9-5 jobs, rat race, daily hustle, stress – marks the daily life of us, the 21st-century working city dwellers. And there are certain times when our ears, mind, soul, and body want to break through this mundane life and land somewhere far away from the bustling cacophony. And then, with this strong desire, when we close our eyes, we are transported to the land that emanates divinity and piousness, the land that shelters all spiritual seekers and is brimming with life, the land of Varanasi.
Situated at the banks of the river Ganges in Uttar Pradesh, Varanasi has a lot of synonyms: popular ones like Kashi, Banaras, and Varanasi and lesser-heard names like Mahashamshan, Brahma Vardha, Sudarsana, and Ramya.
From time immemorial, Varanasi has remained one of the most sacred pilgrimage centres of Hindus. Even amidst chaos, there’s a slow rhythm in this city that reassures our tired souls that life is not all about hustling and thus, people land up here over and over to get a new life, to soothe their exhausted souls.
Now, this city that allures us to its mystical charm has many interesting features. Here are 15 such fascinating features of the ‘spiritual capital of India’.
Banaras is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend, and looks twice as old as all of them put together. “
~Mark Twain
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Oldest City
The oldest living city in the world that has been the chief centre of civilization for more than 3000 years.
Abode of Shiva and Parvati
As per Hindu mythology, this place has existed since the time of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi and is believed to be their abode. And being the city of such divinity, no one remains hungry here.
Moksha or salvation
It is believed that a person who takes the last breath in this holy city will surely attain ‘moksha’ or salvation.
Numerous Ghats
Banaras is the only place on this earth with 84 ghats which makes it the city with the highest number of river banks in the world. The most noteworthy ghats are Dashashwamedha, Manikarnika, and Harishchandra respectively.
City of Light
Alongside being the dual titleholder of the oldest city and the holiest city, Varanasi is also known as the ‘City of Light’. And this is solely because of the greatest seat of learning, Banaras Hindu University which is the largest university in Asia for studying Hindu scriptures – Vedas.
Countless temples
According to the witty Bengali sleuth Feluda, Varanasi has 33 crore temples and is the birthplace of the 23rd Tirthankara, Parsvanath.
Uniqueness at its peak
Kashi is the only place on this earth where even frogs are married off by the Hindu priests to please the Hindu Gods whenever rains are delayed. This is done at Ashwamegh Ghat, where hundreds of people gather to witness this unique occasion.
Mahasamshana
Varanasi is also known as ‘Mahasamshana’ or ‘the great cremation ground’ as about 300 dead bodies are cremated here per day in the ghats of Manikarnika.
Hub of rich literature
This pious land was the birthplace of two great writers, Prem Chand and Tulsidas.
Banarasi sarees
The prime component of all Indian weddings is undoubtedly the Benarasi sarees. And Benaras is the largest seller of Benarasi Silk which can take up to 6 months to complete a single piece.
Etymology
This city is named after the rivers Varuna and Asi.
Ayurveda and Yoga
Varanasi is believed to be where Ayurveda and Yoga originated and spread to the world.
Birthplace of renowned composers
Not just authors, Varanasi is the native place of two great composers of all time — Pandit Ravi Shankar, the great Sitar virtuoso, and Ustad Bismillah Khan, the pioneer of shehnai.
Land of majestic doors
Apart from the temples and ghats, one can find several majestic doors popularly called ‘Patthar ka Darwaza while taking a stroll down the dingy lanes of Machhodari, Bengali Tola, Shivala, Kedarghat, and Dashshashwamedh. Although they are now being replaced by modern architecture, some parts of the city strongly boast such beautifully carved outdoors.
A tourist hub
Varanasi is visited by a huge flock of tourists yearly as it has much to offer. From beautiful temples to serene ghats and other picturesque places, this city undoubtedly secures a place on every traveller’s bucket list.
So, what are you waiting for? Pack your bags and run away from the daily conundrum to this mystic land!
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