Varanasi – An Interesting And Highly Revered City In India
Varanasi is the holy grail of Hindu universe. It is one of the most sacred places in the country and a major part of Uttar Pradesh. It was formerly called Kashi and today is recognized with many sobriquets, including “City of temples”, “City of lights”, “Holy city of India”, and “Religious capital of India”. It is a city with a unique vibe envied by many. Numerous legends, myths, and beliefs still do circles in the streets and the pious river ghats. In fact, the whole existence of the place is based on the belief that Lord Shiva founded the city some 5000 years ago. The holy river Ganges flows through the city and plays a significant part in the rituals and customs that are practiced here. The place is closely associated with Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu and sees a large inflow of Shaivites and Vaishnavites. It is said that at one point of time there were nearly 23,000 temples in the place. Many of these got ruined or even destroyed with the passage of time, however, a good concentration of the centuries old temples still dot the place.
Varanasi Tourism
Varanasi is one of the most visited places in the nation. Religion alone accounts for bringing more than 50 percent of the total visitors to the place. Apart from that, it is to seek sanity, explore the archaeologically significant remnants, experience the culture, traditions, and festivals of the place, etc. acting as the other chief reasons behind why one visits the place. It is considered mandatory to visit the place if one is on a pilgrimage to all religious places in India. Dwarka is one of the most revered Hindu cities and there is a large concentration of people travelling Dwarka to Varanasi. If you are visiting Varanasi shortly, given below are some tourist attractions that you should not miss.
Kashi Vishwanath Temple – Your trip to the place will be outright incomplete if you somehow miss to visit the temple. It is one of the holiest temples in India and oozes divine vibe and vintage charm. It is a beautiful temple and a fine example of the harmonious coexistence between Hinduism and Islam, as there exists a revered mosque inside the premise.
Ramnagar Fort – It is a grandiose fort situated on the banks of Ganges River. Built in 18th century, it is a red sandstone fort that was the ancestral home of the Maharajas of Banares. Today, it is a great reference to the history of the place and also the opulence of the past rulers. Inside the fort walls exist a revered temple and a museum.
Banaras Hindu University – It is one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in India. With more than 12,000 students living in the hostels, the university is the largest residential university in Asia. It is a major part of the city's tourism and sees a continuous flow of visitors.
There are numerous other interesting tourist attractions in the place, visit it on your next vacation to explore and experience it for real. The good thing is it is quite easy to get into the place. Gorakhpur is a popular gateway to access the city. Hop on a Gorakhpur to Varanasi train and get busy exploring the enchanting city.