in Varanasi. Today the city is renowned for its silk weavers, who prepare the finest types of woven silk fabrics. A Banaras silk sari or shawl is traditionally a single colored textile with motifs and patterns woven in gold or silver threads. The technique is intricate, the procedure complex and demands great expertise. As the warp and the weft are interwoven on the loom, small, often minute shuttles with gold thread are introduced to form the motif. When the design of the motif is completed, a knot is made and the gold thread cut. The weaving continues until the next design. The smaller the motif or the more intricate the design, the more complex the weaving skills required.
Silk weaving in Varanasi is a cottage industry and in many areas of the city, especially the Muslim quarters, one can see looms at work all day. Entire families are involved; Children often pick up the art from the elders at an early age. There are shops in Varanasi, and throughout India that sell these fine silk fabrics.