Varanasi

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Varanasi, which was earlier known as Banaras and Kashi, is located in the North Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is a very popular pilgrimage spot among the Hindus. It is known for its temples, paan and silk sarees. September to March is a good time to visit Varanasi
Varanasi is the oldest city in the world and is often referred to as the cultural capital of India. It is most famous for its Kashi Vishwanath temple, which houses one of the 12 Jyotirlingas in India. It is at the heart of the city and is also known as the Golden temple. Situated on the western bank of River Ganges, the Kashi Vishwanath temple looks majestic. Back in the 1780s, Rani Ahilyabai Holkar built this temple. It is said that Lord Shiva once came in one of her dreams and that prompted her to build a temple dedicated to him. It was built in the Nagara style of architecture and is considered as one of the masterpieces in the country. In fact the architectures of many other temples have been inspired by the Kashi Vishwanath temple. The intricate and delicate carvings in the temple are fabulous. The Geeta has been inscribed on the marble walls of the temple. A few years later a Naubatkhana (drum house) was built in front of this temple and much later in the year 1839 two domes of the temple were covered with gold, which was donated by Maharaja Ranjeet Singh. It is due to these gold plated domes that the temple came to be known as the Golden temple.
The Varanasi temple complex consists of a number of small shrines. The idol of the main deity, the Shiva lingam is housed in the main sanctum. The lingam, which is 60 centimeters tall, is made of black stone and it is placed on a solid silver plinth. The shrines of Mahakala and Dandapani as well as the lingam of Avimukteshwara also reside in the same temple complex.
The temple opens for aarti very early in the morning at 2:30 a.m and devotees are allowed to witness the aarti from 3:00 am. The temple closes at 11:00 p.m in the night
Millions of devotees, not only from different parts of India but also from abroad, throng this temple to offer their prayers. Many devotees take a bath in the Ganges River before proceeding to the temple for Darshan. It is believed that this holy bath purges you of all your sins. There is also a tradition of giving up one desire after a visit to this temple that devotees follow.

Varanasi's associations with Shiva extend to the beginning of time legends relate 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 Ganeshaa form a mandala or sacred pattern with Shiva Vishwanatha at its centre. Many Hindu scriptures, including Rigveda, Skanda Purana, Ramayana, and Mahabharata, describe the city. It has the holy shrine of Lord 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. 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.


How to get there:

By Air

There are flights to Varanasi from Delhi to Varanasi, Agra to Varanasi, Khajurao to Varanasi, Calcutta to Varanasi, Mumbai to Varanasi, Lucknow to Varanasi, Bhuvaneshwar to Varanasi and other major cities in the country. There are many flights going into Varanasi from different cities every day.

By Rail

There are two main railheads in Varanasi: The Kashi junction and the Varanasi station. It falls in the way of many long rail journeys and there are direct trains to Varanasi from other cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Allahabad, Lucknow, Dehradun.

By Road

Varanasi has well maintained roads connecting it to other cities within Uttar Pradesh and there are frequent buses running on these routes as well.
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