In India, where some of the world's most important religions were born, the city of Varanasi is one of the most sacred and mystical. Get here travel Guide on the banks of the Ganges River, Varanasi's main attraction in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India.
It has been known by Kashi and Benares, until its oldest name is restored: Varanasi comes from the junction of the Varana and Asi rivers which run north and south of the city, respectively. It has a radius of about one hundred and twenty kilometers and, besides spiritual and religious center, is also an important center of Sanskrit studies where students from all over the world come.
The state in which it is located, Uttar Pradesh despite being one of the most productive in India, is essentially an agricultural and overcrowded area. Its population joins the nearly three hundred million people who depend completely on the waters of the Ganges. At almost sixteen hundred miles, this is one of the largest rivers in the world and its delta, located in Bangladesh is even the largest.
The Ganga ghats, marked by the lingam (phallus) of Shiva are the attraction of the city and indeed the only interesting part along with the alleys that precede them. The temples are too sacred to accept non-Hindus inside. But all Hindu believers dream of coming here at least once. From its source in the Himalayas on its arrival to the sea in the Bay of Bengal, the Ganges is one of the most important rivers in the world but it is above all, the most sacred of all. And of all the cities that dot its banks, Varanasi, the city of Shiva is the most venerated.
When you will visit Varanasi, the scene can occur in any of the one hundred Ghats punctuated by temples, scattered for six kilometers along the Ganges. The ablutions take place throughout the day. Immersion in the water, three drops in the mouth, shaving the hair, praying, practicing yoga, meditating, each one exercises the spirituality he seeks in the City of Light. And it is hard not to be infected by the strong devotions of those who are going to the last place in the world - at least as long as the sun does not rise, bringing with it a camp of soulless hawkers, boatmen and "masseurs".
Ten kilometers away in Sarnath, Buddha first preached for almost twenty-six centuries. Later the city became an important Hindu center raised by the Mughal emperor and Muslim Aurangazeb, to be reborn from time to time in the nineteenth century, becoming definitely "The Holy City" of India. In all, Varanasi already has about 3,000 years as a religious symbol and center for Hindu studies, a record that is not threatened by any competition, although there are probably more sacred sites in this country than anywhere else.
Priests offer blessings, beggars give us the opportunity to be kind, stripping us, and some of the ghats show us the uselessness of the body, with continuous cremations and corpses waiting, lying in rickshaws. Manikarnika and Harishchandra are the most important and frequented.
The ashes are thrown into the river by the family and a few meters away, pilgrims bathe with modesty - are not fire and water purifying elements. In the dry season, it is possible to go through the most active and sought-after ghats , the five where the pilgrims should bathe in order: Asi, Dasaswamedh, Barnasangam, Panchganga and Manikarnika . But during the monsoon the waters rise in such a way that the stairs almost disappear. It is curious to note that, despite the human and industrial pollutants, the river has a fantastic capacity for regeneration and its waters are not as dirty as might be expected. Respectful, Indians prefer to say that the river is "sick" rather than polluted.
When To Go
Preferably in the winter, to be able to see the ghats in full operation and to walk between them; summer is the time of the monsoons and the river covers the stairs. Attention: Winter days are hot, but nights and dawns are quite cold.
How To Reach Varanasi
Fly to New Delhi and there you can settle in the Paharganj area, very close to the main train station. You will probably have to wait a few days to get a place marked up to Varanasi, since the train is very popular for large commutes. Go in second class if you are already used to India: chaos and guaranteed friendships, but beware of baggage - see Indian care and do as they do. The trip takes about 15 hours, and there is a meal service. There are also daily air links between New Delhi and Varanasi with Indian Airlines. If you want to make your trip luxurious then you can book Maharaja Express Train to explore Varanasi.
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