Varanasi

Varanasi
वाराणसी
Banaras
Varanasi
वाराणसी
Location of Varanasi
वाराणसी
in Uttar Pradesh and India
Coordinates
Country  India
State Uttar Pradesh
District(s) Varanasi
Mayor Kaushlendra Singh
Population

• Density

 3,147,927 (district)[1] (2001)

• 1,995 /km2 (5,167 /sq mi)[2]
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
Area

• Elevation

 1550 km2 (598 sq mi)

• 80.71 metres (264.8 ft)

Varanasi (Sanskrit: वाराणसी Vārāṇasī, Hindustani pronunciation: [ʋaːˈɾaːɳəsiː]  ( listen)), also commonly known as Benares or Banaras (Hindi: बनारस, Urdu: بنارس, Banāras [bəˈnɑːɾəs]  ( listen)) and Kashi (Hindi: काशी, Urdu: کاشی, Kāśī [ˈkaːʃiː]  ( listen)), is a city situated on the banks of the River Ganges in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, also regarded as holy by Buddhists, and Jains is the Holiest Place of Hindus (and center of earth in Hindu Cosmology) where at least once in life a Hindu is expected to do pilgrimage and if possible pour the remains (ashes) of cremated ancestors here into the River Ganga. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and probably the oldest of India.[3][4]

The Kashi Naresh (Maharaja of Kashi) is the chief cultural patron of Varanasi and an essential part of all religious celebrations.[5] The culture of Varanasi is closely associated with the River Ganges and the river's religious importance. The city has been a cultural and religious centre in North India for several thousand years. The Benares Gharana form of Indian classical music developed in Varanasi, and many prominent Indian philosophers, poets, writers, and musicians resided or reside in Varanasi, including Kabir, Ravidas Their Guru Swami Ramanand, Trailanga Swami, Munshi Premchand, Jaishankar Prasad, Acharya Shukla, Ravi Shankar, Girija Devi, Hariprasad Chaurasia, and Bismillah Khan. Tulsidas wrote Ramacharitamanas here, and Gautama Buddha gave his first sermon at Sarnath located near Varanasi (Kashi).[6]

Varanasi is home to four universities: Banaras Hindu University, Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth, Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies and Sampurnanand Sanskrit University. Residents mainly speak Hindi and Kashika Bhojpuri, which is closely related to the Hindi language. People often refer to Varanasi as "the city of temples", "the holy city of India", "the religious capital of India", "the city of lights", and "the city of learning."[7]

American writer Mark Twain wrote: "Benares is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend, and looks twice as old as all of them put together."[8]

Contents

Etymology

The name Varanasi[9] has its origin possibly from the names of the two rivers Varuna and Assi for it lies with the confluence of Varuna with the Ganges being to its north and that of Assi and the Ganges to its south.[10] Another speculation about the origin of the name is that the river Varuna itself was called Varanasi in olden times, from where the city got its name.[11] This is generally disregarded by historians though there may be some earlier texts suggesting it to be so.[12]

Through the ages, Varanasi was variously known as Avimuktaka, Anandakanana, Mahasmasana, Surandhana, Brahma Vardha, Sudarsana, Ramya, and Kasi.[13]

In the Rigveda, the city was referred to as Kasi or Kashi, "the luminous one" as an allusion to the city's historical status as a center of learning, literature, and culture.[14] Kasikhanda described the glory of the city in 15,000 verses in the Skanda Purana. In one verse, God Shiva says,

The three worlds form one city of mine, and Kasi is my royal palace therein.[15]

Another reference to Varanasi is found in a hymn by Sri Veda Vyasa:

Ganga-taranga-ramaneeya-jataakalaapam,
Gauri-nirantara-vibhushita-vaamabhaagam.
Narayanapriyam-Ananga-madaapahaaram,
Varanasi-pura-patim bhaja Vishwanatham.

History

Ancient Indian (Bharat) cities and places (title and location names are in English.)

According to legend, the city was founded by the Hindu deity, Lord Shiva, around 5,000 years ago,[3] thus making it one of the most important pilgrimage destinations in the country. It is one of the seven sacred cities of Hindus. Many Hindu scriptures, including the Rigveda, Skanda Purana, Ramayana, and the Mahabharata, mention the city.

Varanasi is generally believed to be about 3,000 years old.[16] Varanasi was a commercial and industrial center famous for its muslin and silk fabrics, perfumes, ivory works, and sculpture. During the time of Gautama Buddha (born circa 567 BCE), Varanasi was the capital of the Kingdom of Kashi. The celebrated Chinese traveler, Xuanzang, attested that the city was a center of religious, educational, and artistic activities, and that it extended for about 5 km along the western bank of the Ganges.

Varanasi (Benares) in 1922.
Painting of Benares in 1890.

Kashi Naresh and Ramnagar

Varanasi became an independent Kingdom of Kashi in the eighteenth century, and under subsequent British rule, it remained a commercial and religious center. In 1910, the British made Varanasi a new Indian state, with Ramanagar as its headquarters but with no jurisdiction over the city of Varanasi itself. Kashi Naresh still resides in the fort of Ramanagar. The Ramnagar Fort of the Kashi Naresh is situated to the east of Varanasi, across the Ganges.[17] The Ramnagar Fort was built by Kashi Naresh Raja Balwant Singh with creamy chunar sandstone in the eighteenth century.[5] It is a typically Mughal style of architecture with carved balconies, open courtyards, and picturesque pavilions.[5] The other fort of the Kashi Naresh is the Chet Singh Palace, near Shivala Ghat, Varanasi built by Maharaja Chet Singh.[18]

Ramnagar Fort and its museum are the repository of the history of the kings of Benares and since the 18th century has been the home of Kashi Naresh.[5] Even today the Kashi Naresh is deeply revered by the people of Benares.[5] He is the religious head and the people of Benares consider him the incarnation of Lord Shiva.[5] He is also the chief cultural patron and an essential part of all religious celebrations.[5]

Geography and climate

Geography

Varanasi is closely associated with the Ganges and has many temples along its banks

The city of Varanasi is located in the middle Ganga valley of North India, in the Eastern part of the state of Uttar Pradesh, along the left crescent-shaped bank of the Ganga river. It has the headquarters of Varanasi district. The "Varanasi Urban Agglomeration" — an agglomeration of seven urban sub-units — covers an area of 112.26 km² (approximately 43 mi²).[19] The urban agglomeration is stretched between 82° 56’E - 83° 03’E and 25° 14’N - 25° 23.5’N.[19] Being located in the Indo-Gangetic Plains of North India, the land is very fertile because low level floods in the Ganges continually replenish the soil.

On a local level, Varanasi is located on a higher ground between rivers Ganga and Varuna, the mean elevation being 80.71 m.[20] As a result of absence of tributaries and canals, the main land is continuous and relatively dry. In ancient times, this geographic situation must have been highly favorable for forming settlements. But it is difficult to ascertain the original geography of Varanasi because the city's current location is not exactly the same as the one described in some old texts.

Varanasi is often said to be located between two confluences: one of Ganga and Varuna, and other of Ganga and Assi , (Assi having always been a rivulet rather than a river.) The distance between these two confluences is around 2.5 miles, and religious Hindus regard a round trip between these two places—a Pancha-kroshi Yatra (a five mile journey) ending with a visit to a Sakshi Vinayak Temple as a holy ritual.

A view of the Ghat of Varanasi from the River Ganges

Climate

Varanasi experiences a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cwa) with large variations between summer and winter temperatures. Summers are long, from early April to October, with intervening monsoon seasons and are also extremely hot, even by South Asian standards. The temperature ranges between 32°C – 46°C (90°F – 115°F) in the summers. Winters in Varanasi sees very large diurnal variations, with warm days and downright cold nights. Cold waves from the Himalayan region cause temperatures to dip across the city in the winter from December to February and temperatures below 5°C are not uncommon.[20] The average annual rainfall is 1110 mm (44 in).[21] Fog is common in the winters, while hot dry winds, called loo, blow in the summers.

Through a combination of water pollution, new constructions of upstream dams, and increase in the local temperature, the water level of the Ganges has recently gone down significantly, and small islands have become visible in the middle of the river.

Climate data for Varanasi
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 23.2
(73.8)		 29.8
(85.6)		 37.1
(98.8)		 40.8
(105.4)		 46.8
(116.2)		 44.3
(111.7)		 41.2
(106.2)		 40.5
(104.9)		 39.3
(102.7)		 38.5
(101.3)		 31.2
(88.2)		 24.5
(76.1)		 39.2
(102.6)
Average low °C (°F) 2.5
(36.5)		 8.0
(46.4)		 16.3
(61.3)		 27.1
(80.8)		 32.4
(90.3)		 30.1
(86.2)		 28.3
(82.9)		 25.9
(78.6)		 25.0
(77)		 20.7
(69.3)		 13.7
(56.7)		 4.3
(39.7)		 20.1
(68.2)
Precipitation mm (inches) 19.3
(0.76)		 13.5
(0.531)		 10.4
(0.409)		 5.4
(0.213)		 9.0
(0.354)		 100.0
(3.937)		 320.6
(12.622)		 260.4
(10.252)		 231.6
(9.118)		 38.3
(1.508)		 12.9
(0.508)		 4.0
(0.157)		 1,025.4
(40.37)
Source: [22]

Economy

Varanasi has several small cottage industries, including Banarasi Silk sari making, the production of textiles such as hand-woven carpets, and handicrafts. Banarasi paan (betel leaf) and khoa (a milk product) are popular, and the related small-scale industries employ many people. Varanasi is a centre of Child labour.[23]

Banarasi Silk is known all over the world for its finery and softness. Banarasi Sarees are adorned with intricate designs and zari embellishments making it popular during traditional functions and weddings. Earlier, the embroidery on sarees were often done with threads of pure gold. Varanasi is also popular for Langda aam(Mango). City is biggest producer of world famous langda mango(Malda Mango).

Indian Railways runs a major diesel locomotive factory in Varanasi, Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW). BHEL(India's largest heavy engineering and manufacturing enterprise) also runs a plant here. The first Indian business house of Varanasi and Kanpur was the firm NihalChand KishoriLal established in the year 1857 which set up the fourth Oxygen plant in the country here by the name of Indian Air Gases Ltd.

According to Macaulay, Varanasi was the "city which, in wealth, population, dignity and sanctity was among the foremost in Asia". He described the commercial importance saying "from the looms of Benaras went forth the most delicate silks that adorned the halls of St. James and of Versailles."[15][24]

Administration and Politics

Varanasi is governed by a number of bodies, the prime being the Varanasi Nagar Nigam (Municipal Corporation) and Varanasi Development Authority, which is responsible for the master planning of the city. Water supply and sewage system is maintained by Jal Nigam, a subsidiary of Nagar Nigam. Power supply is by the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited. The city produces about 350 million litres per day[25] of sewer and 425 tonnes per day of solid waste.[26] The solid wastes are disposed in one landfill site.[27] A huge amount of sewer flows into the river Ganga daily. Nagar Nigam also runs a bus service in the city and suburban areas. The city is within the Varanasi range of Varanasi zone of Uttar Pradesh Police. A Special Superintendent of Police is the highest ranking police officer in the city.[28] The city constitutes the Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency. Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi of the Bharatiya Janata Party won the constituency in Indian general election, 2009.[29] Varanasi was one the five cities where Ganga Action Plan was launched.

Education

Banaras Hindu University is a major university in Varanasi

The schools are affiliated with the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE), the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), or the U. P. Board.

University education

Varanasi is the site of three public universities:

  1. Banaras Hindu University was founded in 1916 by Madan Mohan Malaviya with the cooperation of Annie Besant. Its 1350 acre (5.5 km²) campus was built on land donated by the Kashi Naresh. The University includes Institute of Technology and Institute of Medical Sciences and is among the top three largest residential universities in the world, having more than 128 independent teaching departments.[30]
  2. Sampurnanand Sanskrit University: Governor General Lord Cornwallis established the Sanskrit College (1791), which was the first college in Varanasi. The first principal of Sanskrit College was Sanskrit professor J. Myor, ICS followed by J.R. Ballentien, RTH Griffith, Dr. G. Thevo, Dr. Aurthor Venice, Dr. Ganganath Jha, and Gopinath Kaviraj among others. After India achieved independence, this college became Sampurnanand Sanskrit University.[31]
  3. Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth is a deemed and chartered university that is named for Gandhi and follows the principles of Gandhism.

The Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies (Central University of Tibetan Studies) at Sarnath is a deemed university with a preference for the traditional Tibetan method of teaching within a framework of modern universities.[32] [[Udai Pratap College]], autonomous college, is the center of sports and science study for the suburban students of modern Benares. Agrasen Mahila Mahavidyala is another autonomous college in the city. Nav Sadhana Kala Kendra is a college of Dance and Music in the city that trains the students professionally in Bharatnatyam and Hindustani Vocal. Varanasi has many private and public institutes that provide Hindu religious teaching. Since ancient times people have been coming to Varanasi to learn philosophy, Sanskrit, astrology, social science and religious teachings. In Indian tradition, Varanasi is often called Sarva Vidya Ki Rajdhani (capital of knowledge).[33] The city also has the Jamiah Salafiah, a Salafi Islamic institution.[34]

There are various degree colleges across the city like Agrasen Degree College, Harishchandra Degree College, Institute of Integrated Management and Technology (IIMT), Arya Mahila Degree College and the School of Management Sciences.

Culture

Varanasi attracts thousands of Hindu piligrims every year.
Wall paintings, Varanasi, 1974

Varanasi's "Old City," the quarter near the banks of Ganga, has crowded narrow winding lanes that are flanked by road-side shops and scores of Hindu temples. As atmospheric as it is confusing, Varanasi's labyrinthine Old City is rich with culture, and a deservedly popular destination for travelers and tourists.[35] The main residential areas of Varanasi (especially for the middle and upper classes) are situated in regions far from the ghats; they are more spacious and less polluted.

Ramlila at Ramnagar

When the Dasara festivities are inaugurated with a colourful pageant Kashi Naresh rides an elephant at the head of the procession.[5] Then, resplendent in silk and brocade, he inaugrates the month long folk theatre of Ramlila at Ramnagar, Varanasi.[5] The Ramlila is a cycle of plays which recounts the epic story of Lord Rama, as told in Rāmacaritamānasa, the version of the Ramayana penned by Tulsidas.[5] The plays sponsored by the Maharaja, are performed in Ramnagar every evening for 31 days.[5] On the last day the festivities reach a crescendo as Rama vanquishes the demon king Ravana.[5] Maharaja Udit Narayan Singh started this tradition of staging the Ramleela at Ramnagar in mid-nineteenth century.[5] This is very important to the river ganges ritual

Holy City

People performing Hindu ceremony at one of the ghats of Varanasi

Varanasi is a holy city in Hinduism, being one of the most sacred pilgrimage places for Hindus of all denominations. More than 1,000,000 pilgrims visit the city each year. It has the holy shrine of Kashi Vishwanath (a manifestation of Lord Shiva), and also one of the twelve revered Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva.

Hindus believe that bathing in Ganga remits sins and that dying in Kashi ensures release of a person's soul from the cycle of its transmigrations. Hindus regard Kashi as one of the Shakti Peethas, and that Vishalakshi Temple stands on the spot where Goddess Sati's earrings fell.[15] Hindus of the Shakti sect make a pilgrimage to the city because they regard river Ganga itself as Goddess Shakti. Adi Shankara wrote his commentaries on Hinduism here, leading to the great Hindu revival. Vaishnavism and Shaivism have always co-existed in Varanasi harmoniously.

Varanasi is one of the holiest places in Buddhism too, being one of the four pilgrimage sites said to have been designated by Gautama Buddha himself (the others being Kushinagar, Bodh Gaya, and Lumbini). In the residential neighborhood of Varanasi lies Sarnath, the site of the deer park where Gautama Buddha is said to have given his first sermon about the basic principles of Buddhism. The Dhamek Stupa is one of the few pre-Ashokan stupas still standing, though only its foundation remains. Also remaining is the Chaukhandi Stupa commemorating the spot where Buddha met his first disciples (in the 5th century or earlier, BC). An octagonal tower was built later there.

Varanasi is a pilgrimage site for Jains along with Hindus and Buddhists. It is believed to be the birthplace of Parshvanatha, the twenty-third Tirthankar. Islamic culture has also had an influence on Varanasi. There has been some degree of continuous tension between different religious communities in the city.

Ghats

Varanasi Ghat at dusk

Varanasi has nearly 100 ghats. Many of the ghats were built when the city was under Maratha control. Marathas, Shindes (Scindias), Holkars, Bhonsles, and Peshwes (Peshwas) stand out as patrons of present-day Varanasi. Most of the ghats are bathing ghats, while others are used as cremation sites. Many ghats are associated with legends or mythologies while many ghats are privately owned. The former Kashi Naresh owns Shivala or Kali ghat.

Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat, Varanasi

Dashashwamedh Ghat is located close to Vishwanath Temple, and is probably the most spectacular ghat. Two Hindu mythologies are associated with it: According to one, Lord Brahma created it to welcome Lord Shiva. According to another, Lord Brahma sacrificed ten horses in a yajna here. A group of priests daily perform in the evening at this ghat "Agni Pooja" (Worship to Fire) wherein a dedication is made to Lord Shiva, River Ganga, Surya (Sun), Agni (Fire), and the whole universe.

Manikarnika Ghat: Two legends are associated with this Ghat. According to one, it is believed to be the place where Lord Vishnu dug a pit with his Chakra and filled it with his perspiration while performing various penances. While Lord Shiva was watching Lord Vishnu at that time, the latter's earring ("manikarnika") fell into the pit. According to the second legend, in order to keep Lord Shiva from moving around with his devotees, his consort Goddess Parvati hid her earrings, and asked him to find them, saying that they had been lost on the banks of Ganga. Goddess Parvati's idea behind the fib was that Lord Shiva would then stay around, searching forever for the lost earrings. In this legend, whenever a body gets cremated at the Manikarnika Ghat, Lord Shiva asks the soul whether it has seen the earrings.

According to ancient texts, the owner of Manikarnika Ghat bought King Harishchandra as a slave and made him work on the Manikarnika at Harishchandra Ghat. Hindu cremations customarily take place here, though a majority of dead bodies are taken for cremation to the Manikarnik Ghat.

Scindia Ghat also known as Shinde Ghat borders Manikarnika to the north, with its Shiva temple lying partially submerged in the river as a result of excessive weight of the ghat’s construction about 150 years ago. Above the ghat, several of Kashi’s most influential shrines are located within the tight maze of alleys of Siddha Kshetra (Field of Fulfillment). According to tradition, Agni, the Hindu God of Fire was born here. Hindu devotees propitiate at this place Vireshwara, the Lord of all heroes, for a son.

Mana-Mandir Ghat: Maharaja Jai Singh II of Jaipur built this Ghat in 1770, as well as the Yantra Mantra equipped with ornate window casings along with those at Delhi, Jaipur, Ujjain, and Mathura. There is a fine stone balcony in the northern part of the ghat. Devotees pay homage here to the lingam of Someswar, the Lord of the Moon.

Lalita Ghat: The late King of Nepal built this Ghat in the northern region of Varanasi. It is the site of Ganga Keshav Temple, a wooden temple built in typical Kathmandu style, dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The temple also has an image of Pashupateshwar, a manifestation of Lord Shiva. Local festivals including musical parties and games regularly take place at the beautiful Assi Ghat which is at the end of the continuous line of ghats. It is a favorite site of painters and photographers. It is here at the Assi Ghat that Swami Pranabananda , the founder of Bharat Sevasharam Sangh ,attained 'Siddhi' (fulfilment/success) in his 'Tapasya'(endeavor) for Lord Shiva , under the auspices of Guru Gambhirananda of Gorakhpur.

Other
Man Singh of Amber built Mana-Sarowar Ghat. Maharaja of Darbhanga built Darbhanga Ghat. Tulsidas wrote Rāmacaritamānasa at Tulsi Ghat. Devout Jains visit Bachraj Ghat in particular because it has three Jain temples near the river's banks.

Temples

Durga Mandir (temple) in Ramnagar in Varanasi

Varanasi is a city of temples. Almost every road crossing has a nearby temple. Such small temples form the basis of daily local prayers and other rituals. But there are many large temples too, erected at different times through out the history of Varanasi.

Kashi Vishwanath Temple, also called Golden Temple,[36] which in its present shape was built in 1780 by Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore, is located on the outskirts of the Ganga. This temple makes Varanasi a place of great religious importance to the Hindus, as Vishweshwara or Vishwanatha, the aforementioned Jyotirlinga of the Lord Shiva is enshrined here. It is said that a single view of Vishwanatha Jyotirlinga is considered to merit more than that of other jyotirlingas. A Naubatkhana was built up in front of the Temple by the collector Mohammed Ibrahim Khan at the instance of Governor General Warren Hastings in 1785. In 1839, Punjab Kesari, the Sikh Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the ruler of Punjab donated gold to cover the two domes of the temple. On 28 January 1983 the Temple was taken over by the government of Uttar Pradesh and its management was transferred to a trust with Late Dr. Vibhuti Narayan Singh, then Kashi Naresh, as president and an executive committee with Divisional Commissioner as chairman.[37]

The temple was once destroyed by the Muslim Emperor Aurangzeb who converted most parts of the temple into a Mosque. It was later resurrected at a location near the mosque.

Durga Temple, also nicknamed "Monkey temple," was built at some point of time in 18th century. The temple got the name 'Monkey temple' because of the presence of large number of monkeys in the temple. According to legends, the present statue of Goddess Durga was not made by man but appeared on its own in the temple. Thousands of Hindu devotees visit the Durga temple during Navratri and other auspicious occasions.

The architecture is of Nagara Style, which is typical of North India. The temple is accompanied by a rectangular tank of water called Durga Kund. ("Kund" meaning a pond or pool.) The temple has multi-tiered spires[36] and is stained red with ochre, signifying the red colour of Durga. The Kund was earlier connected to the river itself thus refreshing the water. This channel was later closed, leading to locked water which is replenished only by rain or drainage from the Temple. Every year on the occasion of Nag Panchami, the act of depicting Lord Vishnu reclining on the coiled-up mystical snake or "Shesha" is repeated in the Kund.

Sankat Mochan Temple is dedicated to Lord Hanuman and is very popular with the local citizens. It is a place for many yearly religious as well as cultural festivals. On 7 March 2006, one of the three explosions carried out by Islamic militants hit the temple, while the aarti, in which numerous worshippers and wedding attendees participated, was in progress.[38]

Vyasa Temple at Ramnagar According to a popular Puranic story, when Vyasa failed to get alms in Varanasi he put a curse on the city.[5] Soon after, at a house where Parvati and Shiva had taken human form as householders, Vyasa was so pleased with the alms he received that he forgot his curse.[5] However, because of his bad temper Shiva banished Vyasa from Varanasi.[5] Resolved to be near at hand, Vyasa took his residence on the other side of the Ganges where his temple may still be seen at Ramnagar.[5]

The New Vishwanath Temple The new Vishwanath Temple, called Birla Mandir, mainly funded by Raja Birla of the Birla family of industrialists, was built as a replica of the old Kashi Vishwanath Temple. Planned by Madan Mohan Malaviya, the temple is part of the Banaras Hindu University, and stands for national revival. The temple is open to people of all castes and religions.

Tulsi Manas Temple Constructed by family of Varanasi, this modern temple is dedicated to Lord Rama. It is situated at the place Where Tulisdas, the great medieval seer, lived and wrote the epic "Shri Ramcharitmanas", which narrates the life of Lord Rama, the hero of the Ramayana. Verses from Tulidas’s epic are inscribed on the walls. It is just nearby to Durga Temple.

Annapurna Temple Near the Kashi Vishwanath temple, there is a nice temple of Devi Annapurna , believed as the "Godess of Fooding".

Sankatha Temple Near the Sindhia Ghat , there is a important temple of "Godess of Remedy" Devi Sankatha. Inside its premises there is a huge statue of a Lion. Also there is nine temples of nine planets nearby to this temple.

Kalbhairav Temple It is the ancient temple of Varanasi near the Head Post Office, VishesharGanj. God KalBhairav is believed as "Kotwal Of Varanasi" , without his permission no one can stay in Kashi.

Mrityunjay Mahadev Temple On the route of Daranagar to Kalbhairav temple this temple of Lord Shiva is situated . Just besides this temple there is a Well of much religious importance , whose water is said to be mixture of several underground streams and good for eliminating several diseases.

Bharat Mata Temple The Bharat Mata temple at Varanasi is the only temple dedicated to Bharat Mata. It is located in the Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth campus. The Bharat Mata temple was built by Babu Shiv Prasad Gupt and inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi in 1936. The statute of Bharat Mata is built in marble and is a model of undivided India, depicting the mountains, plains and oceans. The most peculiar thing about the Bharat Mata Temple is that instead of the customary gods and goddesses, it houses a relief map of India, carved out of marble.

Art and literature

Architecture of the Vishwanath Temple in BHU

Varanasi has its own culture of fine art and literature. Great Indian writers have lived in this city from Kabir, Ravidas, Tulsidas who wrote much of his Ram Charit Manas here, Kulluka Bhatt who wrote the best known commentary of Manusmṛti here in 15th century[39] and Bharatendu Harishchandra, later writers have been Jaishankar Prasad, Acharya Shukla, Munshi Premchand, Jagannath Prasad Ratnakar, Devaki Nandan Khatri, Hazari Prasad Dwivedi, Tegh Ali, Kshetresa Chandra Chattopadhyaya, Vagish Shastri, Baldev Upadhyaya, Sudama Pandey (Dhoomil) and Vidya Niwas Mishra.

Art lovers and historians like Rai Krishnadasa, his son Anand Krishna, musicians like Omkarnath Thakur,[40] Ravi Shankar, Bismillah Khan, Girija Devi, Siddheshwari Devi, Lalmani Misra and his son Gopal Shankar Misra, N. Rajam, Rajbhan Singh, Anokhelal,[41] Samta Prasad,[42] Kanthe Maharaj, M. V. Kalvint, Sitara Devi, Gopi Krishna, Kishan Maharaj, Vikash Maharaj Rajan and Sajan Mishra, Mahadev Mishra and numerous others have kept the city alive to the spiritual aspect of fine arts apart from their ability to entertain. Numerous festivals are celebrated that preserve traditional styles of classical and folk culture. All night, open music concerts like ones organised at Sankat Mochan Temple, Hori , Kajari and Chaiti Mela, Budwa Mangal, are annual features that draw connoisseurs from all over.

Sushruta, the great surgeon and author of Sushruta Samhita, the Sanskrit text of surgery, also lived in Varanasi.[43]

Saraswati Bhawan at Ramnagar Fort

A rare collection of manuscripts, especially religious writings, is housed in Saraswati Bhawan. It includes a precious handwritten manuscript by Tulsidas.[5] There are also many books illustrated in the Mughal miniature style, with beautifully designed covers.[5]

Jantar Mantar at Varanasi

Jantar Mantar is an observatory built by Maharaja Jai Singh, of Jaipur in the year 1737. Jai Singh was a great admirer of science and technology and he was particularly passionate about astronomy. Before the commencement of construction (of observatories) he sent scholars abroad to study the foreign observatories. The emissaries returned with many manuals on astronomy. The Jantar Mantar at Varanasi was built in line with Delhi, Mathura, Ujjain and Jaipur observatories.

The Jantar Mantar was built to measure the local time, the Sun's declination, altitude, the declination of stars, planets and to determine eclipses The Jantar Mantar at Varanasi has several masonry instruments to record the motion, speed and properties of stars and planets and study astronomy that are accurate and can still be used efficiently today. The Jantar Mantar incorporates multiple structures of unique form, each with a specialized function for astronomical measurement.

Archaeological museum

National Emblem of India (Emblem) in Sarnath in Varanasi

Archaeological museumSarnath is the oldest site museum of Archaeological Survey of India. In order to keep the antiquities found from the site, a decision was taken in 1904 by the Government to construct a site museum adjacent to the excavated site at Sarnath. It was due to initiative of Sir John Marshall., the then Director General of Archaeology in India, that this museum was created. The plans were prepared by Mr.James Ramson, the then consulting Architect to the Government of India. The building was completed in 1910 to house, display and study the antiquities in their right perspective. The building forms half of a monastery (Sangharam ) in plan. There are five galleries and two verandahs on the museum to display the antiquities ranging from 3rd century B.C.to 12th century A.D. found at Sarnath.

Bharat Kala Bhavan

Bharat Kala Bhavan, located inside the BHU campus, is an art and architecture museum and houses a vast collection of paintings, Hindu and Buddhist sculptures and other materials of archeological importance. The Bharat Kala Bhavan was established in the year 1920 A.D. In the main hall of the Bharat Kala Bhawan, there is a figure of a man standing on one leg and one hand on his hip and lifting a mass of stone above his head, with one hand. The figure is said to be of Lord Krishna, lifting Mount Govardhana. Many images in the Bharat Kala Bhavan confirm to the existence of Krishna cult in Kashi in 15th and 16th century.

Bharat Kala Bhavan also has a great collection of miniature paintings from the courts of Mughals and other Kingdoms and principalities. Some of the important sections in the Bharat Kala Bhavan are Mahamana Malaviya gallery, Nicholas Roerich gallery, Chhavi (Painting Gallery), sculpture gallery, Nidhi (Treasures) gallery, sculpture gallery, archaeological gallery, decorative art gallery and Banaras through ages gallery.

Ramnagar Fort

The Ramnagar fort lies about 14 km. from Varanasi and is situated on the opposite bank of river Ganga. It is the ancestral home of the Maharaja of Banaras. Maharaja Balwant Singh built this fort-palace in the eighteenth century. The fort is built in red sandstone. The Ramnagar fort has a temple and a museum within the grounds and the temple is dedicated to Ved Vyasa, who wrote Mahabharata, the great Indian epic. Legends have it that Ved Vyasa stayed here for a brief period.

The Ramnagar fort houses a museum displaying the Royal collection which includes vintage Cars, Royal palkies, an armory of swords and old guns, ivory work and antique clocks. The Durga Temple and Chhinnamastika Temple are also Located at Ramnagar. A temple of Dakshin Mukhi Hanuman is there. Inside the giant walls of the Ramnagar fort-palace, there is a big clock. This clock not only displays year, month, week and day but also astronomical facts about the sun, moon and constellation of stars. An interesting array of ornate palanquins, gold-plated howdahs and weapons are some of the artifacts on display in the Ramnagar fort-palace museum.

Demographics

The population of Varanasi urban agglomeration in 2001 was 1,371,749; the sex ratio was 879 females every 1000 males.[44] However, the area under Varanasi Nagar Nigam has a population of 1,100,748[45] with the sex ratio being 883 females for every 1000 males.[45] The literacy rate in the urban agglomeration is 77% while that in the municipal corporation area is 78%.[45] Approximately 138,000 people in the municipal area live in slums.[46] The crime rate in the city in 2004 was 128.5 per 100,000 which is higher than Uttar Pradesh rate of 73.2 but lower than the national rate of 168.8.[47]

Transport

Varanasi is well connected by air, rail and road with the major Indian cities like New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Indore, Bhopal, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Ujjain, Jaipur, Patna, Secunderabad etc.It is located at a distance of 776 km from Delhi. It is located at a distance of 1840 km from Secunderabad.One of the major factors in Varanasi's sustained existence as an inhabited city is its role as an established transportation hub between different cities. Dating to the ancient times, the city was connected to cities like Taxila, Ghazipur, Pataliputra, Vaishali, Ayodhya, Gorakhpur, Agra etc.

Air

The Babatpur Airport (Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport) is located about 25 km from the city center and is well connected to Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Khajuraho, Bangkok, Bangalore, Colombo and Kathmandu. All the major domestic Indian carriers including Air India, Jet Airways, Kingfisher Airlines, Indian Airlines, Mihin Lanka, Thai Airways International, Spicejet, and Alliance Air operate from here. The Airport handled more than 3.50 lakh passengers per year. The new integrated terminal is under construction. New building catering to both domestic and international passengers is coming up on 150 acres of land adjacent to the airport. The current terminal building can handle only about 200 domestic passengers at any given time, and passenger amenities are insufficient. The new airport will be able to handle 1,000 passengers and will have parking facilities for 500 cars.

Rail

Varanasi Junction, the largest station serving the city

The first railway line to Benares was opened from Kolkata in December 1862 and was built by the East Indian Railway Company.[48]

Varanasi Junction under the control of Northern Railways and Mughal Sarai Junction of East Central Railway are the two major railway stations within the city limit. Apart from these there are 16 other railway stations located within the city limits.

Road

Previously, the city was connected by a single road from Taxila going through Pataliputra during the Maurya Empire. This road was later renovated and extended by Sher Shah Suri during the 16th century and later came to be known as the famous Grand Trunk Road.

The NH 2 linking Delhi-Kolkata passes through the city and NH 7 which is the longest National Highway in India connects Varanasi with the cities of Jabalpur, Nagpur, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Madurai and Kanyakumari.

Public Transport

Auto rickshaws and cycle rickshaws are the most widely available public transport within Varanasi. In outer regions of the city, mini-buses are common. Small boats and small steamers are used to cross the River Ganga.

Tourism

Probably due to its unique culture, Varanasi is a major tourist destination for foreign tourists in India. A number of 3, 4 and 5 star hotels like Taj Hotel, Radisson hotel, clarks hotel, Ramada hotel, Hindustan International are present in the city, as well as more efficient housing for Western student researchers. All sort of cuisines are available mostly as street food due to rich and hospitable culture of Varanasi.

Varanasi is a noted centre for Banarasi silk weaving and brassware. Fine silks and brocaded fabrics, exquisite saris, brassware, jewellery, woodcraft, carpets, wall hangings, lamp shades and masks of Hindu and Buddhist deities are some of Varanasi's shopping attractions. The main shopping areas include the Chowk, Godaulia, Vishwanath Lane, Lahurabir and Thatheri Bazaar.[15] Assi Ghat, a midway point between Godaulia in the heart of downtown and youth culture of Benares Hindu University, is the district where most young, foreign, long-term residents stay.

Recent terrorism

In March 2006, bomb blasts from terrorists resulted in 120 people being killed and many injured. One of the bombs was planted in the Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple, a shrine dedicated to Lord Hanuman, while another was planted on a platform of the Varanasi Cantonment Railway Station, the main railway station in the city. A militant group, Lashkar-e-Kahab, claimed responsibility for the terror attacks.[49] In November 2007 Varanasi endured another bomb blast. The bomb was placed in the civil court of Varanasi. More than 20 people died and over 100 were injured.

In popular culture

Media

Notable residents

See also

References

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  2. ↑ "Ranking of Districts by Population Density". Government of Uttar Pradesh. http://www.upgov.nic.in/upinfo/census01/cen01-3.htm. Retrieved 2007-02-04. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Lannoy, Richard (October 1999). Benares Seen from Within. University of Washington Press. Back Flap. ISBN 029597835X. OCLC 42919796. 
  4. ↑ "Varanasi". Encyclopædia Britannica. http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9074835/Varanasi. Retrieved 2008-03-06. 
  5. ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15 5.16 5.17 5.18 Mitra, Swati (2002). Good Earth Varanasi city guide. Eicher Goodearth Limited. p. 216. ISBN 9788187780045. 
  6. ↑ "District of Varanasi - Sarnath". National Informatics Centre-Varanasi. http://varanasi.nic.in/tourist/tourist7.html. Retrieved 2009-05-01. 
  7. ↑ "Varanasi: The eternal city". Banaras Hindu University. http://www.bhu.ac.in/varanasi.htm. Retrieved 2007-02-04. 
  8. ↑ Twain, Mark (1898) [1897]. "L". Following the Equator: A journey around the world. Hartford, Connecticut, American Pub. Co.. ISBN 0404015778. OCLC 577051. http://www.literaturecollection.com/a/twain/following-equator/51/. Retrieved 2007-02-07. 
  9. ↑ www.ArunnGuptaa.com
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  12. ↑ "Varanasi Vaibhav ya Kaashi Vaibhav - Kashi Ki Rajdhani Varanasi Ka Namkaran" (in Hindi). Department of Information Technology, Government of India. 2003. http://tdil.mit.gov.in/CoilNet/IGNCA/kv_0002.htm. Retrieved 2007-02-04. 
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  17. ↑ A review of Varanasi
  18. ↑ Hindustan times, 10 May 2007
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  23. ↑ Mike Davis: Planet der Slums, Assoziation A, Berlin, 2007, page 196
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  28. ↑ "UP Police Is divided into following zines consisting ranges & districts". UP Police. NIC. http://uppolice.up.nic.in/About%20UP%20Police.html. Retrieved 2006-08-18. 
  29. ↑ Joshi beats Mukhtar with big margin. Times of India. 16 May 2009
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  31. ↑ Acharya Baldeva Upadhyay, Kashi ki Panditya Parampara, Vishwavidyalaya Prakashan, Varanasi, 1983.
  32. ↑ "Central Institute for Higher Tibetan Studies". Varanasi City. http://www.varanasicity.com/education/tibetan-university.html. Retrieved 2006-08-18. 
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  34. ↑ "Darul Uloom Jamia Rasheedia". Tipu Sultan Advanced Study & Research Centre (TSASRC). http://www.darulumoor.org/institutions.html. Retrieved 2007-03-07. 
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  39. ↑ The Indian Empire The Imperial Gazetteer of India, 1909, v. 2, p. 262.
  40. ↑ "Omkar Nath Thakur". Culturopedia. http://www.culturopedia.com/personalities/indianpersonality-omkarnaththakur.html. Retrieved 2009-05-01. 
  41. ↑ "Anokhelal Mishra". Rajan Parrikar Music Archive. http://www.parrikar.org/vpl/profiles/anokhelal_profile.pdf. Retrieved 2009-05-01. 
  42. ↑ "Samta Prasad". kippen.org. http://kippen.org/t_masters/samtaprasad.html. Retrieved 2009-05-01. 
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  44. ↑ "Urban Agglomerations/Cities having population of more than one million in 2001". Census of India 2001 (Provisional). Office of the Registrar General, India. 25 July 2001. http://www.censusindia.gov.in/. Retrieved 2006-08-18. 
  45. ↑ 45.0 45.1 45.2 "Population, Population in the age group 0–6 and literates by sex - Urban Agglomeration/Town: 2001" (PDF). Census of India 2001 (Provisional). Office of the Registrar General, India. pp. 53–54. http://www.censusindia.gov.in/. Retrieved 2006-08-17. 
  46. ↑ "Slum Population in Million Plus Cities (Municipal Corporations): Part A". Census of India 2001 (Provisional). Office of the Registrar General, India. 22 January 2002. http://www.censusindia.gov.in/. Retrieved 2006-08-18. 
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  48. ↑ Diaries of George Turnbull (Chief Engineer, East Indian Railway Company) held at the Centre of South Asian Studies at University of Cambridge, England
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  50. ↑ "Text and Information". http://www.krishnadas.com/notes.cfm?CID=breathoftheheart&TID=breath4. Retrieved 2007-06-24. 

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