Varanasi

One of the most important centres of Hindu pilgrimage, Varanasi, on the banks of the holy Ganges, has been the centre of education, religion, art, and culture since ages unknown. The chanting of mantras and the hymns, the chime of the temple bells and an air filled with the fragrance of incense sticks together creates an ambience, which is seen by many as an ideal foreground for attaining celestial bliss.

The Ghats : A Place of Purgation
The Ghats are, undoubtedly, the main attractions of this ancient city of pilgrimage. People throng this place in huge numbers everyday to take a dip in the holy waters and offer prayers at the temples built on the river bank. According to popular belief, a dip in the holy waters here purges one of all his sins.

The Houses of God
In the temples, there is a concourse of thousands of devotees everyday. One of these places of sanctity is the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, it is popularly known as the golden temple. A 15.5 m high gold plated spire adorns this temple. Among others, mention may be made of the Tulsi Manas Temple, dedicated to Lord Rama, and the Durga Temple.
Benaras Hindu University
Spread over an area of 2000 acres, this is the largest and the oldest university in North India. This great place of education was established by Pt. Madan Mohan Malviya and today its campus has faculties of almost all branches of studies.

Bharat Kala Museum
This small but very well maintained museum gives an overview of the ancient city of Varanasi. It contains a very rich collection of precious and rare historical artefacts, statues, pictures, paintings and manuscripts.

Varanasi : Fact File
Location : Uttar Pradesh

Distance From Agra : 538 kms

Famous As : A Place of Hindu Pilgrimage

Festivals : The Ganga Festival, Ramlila, Buddha Purnima and Mahashivratri are the celebrated with great pomp and show.

Accessibility : Varanasi has easy access from all parts of Indian. The nearest airport is at Babatpur, 22 kms. Varanasi is an important railway junction with rail links from all important Indian cities.

Places to Stay : The city has a plethora of accomodation facilities for tourists. There are even Dharamshalas which are available at reasonable rates.