About Varanasi
Varanasi: (Also Benaras, Kasi) 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 Kash,
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
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.
The holy city within Banaras is called Kashi "The
Luminous One" or the "City of Light".
Light in Hindu philosophy has great meaning for it exemplifies
the wisdom that destroys the darkness of ignorance.
Sin and evil are understood to be the acts of ignorance.
Sin cannot be washed away by water or prayer but only
by wisdom. Immortality is also reached through wisdom
and understanding. So the City of Light is the City
of Eternal Wisdom as well. To die in the city beside
the river of life is to die with a promise of redemption,
a promise to be liberated from the endless cycle of
life and death and reincarnation, and to gain moksha
or eternal absolution. So for centuries thousands of
people have come to Banaras to die and thousands have
brought the ashes of the dead here to immerse them in
the holy waters.
A city which, since it is both an exalted place of
pilgrimage and an idealized center 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. Mark Twain, the American author and litterateur,
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
unrivaled. A city where the past and present, eternity
and continuity co-exist. The city of Banaras is situated
on the west bank of the holiest of all Indian rivers,
the Ganga or Ganges. The Ganga is believed to have flown
from heaven to wash away the worldly sins of the human
race of mortals. Normally, She flows from North to South
across the country, but near the city of Varanasi, She
flows from the South to the North, it is alleged that
the River wanted to pay respects to Lord Shiva, and
thus had to change its course.
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. The city of Varanasi is on
the Western bank of the River Ganga with few buildings
on the Eastern bank, allowing for a spectacular view
of the rising sun. This is of a particular attraction
for the thousands of bathers who bathe in the river
at sunrise. The backs of the Ganges exhibit the ultimate
expression of giving up ones ego, and thus stepping
closer to attainment. It is a spectacular sight to see
thousands set aside their inhibitions and take off their
clothes, thus taking off the expression of their wealth,
taking off the expression of their social status, and
indeed, an extremely rare phenomena in Indian society,
taking off the difference of the sexes, and be just
one with their Almighty.
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 most famous
temples to visit is the Golden or Vishwanath Temple
dedicated to Shiva the most important of the trinity,
Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara, the Lords of this universe.
The original temple was located across the road, but
it was destroyed by Aurangzeb who had built a mosque
over it. The present temple was built by Ahalya Bai
of Indore in 1776. The Mosque of Aurangzeb, has been
built using columns from the original temple razed by
Aurangzeb. This mosque has minarets towering 71 metres
above the Ganges. Around this temple evolved the spiritual
identity of Varanasi.
The land around Banaras is also held sacred since Shiva
is believed to have lived here. It is believed that
in this city of 1.5 million, there are 10,000 temples
dedicated to different gods and goddesses.
Banaras has always been associated with philosophy
and wisdom. A place of learning for many years, the
Banaras Hindu University carries on this tradition.
The University campus, to the south of the city, was
established in 1916, has a student population of 25,000,
most of whom live within the 7 sq. km campus, thus making
this University one of the largest in India.
To breed national unity during the freedom struggle
for India’s Independence, in the 1930s and 1940s,
Mahatma Gandhi built a temple where the deity is a three
dimension map of India. The map is made up of about
700 individual cubes of marble, showing the respective
mountain ranges and the rivers across the country. The
idea was that people of different faiths and religions
would come and pray for the country. Today, this building
is considered a place of worship, and it is given the
same respect as a temple.
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 Banaras 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 Banaras, and throughout
India, that sell these fine silk fabrics.
Varanasi will perhaps be the most memorable place that
you visit in India.
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