Varanasi is the nerve center of religious activities in India. Also known as 'Banaras', it is situated on the banks of holy river Ganges in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Originally, known as 'Kashi', it is acclaimed to be one of the oldest cities of the world. One of the holiest cities in India, it is also popular as 'the city of temples'. Known for its Ghats, there are more than 80 ghats here, which are flocked by pilgrims from all over the world, throughout the year. Often termed as the 'cultural capital of India', it has been the abode of many renowned Indian philosophers, poets, writers, and musicians. Varanasi is truly a delight from travel and tourism point of view and transports the visitors to a complete different era.

Tourist Attractions

Bharat Mata Mandir in Varanasi is one of the most fascinating shrines in India. This temple is not dedicated to any deity; rather the human manifestation of India as Mother India. It houses a big relief map of India carved out of marble. Inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi, it is constructed perfectly to scale in terms of longitude and latitude. However, the hallmark of the sacred city remains to be Kashi Vishwanath Mandir. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the temple stands on the western bank of River Ganges. The presiding deity of the temple is one of the twelve jyotirlingas, which is known by the name of Vishwanath or Vishweshwar, meaning the Ruler of the Universe.

Varanasi was earlier known as Kashi, so the temple is popularly known as Kashi Vishwanath Temple. The present structure of the temple was built by Maharani Ahilya Bai Holkar of Indore in 1780. It is being looked after by the Government of India, since 1983. The chief presiding priest of the temple is Kashi Naresh, who performs all the religious functions solely. Also known as the hub of learning, the sacred city houses the Banaras Hindu University. It is a central university, which is acclaimed to be the largest residential university in Asia.

The university houses more than 128 independent teaching departments, with an enrollment crossing over 15000. Established in 1916-1917, the university provides education on varied subjects and branches of humanities, social science, technology, medicine, science, fine arts and performing arts. Many of its colleges are regarded the best in India. Another important shrine in the city is Tulsi Manas Mandir. The temple is built at the very place, where Tulsi Das wrote the Hindu Epic Ramayana in Hindi, named as 'Ram Charita Manas'.

Previously, Ramayana was only available in Sanskrit and Rama was considered a mighty King. With the advent of Ram Charita Manas, the great epic reached out to people and Rama was introduced as a God. The temple stands amidst serene surroundings, with the interiors are covered by verses from Ram Charita Manas. Durga Mandir is another important shrine in Varanasi and it is believed that the idol here was not established by a human; rather it appeared on its own. Durga is a manifestation of Goddess Parvati and a form of Shakti (power).

The temple was built by a Bengali Queen and is stained red with Ochre, symbolizing the color of the deity. Owing to the presence of large number of monkeys here, it has even been referred as the 'Monkey Temple'. One of the fascinating historical structures in the city is Ramnagar Fort. It is the residence of Maharaja of Kashi or Raja of Banaras. Situated on the opposite bank of river Ganges, the architecture of the fort is a blend of Hindu and Islamic styles. As the Royal family still resides in the fort, a part of it remains closed for tourists.

However, Ramnagar Fort Museum is the best place to visit for tourists. It showcases splendid items like palanquins, silver elephant saddles, armory, furniture, costumes, etc. Known for its annual Dusshera celebrations, the main attraction during the festival is staging of 'Ram Leela', a theatrical presentation of acts from Ramayana. Apart from this, the Sankat Mochan Mandir, dedicated to Lord Hanuman is also worth visiting.

How to Reach
By Air: The Varanasi airport operates both domestic flights for Indian visitors and International flights for foreign tourists.

By Rail: Varanasi has two railway stations, Kashi junction and Varanasi Junction. This connects it to the rest of the country quite effectively.

By Road: Varanasi has a well maintained network of roads. Uttar Pradesh State Transport and various other private operators run frequent and regular buses to the holy city.