Varanasi (Benares) – The holiest place of Pilgrimage in Hindu's

Varanasi – The Temple town of India on the banks of Sacred River Ganges. The City has derived its name as the region is between two rivers – River Varuna to the north and River Assi in the south which finally joins River Ganges.

The City is a pilgrimage for the Hindu people and has numerous ghats on the sides of the Ganges. There are numerous temples on the ghat which shows the sanctity of this place.

The scene of the evening prayer is the most memorable when thousands of little lamps float on the river. The city of Varanasi is located in the middle Ganga valley of North India, in the Eastern part of the state of Uttar Pradesh. The climate is hot and humid with high variation between summer and winter. Summers are long, from early April till October, with monsoon season in between with average temperature (32 degrees Celsius to 46 degrees Celsius). Cold season remains from December to February (5 degrees Celsius to 46 degrees Celsius).

The City of Varanasi also finds its description in ancient hindu texts and scriptures like Ramayana, Mahabharata, Rigveda, and Skanda Purana. It is considered as one of the seven sacred cities of Hindus. In ancient time, varanasi was a commercial and industrial centre famous for its muslin and silk fabrics, perfumes, ivory works and sculpture. During the period of Gautam Buddha, Varanasi was the capital of the Kingdom of Kashi. Buddha gave his first sermon at the nearby town of Sarnath. Chinese traveler Huin – tsang mentioned it as one of the best centres for religion, education, and artistic activities. The city was destroyed by the successive invasions of Musalmans.

Varanasi is holy city in Hinduism, one of the most sacred pilgrimage places for Hindus who believe that bathing in River Ganges will remit all the sins and it is like rebirth of mankind. This holy city is worshipped as one of the Shakti Peethas where Divine mother Sati’s earring fell and so devotees believe that on that spot stands the present Vishalakshi temple. It is not just the Hindus venerate Varanasi today, for the city has links with Buddhism and Jainism as well. The city has world famous site of Stupa of Sarnath, the site of deer park where Gautama Buddha is said to have given his first sermon about the Buddhism. Varanasi is also a pilgrimage place for Jains. It is believed to be the birth place of Parshvanatha, the twnty third – Tirthankar.