This time it’s out of Africa and into Asia on the around the world tour of public domain photos from the CIA World Factbook.

Note that while my title lists Tibet along with three other nations, it isn’t recognized as such in the Factbook. If you want to download the picture of Namco Lake near Lhasa from the Factbook site, you’ll find it in the collection of photos from China.

Taj Mahal, Agra, India

The Dhamek Stupa, Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh, India, believed to be where the enlightened Buddha first preached

River Ganges, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India

Prayer flags on the Swayambhunath Stupa, Kathmandu, Nepal

Namco Lake, Tibet

Tiger Leaping Gorge, Lijiang, Yunnan, China

Elephant Trunk Hill, Guilin City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China

With a Light Touch: Spiraling Impressions from Knowth to the Joyce Tower, will be posted page by page in a series, upon completion.  This is a photo I took of the legendary Ashoka pillar from Sarnath, India, just north of the Holy City of Benares, also known as the city of Varanasi.

The Ashoka pillar is only a short walk away from the ancient Stupa at Sarnath, pictured below.

August 13

Not surprisingly, the overnight train from Agra to Varanasi wasn’t the most relaxing experience.  My Spanish bunkmates roused around 5:30 am, a good thing because we arrived in Varanasi at 6:00 and I had no idea what time we were supposed to arrive.

I followed the Spaniards to the main arrivals hall which, as expected in India, was very busy.  I stood there waiting to be found.

Not long after, my London friends Josh and Aaron arrived, looking none the worse for wear after their evening in AC3, one class below my train car. Miraculously, my Varanasi driver found me amidst the hubbub. I asked if we could give my friends a ride to their hotel. Oh no, the answer, their hotel is very far away. I’m sure.

I called Devesh, the Varanasi guide recommended by the October 2008 Departures Magazine whom I had organized before I left Canada. Sure enough, the boys’ hotel was in fact very close to the Surya where I was staying – go figure. So I explained to my driver, Babu, and his greeter sidekick that I had my own guide and that Josh and Aaron would be joining me.  They respond that they want to take me to their boss. By this point in my trip I am prepared to put my foot down. Firm, but gentle, I insist they take the boys to their hotel before dropping me off.  Babu furrows his brows, then smiles in agreement.

When I arrive at my hotel my room isn’t ready, so I head to the restaurant for breakfast. Inexplicably, all the fruits in my fruit salad are canned except for the banana. I am delighted to discover my hotel warmly embraces the standard issue Indian paper napkins which feel like they’re coated in plastic and disintegrate immediately upon exposure to food.  The table runners are filthy, and the bamboo centerpiece has a drowned fly.

My grotty Varanasi hotel room

On that theme, I arrive to my grotty room and discover the bathroom has a few mosquitoes swirling around. No wonder – you could fit a raccoon through the gap under my balcony door. For the first (and as it turned out, only) time on my trip, I set up my mosquito net.  Then I chuckled at the pathetic toilet paper provision and laughed when my Indian phone plug didn’t fit in the outlet.

I waited for Devesh in the lobby.  I plugged my phone into the outlet and it rang – it was Devesh calling from two metres away to confirm I was me.  What followed was a large discussion with Babu who insisted that I go to the office to speak with his boss.  I gave Babu a straightforward choice: either he takes us with a tip that would recognize his extra effort, or we get a new driver.  Babu passed his cell phone to Devesh who then passed it to me, explaining that they didn’t believe I had booked Devesh from Toronto. Sighing, I spoke to the boss (who, unusually is a woman, or perhaps a man with a very high voice) and firmly explained my position.  Phone went back to Devesh then to Babu.

“Okay, all set,” Devesh says. That was easy.

Sarnath

We picked up Josh and Aaron and drove to Sarnath where the Buddha first began teaching and which consequently became a major religious centre after the 4th century C.E. Devesh revealed within two minutes why he came so highly recommended.  He was smart, funny, had a perfect command of English and was a bewitching storyteller.  By the time we arrived he was mid story and the three of us were captivated.

The "faux" Buddha

Pilgrims' gold rubbings

We visited a Buddhist temple which had the story of the Buddha painted by a Japanese painter and a sandstone Buddha made to look like gold.  Devesh explained that according to the Buddha, the source of all our confusion is greed: when you have nothing you lose all anxiety.  When you see the Buddha holding his fingers in a circle it represents “undoing the knot”, or releasing the confusion of life. I was so inspired I bought the book “What Would Buddh Do?” Ah, the Buddha – the MacGyver of the ancient world.

We strolled the grounds, admiring the massive bodhi tree and visiting the Ashoka temple ruins where pilgrims rubbed gold leaf on the ruins for good luck.  We strolled clockwise around the Dhamek Stupa (a “stupa” being a mound shaped like an upside down alms bowl which stores Buddhist relics), followed for a while by a persistent child asking for chocolate. We surrendered to the tutelage of Aaron who had spent two weeks in a Thai Buddhist monastery and taught us to solemnly repeat “Om mani padme hum”. Aaron then described how, after a week of 16-hour days of silence, he made a ninja run for the fence to get cigarettes.  After that we visited the Jain temple where we learned there are two kinds of Jains: those who wear white and those who wear nothing.  We saw neither. Jains do not believe in harming any living beings; they won’t even eat onions or garlic for fear of offending the bacteria that live on such beings. I was intrigued when Devesh said that most Jains were stingy businessmen. Hmmm.

Weaving the good ole' fashioned way

Yet again, the inevitable craft shop pilgrimage. In Varanasi they’re known for their silks with metallic thread. Our craft shop hosts claimed the process for weaving silk hadn’t changed in the last 200 years. Having visited the primitive conditions of the weaver, I can believe it. Boy, did we sure learn about making silk!  The silk thread comes from Bangalore. The spools of copper wire are cleaned in a large vat of sinister-looking blue chemical whose fragrance permeates the air and then polished in sawdust. It’s dyed into metallic colours (silver, gold) after which a machine mixes the silk thread with the coloured wire, making metallic silk thread.  The weaving is done piece work all over the city. The weaving machine uses punch cards that instruct the machine which threads to weave.  Thus the pattern is created.   Of course my immersive silk education led to a scarf purchase.

Josh, Aaron and I treated Devesh to lunch at my hotel which Devesh claimed was one of the best restaurants in Varanasi. I recalled my dubious breakfast in silence.  But I have to admit – the palak paneer, dal makhani, garlic nan, pineapple raita, babganoush and mango lassi were pretty awesome.

Heading to the ghat in Varanasi

Devesh then organized the two bike rickshaws to take us to the ghat for the evening Hindu ceremony by the Ganga, the Ganges.  I was so excited – going to evening puja in Varanasi is one of the most quintessential Indian rituals you can experience!  And the rickshaw ride there?  Spectacular, amazing, incredible, fabulous.  As the streets got increasingly busy, you could feel the happy energy surge. All kinds of people – locals, pilgrims, holy sadhus, tourists from all over the world – were flowing down the road to the ghats, the riverbank steps. Although technically no vehicular traffic is allowed, our rickshaw drivers stealthily bribed the police to let us pass – without us noticing.  Given the rickshaw congestion, this was clearly common practice and undoubtedly very lucrative for the gatekeepers.

“Quick, look over there!” Devesh said, pointing to the textile store to our right.

“What the…?” I started.  Inside the shop was a giant ox. According to Devesh, the ox has been visiting the store on a daily basis for years. He causes no problems, and even leaves the store to relieve himself before coming back in. This ox was famous enough to make the pages of the Toronto Star.

Jupiter Temple

We passed the Jupiter Temple, the only temple in the world dedicated to worshipping the planet Jupiter. Luckily it was Thursday, the only day of the week the temple is operational. And by golly, it was busy.

If this was the opening act, I couldn’t wait for the main show!

Inscriptions from Sarnath Stupa, 5th Century AD

India is a “big paradise” in Asia. Exotic culture, priceless art, modern cities, national parks, and friendly people make the India an excellent destination for tourists…a vast space of immense beauty. Throughout the 21st century, India still maintains traditional lifestyle.

India is a secular country where different people follow different religion. It is in India where the great religions like Hinduism, Sikhism, and Buddhism have been originated. It is here in India where different religions exist in harmony. It’s famed spiritually has made it a frequently visited place by the spiritually inclined.

To get the harmony of mind body and soul, the pilgrimage tour to India. So accordingly there are wide ranges of pilgrimages in India. People across the country come to visit this pious land. Tourists can take a trip according to their beliefs. There are Hindu Pilgrimage Tour, Buddhist Pilgrimage Tour, Sikh Pilgrimage Tour, Muslim Pilgrimage Tour and Christian Pilgrimage Tour.

Hindu Pilgrimage Tour in India – Hindu pilgrimage destinations in India is very vast. It is as many as its legend. From the lofty hills of the Himalaya to the last point of Kanya Kumari, from the fertile land of Rajasthan to the Puri of Orissa.

Some of the most important Hindu pilgrimage centres in India are – Varanasi, one of the oldest city in the world. Other sacred places include Amarnath, Char dham yatra (Kedar Nath, Badri Nath, Gangoyotri, Yamunayotri) in Himalayas, Rishikesh and Haridwar in the foot hills of Himalaya. Rameshwaram in south and Puri Jagannath and Gaya at east, Dwarika, Somnath in the west. There are 52 ‘Shakti Peethas’, where the Mother Goddess is worshipped among them the two most famous are Kalighat and Kamakhya. The most visited religious shrine in India is Tirupati Balaji in Andhra Pradesh and second is the Vaishno Devi temple near Katra.

Beside these there are so many temples in each and every corner of India where the tourists can find the peace and harmony of mind and body.

Buddhist Tour in India – Buddhist tour in India offers visit to the Buddhist places in India. All the places are unique in their own way and servers a feeling of peace, harmony, happiness are the prevailing theme of all the cities. The Buddhist tour in India includes places like – Bodh Gaya, Saranath, Varanasi, sravasti, Lumbini, Kushi Nagar, Vaishali, Nalanda, Rajgir, Dharmashala, Kapilavastu, and Kathmandu. There are many routs covering these places.

Sikh Pilgrimage in India – The most revered place for the Sikhs are Hemkund Sahib and Golden Temple Amritsar. Devotees trek to the height of 4329 meter to prey to the world’s highest Gurudwara. There are so many others Gurudwara where the pilgrims visit to attain spiritualism.

Muslim Pilgrimage in India – The mother India has everything. There are wonderful mosques, religious shrine, and holy places of significance importance in India for the Muslims. The most sacred places of Muslims in India are – Ajmer Sharif, Ajmer, JamaMasjid Delhi, Fatehpur sikri, The Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, Qutub Minar, Charminar, and Hyderabad etc. All the mosque and monuments are famous for their architecture and pride and a great bearer of History.

Christian Pilgrimage Tour – Like other religion Christianity in India is also very. There quite a few shrine and churches in India where people from other countries also do make a visit. Like the churches of Goa specially the Basilica of Bom Jesus – Goa church, the church of Shimla, Delhi, Mumbai, Kerela and Chennai.

Jain Pilgrimage Tour – The believer of Thirthankar aims the accession of man in to Godhood. The Jain pilgrimage centers are well known for their art and architecture. The famous places are – Dilwara Temple and Ranak Pur Temple in Rajasthan, Palitana in Gujrat, and Bawangaja in Madhya Pradesh.

One interesting aspect of the pilgrimage tour in India is that though there are particular types of tour for particular religion. But the secularism in India does not restrict any one to visit the religious places of other religion. This is what the true religion! You can attain purification of mind and body in any tour.

The past two weeks have been super great! I am really behind on my e-mails and I haven’t gotten back to Kharang yet (and thusly don’t really have news about the orphanage), so this will be a brief post.

My friend Dan arrived in Guwahati on March 2nd, and we spent three days in Meghalaya split between Kharang and Shillong. That Thursday, we went back to Guwahati and flew to Calcutta as part of our journey to Bodhgaya (where the Buddha achieved enlightenment). We had just one afternoon and evening in Calcutta, but we made the most of it, visiting its large market and park, the Kalighat temple, and the Victoria Memorial for its spectacularly cheesy sound-and-light show. In Bodhgaya, we did what all tourists do, which is go see the bodhi tree and the 80 foot tall Buddha statue. Enlightenment points: check! We then took an early morning train to Varanasi (arguably the holiest city for Hindus), where we spent two days wandering around the ghats of Ganga-ji, visiting Sarnath (where the Buddha preached his first sermon), and avoiding small children who had started playing Holi a week early. (Holi is the color fight festival, so this means that small children were just chucking balloons full of dyed water at random passers-by. Totally not fair, when the holiday is only supposed to be one day! Thus began Dan and I wearing the same clothes for three days straight.) Then we took a night train to Agra, where we did again what all tourists do, which is see the Taj Mahal and a couple of other places. As a note, I’ve seen the Taj before, and had forgotten how totally huge and awesome it is. Everyone should go there, even if they do charge foreigners way much (Indian price: 20 Rs; foreigner price: 750 Rs). My favorite part of that day was sitting on the sandbank across the Yamuna River from the Taj and drinking bottled Pepsi with Dan and a friend we made there, Alexander from Sweden.

By the time we arrived in Delhi, we were pretty exhausted and glad to have a couple of relaxing days with my friends in Maruti Kunj in Gurgaon. The first day, we played dress-up — Dan in his Holi kurta pajama and me in one of my “Indian mother’s” saris — and visited the pre-color-fight Holi bonfire and the Alen de Lastic Children’s Village. Overall, a needed relaxing day… Especially because the 11th was Holi itself! Dan and I dressed in our white-for-Holi clothes, and we went with my friends to their ashram, where about 50 people had gathered to play Holi, dance, and worship (often at the same time). This was great fun, and we had a wonderful time. With Dan’s last two days in India, we did some sight-seeing around New Delhi and took a cooking class through our hotel. I now know the secret of how paranthas have so many folds.

Traveling back “home” to Meghalaya has been exciting as well. Because of sand storms over the northeast, all flights to Guwahati on Monday were canceled. In a stroke of logic, Kingfisher still flew our plane… to West Bengal, near Darjeeling. And then we flew back to Delhi. Sheesh. It did mean that I got to spend an evening with my friend Mannu and his family, and that I met a couple of Princeton Theological divinity graduates on my flight to Guwahati yesterday! It’s a small world.

Things are looking up for my post-India life. I bought “round the world” tickets through STA Travel, and will be traveling for five weeks between India and the States. I’ll visit Japan, Thailand, Egypt, (Jordan?), Israel, and Ghana, ending with a cruise with my family in the western Mediterranean. If you have any recommendations about things to do and see in these places, please let me know As well, UUCF’s Partner Church Committee has agreed to sponsor me to go to General Assembly in Salt Lake!! This is really exciting, and now I’m working on an application for the GA Planning Committee to see if I can be awarded a matching scholarship and free registration. Lastly, I was admitted into two more graduate schools this weekend: Union Theological and Harvard Divinity. Exciting!! I have to make a decision within the next week, which is pretty crazy, but I’m up for it.

That was not as brief as I expected… Anyway, lastly, Dan’s uploaded all my photos up until the AMBCV inauguration onto my Flickr account. If you want to see pictures of the kids, my Flickr’s the place to look!

`

“Whenever anyone causes us some problems, we get upset and angry about that. 
This is our normal human tendency. 
If we are careful enough, we can stop the causes of the anger and therefore stop anger from arising. 
One’s feeling of mental unhappiness is the primary cause for arising anger. 
This is due to our self-centered ego or attitudes. 
The anger can be diminished by the practice of compassion and by searching for the solution to rid ourselves of this anger. 
Our main problem is that we consciously increase the intensity of anger by feeding it through means of constantly thinking of how such and such people hurt me, or unfair, etc. 
Because we hold these things in our minds the anger increases and increases.” 
“The State of Mind” (transcript of a teaching given August 29, 1997 by Geshe Dakpa Topgyal)

Two monks were sitting next to each other on the stairs of the Tibetan temple located in Sarnath where I usualy come on Sundays when I need calmness and tranquility.
They were reading and chanting mantras, it was such a peaceful moment that I could almost feel the sound of silence.
It was at sunset, I was leaving the temple.
I took a few shots trying not to disturb them, the only noise was the click of my camera.

It’s funny how sometimes we can blend things which were not ment to be together.
For instance since a few days a song from Titiyo’s album “Come Along” is coming to my mind whenever I am thinking of some tibetan monks I know.
I wonder what are their thoughs, where they are…

“There is hope, anything can happen” says Lhadon Tethong in French newspaper LE MONDE,www.lemonde.fr/web/portfolio/0,12-0@2-3216,31-1025904,0.html (in French)

“…Come along now, come along with me
Come along now, come along and you’ll see
What it’s like to be free…”
www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/t/titiyo/come_along.html

I took this picture at the Tibetan temple in Sarnath near Varanasi (Benaras) – India.
“Free Tibet, Free China”.

- FREE TIBET -
Tibetan monks are our shepherds, they pray for us, for our souls and we can’t let them down…

Chinese invaders will not leave this land because this part of Himalaya has many valuable resources.
An huge Highway is already reaching the hills destroying the ecological system.
Those recent “riots” are one more oppportunity for China to try to get an hold on the Tibetan culture and to get a profit from this country.

Unfortunately it is only an economic problem therefore if you want to support Free Tibet you can only boycot Chinese products.

www.freetibet.org
www.dailymotion.com/video/x4qgb6_les-emeutes-a-lhassa_politics

I took this picture at the Tibetan temple in Sarnath near Varanasi (Benaras) – India.

                                                         ———————————

The 18th of March 2008 I decided to upload it to my Flickr pages with the same words and then I couldn’t expect that it would lead to an huge polemic.

Many comments of support to this cause were left under this image but also many comments from people who are in favor of the government of the People’s Republic of China.

Those were adding links to videos made of political propaganda.

I decided to answer to everyone with calm and restraint, however it was not always the same from my opponents, some even deleted their comments.

This image ended up in the press and then it became a political statement even if  I was not aware of it at that time.

This is a link to this image where I kept all the comments, 

“The oldest living city in the world”.
This monk is standing at the entrance of the tibetan temple in Sarnath.
He was reading mantras and sometimes he was looking at the few people who were walking in the gardens.
It was very hot that day and I think he was standing there in order to feel the wind which was blowing then just before the storm.
He saw me taking pictures of him and he didn’t mind striking several poses but this picture was shot before he realized what I was doing and I think it’s where he is looking the most natural when he was deep in thoughts.

While travelling throughout India in 1996, I wanted to visit as many sacred places as I could fit into my schedule.  I had read about the burning ghats of Varanasi (also commonly known as Benares) and I had delved into the Hindu religious rituals of dealing with the dead. This city is situated on the left (west) bank of the River Ganges in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and is reputed to be one of the oldest inhabitated cities in the world.  According to legend, the city was founded by the Hindu deity, Lord Shiva, around 5,000 years ago, this makes it one of the most important pilgrimage destinations in the country.  There are also strong holy connections to Jainists and Buddhist religions.  In Sarnath which is just 10 km from Varanasi, Buddha preached his first sermon in the Deer Park.

You might be thinking why is a dead body floating away in a river?   According to the Hindu mythology, Varanasi liberates the soul from a human body at the time of death and they gain instant enlightment into the after life.  It is the Ganga Ghats that complement the concept of divinity. The Ghats are the holiest spots of the river.  Each day pilgrims swarm from all over india and the world to take a dip in the holy waters of the Ganges, which is believed to absolve one from all sins.  Widows and the infirm stream here to seek refuge and live out their final days.  Many of the already dead are transported here to be burnt on sandlewood funeral pyres on the ancient ghats that are abundantly situated all along the river.  Some are so poor that they can’t even afford the wood for their pyre, so they sit out each day, awaiting for the final heart beat to cease, then hopefully they will roll down into the river for the release they have yearn for all their lives.  Unfortunetly, some don’t make it into the grey polluted water and a gentle kick from some passer by gives them the escape from this samsaric world we live in……

It’s really just a cycle existence, don’t you agree?

Last Sunday in Sarnath, a group of Tibetan monks ( two women and two men), were enjoying the sunset in front of the ruins of what was once emperor Ashoka’s palace, at a few meters away from the tree where Lord Buddha delivered his sermon to five disciples. 

A moment of bliss… 

This is an extract from Nirvana by Sri Aurobindo: 
“Nirvana” 
Only the illimitable Permanent 
Is here. A Peace stupendous, featureless, still. 
Replaces all, – what once was I, in It 
A silent unnamed emptiness content 
Either to fade in the Unknowable 
Or thrill with the luminous seas of the Infinite.

Woke up on a good day and the world was wonderful
A midnight winter dream had me in its spell.

I dreamt about two monks visiting Sarnath 
They sat under a tree nearby Lord Buddha’s stuppa.

They told me of the Beauty hidden in our foreheads,
They told me of the ugliness we show instead.

And when we put a foot wrong do we learn from all the pain

After midnight we sat up half the night
And they began to tell me what it was all for

I woke up in the jungle they had gone I don’t know where
Don’t remember much at all but their words were echoing
A midnight winter dream and then wake again…

(Very much inspired by the lyrics from “Midnight Summer’s Dream” by THE STRANGLERS)
I took this picture on Chrismas eve last December, it was just before sunset in Sarnath near Benaras.

“The oldest living city in the world”.
This is a picture that I shot last Sunday as I was living the Tibetan Temple in Sarnath near Varanasi (Benaras).
The car was along the wall of a house which is just in front of the Temple and I saw this young boy who was doing his homeworks outside in the garden.
The remembrance of my schoolyears came back and I wanted to give to this image a vintage look.
I like the sun coming from the back which gives space between the boy and the background, I think this is what brings that timeless touch to this image.

Education here is different to the one we get in Europe, it would be too long to explain here with a few words but I think that teachers try to allow their pupils to find the real significance of life…

“India is not Just a Place” by Sri Chinmoy:
INDIA IS NOT JUST A PLACE.
India is not just a people. 
India is the celestial music,
And inside that music 
Anybody from any corner of the globe 
Can find the real significance of life.

It was a special moment for thousands of  Tibetians who came from far and near places, assembled at the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies, Sarnath, to welcome their supreme spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who arrived here on a 10-day visit on Wednesday.

“It was a long awaited moment for me” said Tenzing, a youngster who along with others is camping at Sarnath to hear the Dalai Lama. To have a glimpse of their most revered spritual leader the Tibetans with khatas (secred scarf for offering) in their hands qued up along the road leading to the main gate of the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies for hours.

It may be mentioned hare that the Dalai Lama will give seven-day teachings on Kamalashila’s The Middling Stages of Meditation (gomrim barpa) and Shantideva’s A Guide To the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life (chodjung) at the Kalchakra ground of the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies.

During his stay the Dalai Lama will also inaugurate the three-day international seminar on Buddhist religion-philosophy and science on January 15.

Scholars from various parts of country and abroad will take part in the seminar.

A large number of Tibetans from various places arrived at Sarnath to hear the teachings of their spiritual leader. The entire area of Sarnath, the place where Buddha preached his first sermons, is flooded with Tibetan monks and citizens in exile.

For the convenience the volunteers of Tibetan Youth Congress have also created a booth near the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies campus.

Varanasi or Kashi is older than traditions. Varanasi presents a unique combination of physical, metaphysical and supernatural elements. According to the Hindu mythology, Varanasi liberates soul from human body to the ultimate. It is the Ganga Ghats of Varanasi that complement the concept of divinity. Ghats of Ganga are perhaps the holiest spots of Varanasi. The Ganga Ghats at Varanasi are full of pilgrims who flock to the place to take a dip in the holy Ganges, which is believed to absolve one from all sins.

There are number of temples on the bank of the Ganga river in Varanasi. It is believed that people are cleansed physically, mentally and spiritually at Ganga Ghats. It is at the Ganga Ghats where we see life and death together. For thousands of years people have been thronging these Ghats to offer their morning prayers to the rising sun. There are more than 100 ghats along side Ganga in Varanasi. Some of the prominent and popular Ghats at Varanasi are the Dasaswamedh Ghat, Manikarnika Ghat, Harischandra Ghat, Kabir Ghat and Assi Ghat.

Assi Ghat

Situated at the confluence of Ganga and Asi rivers, Assi Ghat is the southernmost Ghat in Varanasi, where pilgrims bathe before paying their homage to Lord Shiva in the form of huge lingam situated under a peepal tree. Assi Ghat also constitutes the southern end of conventional city. Another lingam worshipped here is the Asisangameshwar lingam representing the lord of confluence of the Asi, enshrined in a small marble temple near the Assi Ghat. It was at the Assi Ghat where the famous Indian poet saint, Tulsi Das had written the much-celebrated Ramcharitmanas.

There are numerous references of Assi Ghat in early literature of the Hindus. We find the mention of Assi Ghat in matsya purana, Agni purana, kurma purana, padma purana and kashi khanda. According legends, Goddess Durga had thrown her sword after slaying the demon, Shumbha- Nishumbha. The place, where the sword had fallen resulted in a big stream, known as Assi River. Assi Ghat is located at the confluence of River Ganga and Assi River. In Kashi Khand, Assi Ghat is referred as Assi “Saimbeda Tirtha” and according to it one gets punya of all the Tirthas (religious places) by taking a dip here. Thousands of Hindu pilgrims take holy dip here in the months of Chaitya (March/ April) and Magh (Jan/Feb) and other important occasions like solar/ lunar eclipse, Ganga Dussehra, Probodhoni Ekadashi, Makar Shankranti etc.

Dasaswamedh Ghat

Dasaswamedh Ghat is one of the most important Ghats of Varanasi. Dasaswamedh literally means the Ghat (river front) of ten sacrificed horses. According to legends ten horses were sacrificed by Lord Brahma to allow Lord Shiva to return from a period of banishment. In spite of the fact that Dasaswamedh is one of the oldest Ghats of Varanasi, dating back to many thousand years, the Ghat has remained unspoilt and clean.

Dasaswamedh provides a beautiful and colorful riverfront view. A large number of Sadhus can be seen performing religious rites on this Ghat. Devotees must not miss the opportunity of visiting the Dasaswamedh Ghat in the evening when after Aarti, thousands of earthen lamps are immersed in the waters of the holy Ganges and the floating lamps give a divine look to the river at dusk.

Harish Chandra Ghat

Harish Chandra Ghat is one of the oldest Ghats of Varanasi. Harish Chandra Ghat is name after a mythological King Harish Chandra, who once worked at the cremation ground here for the perseverance of truth and charity. It is believed that the Gods rewarded him for his resolve, charity and truthfulness and restored his lost throne and his dead son to him. Harish Chandra Ghat is one of the two cremation Ghats (the other being Manikarnika Ghat) and is some times referred as Adi Manikarnika (the original creation ground). Hindus from distant places bring the dead bodies of their near and dear ones to the Harish Chandra Ghat for cremation. In Hindu mythology it is believed that if a person is cremated at the Harish Chandra Ghat, that person gets salvation or “moksha”. The Harish Chandra Ghat was somewhat modernized in late 1980’s, when an electric crematorium was opened here.

Manikarnika Ghat

Manikarnika Ghat is the main cremation Ghat of Varanasi. Manikarnika Ghat is one of the oldest and most sacred Ghats in Benaras. According to the Hindu mythology, being burned here provides an instant gateway to liberation from the cycle of births and rebirths. Lying at the center of the five tirthas, Manikarnika Ghat symbolizes both creation and destruction. At Manikarnika Ghat, the mortal remains are consigned to flames with the prayers that the souls rest in eternal peace. There is a sacred well at the Manikarnika Ghat, called the Manikarnika Kund. Manikarnika Kund is said to be dug by Lord Vishnu at the time of creation while the hot ashes of the burnt bodies makes one remember the inevitable destruction of everything in the world.

Tulsi Ghat

Tulsi Ghat is another important Ghat of Varanasi. Tulsi Ghat is named after the great Hindu poet of the 16th century, Tulsidas. Tulsi Ghat is an important window into the Hindu mythology. Tulsi Das composed the great Indian epic, Ramcharitmanas at Varanasi. According to mythology, when Tulsi’s manuscript fell into the River Ganga it did not sink and kept floating instead. It is also believed that the Ramlila (story of Lord Rama’s life) was staged here for the first time. Perhaps, to commemorate this a temple of Lord Ram was built on the Tulsi Ghat. Many of the relics of Tulsi Das are preserved at the Tulsi Ghat. The house in which Tulsidas died has been preserved and his samadhi, wooden clogs, pillow and the idol of Hanuman, which Tulsi worshipped, are all still intact here.

Earlier, Tulsi Ghat was known as Lolark Ghat (mentioned in Gaharwa Danpatra and Girvanapadamanjari). It was in the year 1941 when Tulsi Ghat was made pucca (cemented) by the famous industrialist, Baldeo Das Birla. Tulsi Ghat is associated with a number of important activities such as bath of Lolarkkunda (to be blessed with sons and their long life) and the sacred bath to get rid of leprosy. Tulsi Ghat is also a center of cultural activities. During Hindu lunar month of Kartika (Oct/Nov), Krishna Lila is staged here with great fanfare and devotion.

History of Varanasi

The land of Varanasi (Kashi) has been the ultimate pilgrimage spot for Hindus for ages. Often referred to as Benares, Varanasi is the oldest living city in the world. These few lines by Mark Twain say it all: “Benaras is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend and looks twice as old as all of them put together”. Hindus believe that one who is graced to die on the land of Varanasi would attain salvation and freedom from the cycle of birth and re-birth. Abode of Lord Shiva and Parvati, the origins of Varanasi are yet unknown. Ganges in Varanasi is believed to have the power to wash away the sins of mortals.

Ganges is said to have its origins in the tresses of Lord Shiva and in Varanasi, it expands to the mighty river that we know of. The city is a center of learning and civilization for over 3000 years. With Sarnath, the place where Buddha preached his first sermon after enlightenment, just 10 km away, Varanasi has been a symbol of Hindu renaissance. Knowledge, philosophy, culture, devotion to Gods, Indian arts and crafts have all flourished here for centuries. Also a pilgrimage place for Jains, Varanasi is believed to be the birthplace of Parsvanath, the twenty-third Tirthankar.

Vaishnavism and Shaivism have co-existed in Varanasi harmoniously. With a number of temples, Mrs. Annie Besant chose Varanasi as the home for her ‘Theosophical Society’ and Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya, to institute ‘Benares Hindu University, the biggest University in Asia. Ayurveda is said to be originated at Varanasi and is believed to be the basis of modern medical sciences such as Plastic surgery, Cataract and Calculus operations. Maharshi Patanjali, the preceptor of Ayurveda and Yoga, was also affiliated with Varanasi, the holy city. Varanasi is also famous for its trade and commerce, especially for the finest silks and gold and silver brocades, since the early days.

Varanasi has also been a great center of learning for ages. Varanasi is associated with promotion of spiritualism, mysticism, Sanskrit, yoga and Hindi language and honored authors such as the ever-famous novelist Prem Chand and Tulsi Das, the famous saint-poet who wrote Ram Charit Manas. Aptly called as the cultural capital of India, Varanasi has provided the right platform for all cultural activities to flourish. Many exponents of dance and music have come from Varanasi. Ravi Shankar, the internationally renowned Sitar maestro and Ustad Bismillah Khan, (the famous Shehnai player) are all sons of the blessed city or have lived here for major part of their lives

Festivals of Varanasi

Varanasi is the most popular pilgrimage place for the Hindus. The rich cultural heritage and tradition of Varanasi makes it the cultural capital of India. For ages, Varanasi has been a center of learning of Indian philosophy, spiritualism, mysticism and other branches of education. Varanasi is essentially a melting pot of Indian culture. In Hindu religion, it is believed that one, who dies and is cremated at Varanasi, gets an instant gateway to liberation from the cycle of births and re-births. Being associated with Hindu traditions and religion, Varanasi is home to numerous temples, muths and Ashrams.

By virtue of its religious and cultural importance, Varanasi is abuzz with fairs and festivals all round the year. Almost every month, some important festival is celebrated in Varanasi. Besides festivals and holidays, many “Melas” or fairs are also held at Varanasi. At Varanasi, fairs and festivals are celebrated with traditional gaiety and fervor and are symbolic of celebration of life at its best. The festive atmosphere never seems to end in Varanasi. It’s not important to make itinerary according to the dates and months as one can come and enjoy the festive season of Varanasi anytime of the year!

Mahashivratri in Varanasi

Since Varanasi is considered the city of Lord Shiva, Mahashivaratri festival holds immense importance here. Mahashivaratri (the great night of Shiva) falls on the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight of Phalguna (February/March) and is dedicated to the worship of Lord Shiva. Mahashivaratri festival is purely religious in nature and observed by all Hindus. On the occasion of Mahashivaratri, all Shiva temples of Varanasi are tastefully decorated. On the day Of Mahashivaratri, a marriage procession of Lord Shiva is taken out starting from Mahamrityunjaya Temple, Daranagar to Kashi Vishwanath Temple.

In Varanasi, people visit nearby temples of Shiva and offer prayers in large numbers. The prayers and worship continue late into the night. On Mahashivaratri, devotees offer milk, Bhang, Dhatura, flowers, coconut, fruits etc to Shiva statues and Shiva Lingams and sing bhajans in honor of Shiva. They also recite shlokas (verses) from scriptures, offer prayers in the morning and evening and many devotees observe fasting throughout the day. On the day of Mahashivaratri, the main center of religious activity and worship at Varanasi is the Kashi Vishvanath temple, where devotees throng in large numbers to offer prayers to the residing deity of Varanasi, Lord Shiva.

In Hindu mythology, there are many popular stories regarding the origin of Mahashivaratri. One legend traces the origin of Mahashivaratri festival to the churning of the Ocean of Milk by Devas (Gods) and Asuras (demons). According to it, when both Gods and demons were churning the Ocean of Milk to obtain amrita (water of immortal life), they came across many unusual substances, including the deadly poison. The moment they touched the poison, it exploded into poisonous fumes that threatened to envelope the entire universe by darkness. Seeing the destruction of the universe inevitable, the Gods went to Brahma and Vishnu, but none was able to help and as a last resort they went to Lord Shiva, who condensed the fumes by his trident. To save the Universe from destruction, Lord Shiva swallowed the poison, which left a dark blue mark on Shiva’s throat.

Ram Leela of Varanasi

Ram Leela is a popular enactment of the mythological epic, Ramayana. Ram Leela celebration forms an integral part of the cultural life of the Hindi-speaking belt of North India. It is believed that the great saint Tulsidas started the tradition of Ram Lila, the enactment of the story of Lord Ram. The Ramcharitamanas, written by him, forms the basis of Ram Lila performances till today. The Ramnagar Ram Leela (at Varanasi) is enacted in the most traditional style. This special Ram Leela of Ramnagar lasts for almost one month. Ram Leela of Ramnagar was started in the first quarter of the nineteenth century by the then Maharaja of Benaras, Udit Narayan Singh. Hundreds of Sadhus called the ‘Ramayanis’ come to watch and recite the Ramayana.

Generally, the Ram Leela is enacted on a single stage but the Ramnagar Ram stands out alone in this regard. Here, almost the whole town is transformed into a vast Ram Leela ground as permanent structures are built and spaces designated to represent the main locations of the story. Thus, we have Ashok Vatika, Lanka etc at different locations in the town. The audience moves along with the performers with every episode, to the next location. The most amazing thing about the Ram Leela of Ramnagar is its sob

Nakkatayya of Varanasi

Nakkatayya (slitting of nose) is an episode from the Ramayana, the great Indian epic. Nakkatayya Leela is re-enactment of that episode. At Varanasi, the Nakkatayya Leela is held at Chetganj and is attended by large number of people from all parts of Varanasi city and nearby towns. Exile of Lord Ram forms the backdrop of this story. Nakkatayya re-enacts a story from Ramayana in which Surpanakha (sister of Ravana, the devil King), comes to entice Ram and then Lakshman. Lakshman, the younger brother of Ram, gets angry and slits Suparnakha’s nose and she goes back crying. This act of nose slitting is enacted at stage during mid October in Chetganj locality of Varanasi. On the occasion of Nakkatayya, numerous processions and tableaux are carried out in the streets of Varanasi, symbolizing the victory of truth over evil.

Educational Institutes in Varanasi

For centuries, Varanasi is reputed as a great center of education and learning. Varanasi is also called as “Sarva Vidya Ki Rajdhani” (capital of knowledge). Since ancient times people, from all parts of the world, have been coming to Varanasi to learn philosophy, Sanskrit, astrology, modern sciences and social science. The first step in the direction of establishing formal educational institute in Varanasi goes back to 1791, when a Sanskrit college was started to train the servants of the East India Company. Mrs Annie Besant established the Central Hindu School in the last quarter of the 19th century with the aim of imparting modern as well traditional education. The Central Hindu School formed the core of the Benaras Hindu University. Besides the Banaras Hindu University, other educational institutions of repute are the Sampurnanad Sanskrit University, Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidya Peeth, U P College and Central Institute of Tibetan Studies.

Banaras Hindu University

The Banaras Hindu University or BHU is an internationally reputed University and is situated in Varanasi. The great nationalist leader, Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, founded the Banaras Hindu University in the year 1916. Dr Annie Besant also played an important role in the formation of the BHU. The Banaras Hindu University played an important role in the Indian independence movement. Over a period of time, it has developed into one of the greatest centers of learning in India. The BHU has produced many great freedom fighters and Nation builders. It has immensely contributed to the progress of the nation through a large number of renowned scholars, artists and scientists.

The Banaras Hindu University has a sprawling campus, spanning across 1300 acres. It has well maintained roads (crossing each other at right angle), extensive greenery, a temple, an airstrip and buildings, which are an architectural delight. There is another campus of the Banaras Hindu University at Barkachha, in Mirzapur district, covering an area of 2700 acres. The BHU comprises of 3 Institutes, 14 Faculties, 124 Departments, 4 Interdisciplinary Centers and 3 Constituent Schools, spanning a vast rang of subjects pertaining to all branches of humanities, social sciences, science, technology, medicine, fine arts and performing arts.

Banaras Hindu University also has 6 centers of advanced studies, 10 Departments under Special Assistance Programme and a large number of specialized Research Centers. There are four Degree Colleges in Varanasi that are affiliated to the BHU. The Bharat Kala Bhavan, an art and archaeological museum, is a treasure trove of rare collections. The Banaras Hindu University also has a medical college (Institute of Medical Sciences) and an engineering institute (IT BHU). Sir Sundar Lal Hospital (having a capacity of 927 beds) is equipped with all the modern amenities and caters to the medical needs of a large population. The University also provides for a well-developed sports infrastructure. BHU has wide range of facilities for sports and hobbies. It has large playgrounds, a big auditorium, a flying club and many other services and utilities like Printing Press, Publication Cell, Fruit Preservation Center, subsidized Canteens, Employment and information Bureau, Security, etc.

The Banaras Hindu University consists of about 15000 students, coming from to all streams of life, castes, religions and races. It has about 2000 teachers and nearly 5000 non-teaching staff. Another important feature of the BHU is the number of foreign students. A large number of students come from the U.S.A., Europe, Asia, Middle East, Africa, etc.

Kashi Vidya Peeth

The Kashi Vidya Peeth was set up in 1920 by Babu Shiv Prasad Gupta to provide alternate education arrangement during the Non-cooperation movement during India’s freedom struggle. It soon became a center of National education with Hindi as the medium of instruction. Acharya Narendradev, Babu Sampurnanand, Babu Sriprakash and many more luminaries of the time have been associated with this institute. Over a period of time, the Kashi Vidyapeeth has flourished into an educational institute of repute.

Today, the university offers courses almost on all disciplines ranging from humanities and management to life sciences. A medical college is also being planned in the University. Besides, the Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth has taken a great leap forward by keeping pace with the changing times and offering new courses according to the needs of the times and also the students. As a result of this many new departments and faculties have come up at the University campus in the last few years.

Sampurnanand Sanskrit Vishwavidyalaya

The Sampurnanand Sanskrit Vishwavidyalaya (university) was founded on 22 March 1958 by the then Chief Minister Dr. Sampurnanand and Education Minister Pt. Kamalapati Tripathi, with the name of `Varanaseya Sanskrit Vishwavidyalaya’. Dr. A.N. Jha was its first vice-chancellor. It was renamed as Sampurnanand Sanskrit University under the U.P. State University Act, 1973.

The University has since been proceeding along the set path of the programme while trying to achieve its goal. The Sampurnanand Sanskrit University has a great history of about 205 years (including the Govt. Sanskrit College). In other words, the history of the Sampurnanand Sanskrit University includes history of the Sanskrit Education itself. The guidelines set by the glorious past of the Govt. Sanskrit College Benares has been the focus of the university.

The history of the Govt. Sanskrit College goes back to the last quarter of the eighteenth century. Under a proposal of Sri Jonathan Duncan, the Govt. Sanskrit College was established in 1791. Pt. Kashinath was its first teacher and Acharya. At that point of time, there was an arrangement for the teaching of subjects such as Vedas, Vedanta Purana, Ayurveda, Sahitya, Astrology, Theology, Mimamsa, Nyaya, etc. The college was conducted with the surplus revenue of the Benares State. At present the Sampurnanand University has a number of faculties and departments, dedicated to the study of various humanities and science disciplines.

Central Institute for Higher Tibetan Studies

Central Institute for Higher Tibetan Studies was established with the philosophy of imparting education in Tibetan Studies with a preference for the traditional Tibetan method of teaching within an innovative framework of modern universities, comprising time-bound courses of study, written examinations and award of degrees. The institute is situated in the serene and beautiful surroundings of Sarnath. The Institute is mainly research-oriented and seeks to mould through its teaching departments students turning into suitably qualified persons capable of undertaking works of research and restitution in concurrence with the fundamental objectives of the organization. The curriculum of courses have been so drawn as to provide the students with sound footings in traditional subjects of Tibetology, while enabling them to be fully conversant with modern subjects and research methodology.

The Central Institute for Higher Tibetan Studies earlier functioned as a special constituent wing of the Sampurnananda Sanskrit University, Varanasi. The Institute was registered under the Societies Registration Act in the end of 1977 to operate as an autonomous organization under the Department of Culture, Ministry of Education, Government of India. Ever since, the Institute has gradually progressed with optimal success. With considerable growth in its infrastructure and academic excellence, the Department of Culture initiated a proposal for the Institute to give it a Deemed University Status. The Institute was finally declared as a “Deemed to be University” in 1988.

Udai Pratap College

The Udai Pratap College is situated in the northeast part of the holy city, Varanasi. The U P College spans across 100 acres. This college is one of the several academic institutions running in the same campus managed by Udai Pratap Educational Society. Late Rajarshi Udai Pratap Singh Ju Deo, the Raja of Bhinga estate established this college in the year 1909. At that time, it started as a High School but at present there are several institutions running in this campus.

The U P College, Varanasi started functioning as a degree college in the year 1949 with only a few graduation level courses in Arts and Commerce. At present the U P College provides for higher education in several courses at graduate and post-graduate level. The college has been granted an Autonomous status, getting the authority to design and implement its own curriculum and to conduct the examination and announce the results, by the UGC and the State Government of U.P.

Apart from academic activities, the U P College has excellent records in the field of sports and games in general and hockey, in particular. In the campus the U P College has its own hospital to provide regular medical service to the students and the staff. There are a number of hostels to provide residential accommodation to its students. In the College campus, IGNOU has opened a study center through which thousands of students get distance education in numerous disciplines.

Sarnath

Sarnath, about 10 km from the holy city of Varanasi, is the place where Buddha chose to deliver his first sermon. The celebrated Mantra, ‘Buddham Sharanam Gachhami’, owes its origin to Sarnath. On the day before his death Buddha included Sarnath along with Lumbini, Bodh Gaya and Kushinagar as the four places he thought to be sacred to his followers. It makes Sarnath one of the most venerated Buddhist places. Besides Buddhism, Sarnath is also connected with Jainism.

There are many Buddhist monuments and edifices in Sarnath. Some of the important Buddhist monuments at Sarnath are the Dhamekha stupa, the Chaukhandi stupa and monasteries and temples of different schools of Buddhism from Japan, China, Thailand, Burma and others. The Indian Buddhist society called Mahabodhi Society maintains a park around the Buddha temple. The Mahabodhi Temple within the park has a tooth relic of the Buddha.

There is also a vast expanse of ancient ruins at Sarnath. Several Buddhist structures were raised at Sarnath between the 3rd century BC and the 11th century AD, and today it presents the most expansive ruins amongst places on the Buddhist trail. The Ashoka pillar of Sarnath is the National emblem of India.

Sarnath Buddhist Temples

There are a number of twentieth century Buddhist temples in Sarnath. Many of these Buddhist temples at Sarnath are built and maintained by monks from Tibet, China and Japan but the main Buddhist temple is the Mulagandhakuti Vihar. The main shrine (vihara), called the Mulagandakuti, is said to be located at the place where Buddha used to stay during his visits to Sarnath. There is a carved sandstone railing inside the temple. In the Mulagandhakuti Vihara there also is a Buddha walk.

The recent ‘Mulagandhakuti Vihara’ or the modern Buddhist temple is 110 feet high with an image of Buddha inside it. Buddhist relics discovered at Taxila are enshrined in this ‘Mulagandhkuti Vihara’. There are also fine paintings on the walls of this temple by Japanese artist Kosetsu Nosu. Buddhist services are conducted there. Besides the Mulagandhakuti Vihara temple there are Chinese, Burmese and Jain temples nearby.

Ashoka Lion Capital

The Ashoka Lion capital or the Sarnath lion capital is the national symbol of India. The Sarnath pillar bears one of the Edicts of Ashoka, an inscription against division within the Buddhist community, which reads, “No one shall cause division in the order of monks”. The Sarnath pillar is a column surmounted by a capital, which consists of a canopy representing an inverted bell-shaped lotus flower, a short cylindrical abacus with four 24-spoked Dharma wheels with four animals (an elephant, a bull, a horse, a lion).

The four animals in the Sarnath capital are believed to symbolize different steps of Lord Buddha’s life. The Elephant represents the Buddha’s idea in reference to the dream of Queen Maya of a white elephant entering her womb. The Bull represents desire during the life of the Buddha as a prince. The Horse represents Buddha’s departure from palatial life. The Lion represents the accomplishment of Buddha hood.

Besides the religious interpretations, there are some non-religious interpretations also about the symbolism of the Ashoka capital pillar at Sarnath. According to them, the four lions symbolize Ashoka’s rule over the four directions, the wheels as symbols of his enlightened rule (Chakravartin) and the four animals as symbols of four adjoining territories of India.

Temples of Varanasi

Varanasi is said to be the oldest surviving city of the world. Varanasi is also called as Kashi or Benaras. Being the most venerated pilgrim place in Hindu religion, Varanasi is said to be a museum of temples. Also called the city of temples, Varanasi is home to about 2,000 temples. People from all parts of India as well as the world come to Varanasi to visit these temples, making the holy temples of Varanasi amongst the most visited temples in India. Many important and famous temples are located at Ganga Ghats (river front), adding to the religious value of the holy river, Ganges.

Most of the temples that are located on the Ganga Ghats are old and date back to the medieval period. According to legends the first Siva Jyotirlinga, the fiery pillar of light, came through the earth here and flared into the sky. Therefore Varanasi is also called Kashi, “the City of Light.” The Kashi Vishwanath temple, located near the Ganga Ghats, is the most famous and important temple of Varanasi. In this temple resides the guardian of the holy city, Lord Shiva. Other important temples of Varanasi are the new Vishwanath temple, the Sankat Mochan temple, the Durga temple, the Kal Bhairav temple and the Mritunjaya temple.

The Bharat Mata temple at Varanasi is the only temple dedicated to Mother India. It is located in the Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth campus. The Bharat Mata temple was built by Babu Shiv Prasad Gupt and inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi in 1936. The statute of Bharat Mata is built in marble and is a model of undivided India, depicting the mountains, plains and oceans. The most peculiar thing about the Bharat Mata Temple is that instead of the customary gods and goddesses, it houses a relief map of India, carved out of marble.

Sankat Mochan Temple

Sankat Mochan temple is one of the sacred temples of Varanasi. It is located in the southern part of Varanasi, near the Banaras Hindu University. It is dedicated to the Hindu God, Hanuman. The word “Sankat Mochan” means one who helps in removing sufferings i. e. Lord Hanuman. Tulsidas, the author of the famous Hindu epic Ramacharitamanasa, founded the Sankat Mochan temple. According to Hindu mythology, one who visits the Sankat Mochan temple regularly, his wishes get fulfilled.

Every Tuesday and Saturday, thousands of devotees queue up in front of the Sankat Mochan temple to offer prayers to Lord Hanuman. According to Vedic Astrology, Hanuman protects human beings from the anger of planet Saturn and those who have ill placed Saturn in their horoscope visit the Sankat Mochan temple to get remedy. People put “Sindoor” on the statue and offer “laddoos” to Lord Hanuman. The “Sindoor”, from the statue of Lord Hanuman is put on the foreheads of devotees.

Vishwanath Temple

The Kashi Vishwanath temple is located in the heart of the cultural capital of India, Varanasi. It stands on the western bank of India’s holiest river Ganges. The Kashi Vishwanath temple is the center of faith for millions of Hindus. The Jyotirlinga of Shiva, Vishweshwara or Vishwanatha, is enshrined in the Kashi Vishwanath temple, considered as one of the holiest temples of India. In Hindu religion it is believed that a simple glimpse of the Jyotirlinga is a soul-cleansing experience that transforms life and puts it on the path of knowledge and Bhakti (devotion). A single darshan of Vishweshwara Jyotirlinga is considered to merit more than the darshan of other jyotirlingas, scattered in various parts of India. The Kashi Vishwanath Temple has been a living picture of the timeless cultural traditions and highest spiritual values.

The Kashi Vishwanath Temple attracts Hindu devotees and other visitors not only from India but also the world over. Lord Vishwanath is considered the supreme repository of the spiritual truth and strengthens the bonds of universal brotherhood. Late Maharani Ahilya Bai Holkar of Indore built the temple in the present shape, way back in 1780. In the year 1785, a Naubatkhana was built up in front of the Temple at the instance of Governor General, Warren Hastings. In 1839, two domes of the Temple were covered by gold, donated by Maharaja Ranjeet Singh, the ruler of Punjab. The management of the Kashi Vishwanath temple rests with a trust.

The Vishwanath temple opens daily at 2.30 A.M. for Mangala Aarti and between 3 to 4 A.M. ticket holders are permitted to join. The timing of general Darshan is from 4 to 11 A.M. The timing for midday Bhog Aarti is from11.30 to 12 A.M. Between 12 noon to 7 P.M., general devotees are free to have Darshan. From 7 to 8.30 P.M. the Sapta Rishi Aarati is held after which Darshan is possible again till 9 P.M. At 9 P.M. the Shringar/Bhog Aarati starts and after that Darshan is possible only from outside. Shayana Aarti starts at 10.30 P.M. and the temple closes at 11 P.M. Most of the offerings at the Kashi Vishwanath temple are given to poor.

Tulsi Manas Temple

Tulsi Manas temple is one of the most famous temples of Varanasi. It is also an important tourist attraction of the holy city. The Tulsi Manas temple is located near the famous Durga temple. It was built in white marble in the year 1964. The temple has been made more charming by the magnificent landscaping around it. The Tulsi Manas temple is dedicated to lord Ram. It is believed to be built at the same place where Tulsidas wrote the famous Indian epic, Ramcharitamanasa. The walls of the Tulsi Manas temple are engraved with verses and scenes from the Ramcharitammanasa, the Hindi version of the Ramayana. The temple is open from 5.30 AM to noon and 3.30 to 9 PM.

* THE KASHI VISHWANATH TEMPLE

* ANNAPURNA TEMPLE

* SANKATHA TEMPLE

* KALBHAIRAV TEMPLE

* MRITUNJAY MAHADEV TEMPLE

* NEW VISHWANATH TEMPLE

* DURGA TEMPLE

* TULSI MANAS TEMPLE

* SANKATMOCHAN TEMPLE

* BHARAT MATA TEMPLE

THE KASHI VISHWANATH TEMPLE

• Also known as the Golden Temple, it is dedicated to Lord shiva, the presiding deity of the city. Varanasi is Said to be the point at which the first jyotirlinga, the fiery pillar of light by which shiva manifested has supremacy over others gods, broke through the Earth’s crust and flared towards the heavens. More than the Gaths and even the Ganga, the Shivalinga installed in the temple remains the devotional focus of Varanasi.

• ANNAPURNA TEMPLE

• Near the Kashi Vishwanath temple, there is a nice temple of Devi Annapurna , believed as the “Godess of Fooding”.

• SANKATHA TEMPLE

• Near the Sindhia Ghat , there is a important temple of “Godess of Remedy” Devi Sankatha. Inside its premises there is a huge statue of a Lion. Also there is nine temples of nine planets nearby to this temple.

• KALBHAIRAV TEMPLE

• It is the ancient temple of Varanasi near the Head Post Office, VishesharGanj. God KalBhairav is believed as “Kotwal Of Varanasi” , without his permission no one can stay in Kashi.

• MRITUNJAY MAHADEV TEMPLE

• On the route of Daranagar to Kalbhairav temple this temple of Lord Shiva is situated . Just besides this temple there is a Well of much religious importance , whose water is said to be mixture of several underground streams and good for eliminating several diseases.

• NEW VISHWANATH TEMPLE

• Situated in the premises of Banaras Hindu University, a modern place of worship planned by Pandit Malviya and built by the Birlas. Open to all, irrespective of caste or creed.

• DURGA TEMPLE

• Commonly called the ‘Monkey temple’, it was built in the 18th century. Although it is one of the best-known temple. There is nice stonework done of the temple , it is the nice example of NAGRA Shilp. Godess DURGA is believed as the symbol of Strength and Power which govern the entire world. There is a pond adjacent to the temple called “Durgakund”.

• TULSI MANAS TEMPLE

• Constructed by family of Varanasi, this modern temple is dedicated to Lord Rama. It is situated at the place Where Tulisdas, the great medieval seer, lived and wrote the epic “Shri Ramcharitmanas”, which narrates the life of Lord Rama, the hero of the Ramayana. Verses from Tulidas’s epic are inscribed on the walls. It is just nearby to Durga Temple.

• SANKATMOCHAN TEMPLE

• Besides the Assi river stream, on the way of Durga Temple to Banaras Hindu Temple this well known temple of Lord Hanuman is situated. Lord Hanuman is also known as “Sankatmochan” the god who protects from the troubles. This temple is founded by Goswami Tulsidas. This temple is also known as “Monkey” temple, as lot of monkeys are there inside the premises.

• BHARAT MATA TEMPLE

• This Temple was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi in 1936 and houses one perfect relief maps of India carved out of marble.The Temple was gifted by the nationalists Babu Shiv Prasad Gupta (Barat Ratana ) and shri Durga Prasad Khatri, leading numismatists and antiquarians.

* BUDDH PURNIMA – SARNATH

* RAMLEELA – RAMNGAR

* DHRUPAD MELA

* HANUMAN JAYANTI

* BHARAT MILAP – ( AT NATI IMLI )

* NAKKATAYA – ( AT CHETGANJ )

* NAG NATHAIYA

* MAHASHIVRATRI

* PANCH KOSHI PARIKRAMA

* GANGA MAHOTSAV

BUDDH PURNIMA – SARNATH

• This festival celebrates the birth of Lord Buddha with trditional religious fervour. A large fair is held at Sarnath and the relice of the Buddha are taken out for public display in a procession on this day.

RAMLEELA- RAMNAGER

• The unique Ramleela of Ramnager performed in the pageant style, was started about 1830 by Maharaja Udit Narayan Singh of Banaras, and has today become famous the world over. Thousends gather to see the enactments during months of sep.- oct.

DHRUPAD MELA

• A five days music festival of Dhrupad is performed by renowned artistes at Tulsi Ghat. It is very popular among foreign tourists.

HANUMAN JAYANTI

• Jannotsav of Lord Hanuman is celebrated at Sankat Mochan Temple for five days with cultural & musical programmes by artistes from all over India.

BHARAT MILAP (at Nati Imli)

• Celebreting Lord Ram’s return to Ayodhya after 14th years of exile and his reunion with his brother Bharat, this festivel is held the day following Dussehra. Attended by the Kashi Naresh resplendent in regal finery, the festival attracts a large number of devotlees.

NAKKATAYYA (At Chet Gang)

• Showing a story from Ramayan in which Surpanakha- the sister of Ravan- comes to entice Ram and then Lakshman. But Lakshman cuts her nose and she goes back crying. This act is enacted as a stage- play during mid oct. in the locality of Chetgung. Numerous processions and tableaux are also carried out on the occasion.

NAG NATHAIYA LEELA

• In a performance, Lord Krishana jumps into Ganga for Nag Nathan at the local Tulsi Ghat. It is famous as Nag Nathaiya Leela . Many people congregate to see this event, held during the months of Nov.-Dec.

MAHASHIVARATRI

• On this day every Shiv Mandir is decorated. In Varanasi a marriage procession of Lord Shiva is taken out starting from Mahamrityunjaya Temple, Daranagar to Kashi Vishwanath Temple via Chowk.

PANCH KOSHI PARIKRAMA

• It has a special importance in the ancient Parikrama of India, starting and finishing at ManiKarnika Ghat. Each Parikrama passes through five places: Kardmeshwar, Bhimchandi, Rameshwar, Shivpur & Kapil Dhara.

GANGA MAHOTSAV

• Ganga Mahotsav, the tourism festival of Varanasi is celebrated every year from Prabodhani Ekadashi to Kartik Purnima in the month of Oct.-Nov. The festival celebrates the rich cultural heritage of Varanasi.

• Apart from the excelent cultural programmes and country boat race, displaying of marital arts also takes place. The concluding day coincides with the unique traditional festival of Dev Deepavali (light festivel of Gods), when more than a million erthen lamps (Diyas) are lit on the Ghats of Ganga.

LIST of Fairs & Festivals in Banaras

Buddhists wordwide look upon India as the land of the Buddha and a visit to this country means a pilgrimage to those places sacred to the memory of the Enlightened One. After the Bouddha attanined enlightenment in Bodh Gaya he came to sarnath. Here in the Deer Park, he delivered his first sermon, or in religious language, set in motion the wheel of Law (maha- Dharmachakra Pravartan). On the day before his death Buddha included Sarnath along with Lumbini, Bodh Gaya and Kushinagar as the four places he thought to be sacred to his followers.

The Emperor Ashoka, who spread the Buddha’s message of love and compassion throughout his vast empire, visited Sarnath around 234BC,and erected a stupa here. Several Buddhist structures were raised at Sarnath between the 3rd century BC and the 11th century AD, and today it presents the most expansive ruins amongst places on the Buddhist trail. Sarnath is 10 km from the holy city of Varanasi, and is an exceedingly tranqiuil place. The ruins, the museum and temple are all within walking distance.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Area : 2.80 sq. km.

Altitude : 80.71 mtrs. Above sea level.

Season : october- March

Clothing (Summer) :Cootons

Winter) : Woollens

Language : Hindia, English

Festivals :Buddha Purnima (Full Moon, April –May), Anniversary of First Sermon (Full Moon, July-August)

Local Transport : Buses / Cycle –rickshaws / Auto –rickshaws / Taxis

STD Code : 0542

ACCESSIBILITY

AIR

• The nearest airport is Babatpur : 30 km.

RAIL

• Sarnath is directly connected by Varanasi- Gorakhpur Exp 0549 / 0550 and Varanasi – Bhatni- Varanasi Exp 0551/ 0552. See Varanasi also.

ROAD

• Sarnath 10 km from Varanasi, is well connected by road.

PLACES OF INTEREST

CHAUKHANDI STUPA

• Chaukhandi is the first monument one encounters as one enters Sanath. It is a lofty mound of brick –work whose square endifice is surrounded by a octagonal tower. Originally said to built by Emperor Ashoka.

DHAMEK STUPA

• The most remarkable structure at Sarnath, is the cylindrical Dhamek Stupa, 28 mts in diameter at the base and 43.6 mts in height, built partly of stone and partly of brick. The stone facing the lower part is adorned with delicate floral carvings of Gupta origin.

MULAGANDHA KUTI VIHAR

• This mordern temple has been erected by the Mahabodhi Society. It has excellent frescoes by Kosetsu Nosu japan’s foremost painter and is a rich repository of Buddhist literature. The ancient Mulagandha Kuti temple is among the brick ruins of Sarnath.

SARNATH MUSEUM

• Sarnath yielded a rich collection of sculptures comprising numerous Buddha and Bodhisattva images. Considerde amongst the finest specimens of Buddhist art, these have been housed at the museum, adjiacent to the site. The museum is open from 10 am to 5 pm, and closed on Fridays. Apart from the above the other objects of lnterest at Sarnath are the Dharmrajika Stup, magnificent Lion capital, India’s National Emblem at Sarnath museum, the Saddharmachakra Vihar’s at excavated ruins.

ACCOMMODATION

• Forest Rest House, Sarnath.

• Mahabodhi Dharamshala, Sarnath.

• Jain Dharamshala, Sarnath.

UP TOURISM ACCOMMODATION

• Tourist Bungalow, UPSTDC, Sarnath.

RESTAURANTS

• Anand Restaurant, Sarnath.

• Rangoli Garden, Sarnath.

• Mrigdav Restaurant, Sarnath

BANK

• State Bank of India, Ashapur, Sarnath

• Canara Bank

• Central Bank, Ashapur

POST & TELEGRAPH

• Post Office, Sarnath

HOSPITALS

• Govt. Hospitals, Sarnath

• Dr. Baijnath Hospital, Sarnath

TOURIST INFORMATION OFFICES

• UP Governments Tourist Bureau, Sarnath

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