Varanasi

Overview

Varanasi, also known as Banaras (or Benares) and Kashi, is a city situated on the left bank of the river Ganges in the southeastern part of the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is among the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and is considered one of the seven sacred cities (Sapta Puri) of Hinduism. The city is a major centre of pilgrimage, religious learning, classical music, weaving, and Sanskrit scholarship.

Key facts

Geography

Varanasi lies on the Indo-Gangetic Plain, situated on a crescent-shaped stretch of the western bank of the Ganges, between the confluences of the Varuna and Assi rivers — names that are popularly believed to give the city its modern name. The city's riverfront is lined with a long sequence of stone steps known as ghats, used for ritual bathing, religious ceremonies, and cremations. Prominent ghats include Dashashwamedh Ghat, Manikarnika Ghat, Harishchandra Ghat, and Assi Ghat.

History

Varanasi has a documented history stretching back several millennia and finds repeated mention in early Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain literature. The nearby site of Sarnath, about 10 km from the city, is where Gautama Buddha is traditionally believed to have delivered his first sermon after attaining enlightenment, marking the start of the Dharmachakra Pravartana.

The region was part of the ancient kingdom of Kashi, one of the sixteen mahajanapadas of the early historic period. Over the centuries, the city came under the control of the Mauryas, Guptas, the Gahadavala dynasty, the Delhi Sultanate, and the Mughal Empire. During the medieval period, several of its temples were destroyed and rebuilt in successive waves. The Kashi Vishwanath Temple in its present form was rebuilt by Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore in 1780.

In 1737, the region passed to the Nawabs of Awadh, and the local zamindar Mansa Ram and later his son Balwant Singh established the Kingdom of Banaras. The kingdom was formally recognised by the British in 1775, and the Banaras State continued under successive Maharajas until its merger with the Indian Union after independence in 1947.

Religion and culture

Varanasi is closely associated with Lord Shiva, with the Kashi Vishwanath Temple being one of the twelve Jyotirlingas. The city is also significant for Buddhists due to Sarnath, and for Jains as the birthplace of the 23rd Tirthankara, Parshvanatha, and the 7th Tirthankara, Suparshvanatha. The annual Ganga Mahotsav, Dev Deepawali, and the Ramlila of Ramnagar are among its widely attended cultural events.

The city has been a long-standing centre of Hindustani classical music and dance, giving rise to the Banaras gharana. It is associated with musicians and performers such as Ustad Bismillah Khan, Pandit Ravi Shankar, Girija Devi, Kishan Maharaj, Sitara Devi, and Gopi Krishna. Varanasi is also famed for its handloom Banarasi silk sarees, known for intricate brocade work.

Education

Varanasi is home to several major institutions of higher learning, including:

• Banaras Hindu University (BHU), founded in 1916 by Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya — one of the largest residential universities in Asia.
• Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) Varanasi, an institute of national importance.
• Sampurnanand Sanskrit University, established in 1791 as the Government Sanskrit College.
• Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith, founded in 1921 during the Non-Cooperation Movement.
• Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies at Sarnath.

Transport

Varanasi is served by the Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport at Babatpur. The city is a major rail hub on the Northern Railway and East Central Railway zones, with key stations being Varanasi Junction (Cantt.), Banaras (Manduadih), and Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction (Mughalsarai). National Highways NH-19 and NH-2 pass through the city. The inland waterway on the Ganges (National Waterway 1) has its multi-modal terminal at Ramnagar, inaugurated in 2018.

Politics and administration

The city is the headquarters of Varanasi district and Varanasi division of Uttar Pradesh. The Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency has been represented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi since the 2014 general election. Civic administration is handled by the Varanasi Nagar Nigam, while urban planning and development are overseen by the Varanasi Development Authority (VDA).

Notable landmarks

• Kashi Vishwanath Temple and the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor (Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham), inaugurated in December 2021.
• Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple, associated with the saint-poet Tulsidas.
• Durga Temple and Tulsi Manas Mandir.
• Bharat Mata Mandir, inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi in 1936.
• Ramnagar Fort, the ancestral residence of the erstwhile Maharajas of Banaras.
• Sarnath, with the Dhamek Stupa, Mulagandha Kuti Vihar, and the Sarnath Archaeological Museum housing the Lion Capital of Ashoka.

Notable people associated with Varanasi

• Tulsidas, author of the Ramcharitmanas.
• Kabir, the 15th-century mystic poet.
• Ravidas, devotional poet and saint.
• Munshi Premchand, Hindi-Urdu novelist.
• Jaishankar Prasad and Bharatendu Harishchandra, pioneers of modern Hindi literature.
• Lal Bahadur Shastri, second Prime Minister of India, born in nearby Mughalsarai.
• Madan Mohan Malaviya, founder of BHU.

Significance

Varanasi occupies a central place in Indian religious, intellectual, and artistic life. It is regarded by many Hindus as a place of spiritual liberation (moksha), and the city's continuous tradition of pilgrimage, learning, and craft has made it a cultural symbol of India. UNESCO has recognised the city for its contributions to music, naming it a City of Music under the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in 2015.

Related topics

• Kashi Vishwanath Temple
• Sarnath
• Banaras Hindu University
• Ganges
• Uttar Pradesh
• Banarasi Sari
• Tulsidas
• Kabir
• Ramnagar Fort

References

• Wikidata entity: Q79980
• Government of Uttar Pradesh — Varanasi District portal.
• Archaeological Survey of India — Sarnath circle publications.
• UNESCO Creative Cities Network — City of Music designation, 2015.