Varanasi Tourist Places - Ghats - Temples to Visit | Varanasi Temples to Visit | Varanasi Temples and Ghats Tour | Vishwanth - Shiva Temple Varanasi

Varanasi is a beautiful and more than 10 century old city. The city has very old heritage, culture and places to visit. It is famous for many places like Sarnath, Banks on Ganga, Temples etc.

The Train no. 12560 starts from New Delhi daily at 18:45 and reaches Varanasi at 07:45. Similarly the train in return way starts at 19:45 and reaches Delhi at 07:40. Thus it is ideal for businessman and tourists both. The train have AC and Sleeper accommodations suiting to every pocket. The train have no meal included in the tickets.


For other trains options visit Railways official website

Places of Visit in Varanasi

 

The original name of present ‘Varanasi’ city was 'Kashi’, which was derived from the word 'Kasha' meaning brightness. The present name Varanasi has its origin in the two tributaries of the Ganges – ‘Varuna’ and ‘Asi’, which flank its northern and southern borders. ‘Banaras’ or ‘Benaras’, as it is popularly known, are the name local popular name of official name ‘Varanasi’.

Historians have now ascertained that the Aryans first settled in the middle Ganges valley and by the second millennium BC, Varanasi became the nucleus of Aryan religion and philosophy. The city also flourished as a commercial and industrial center famous for its muslin and silk fabrics, ivory works, perfumery and sculptures.

In the 6th century BC, Varanasi became the capital of the kingdom of Kashi. During this time Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon at Sarnath, just 10 km away from Varanasi. Being a center of religious, educational, cultural and artistic activities, Kashi drew many learned men from around the world; the celebrated Chinese traveler Hsüan Tsang, is one of them, who visited India around AD 635.

Present Varanasi or better known locally as “Banaras” is situated on the banks of River Ganges. The city is also considered as one of the holiest city of India. The place is believed to be a sacred city with very old tradition and culture. Varanasi or Banaras is a place which still holds its old traditional cultural values. The city has all those major amenities which a modern advance city requires.

Varanasi is famous for spiritualism, mysticism, Indian philosophy and Hinduism. All these are reflected in numerous sects, temples, Ashrams and Ghats. Varanasi is associated not only with Hinduism but also with Buddhism and Jainism. Varanasi also boasts of Buddhist Stupas and Jain temples. Varanasi is mainly associated with Hinduism, temples form the main attraction. The Ganges Ghats (river fronts) are the main center of religious activities and rituals and also form one of the main attractions of Varanasi. The most important temples of Varanasi are Durga temple, Vishwanath temple, Sankat Mochan temple, Tulsi Manas temple and the Bharat Mata temple.

Temples in Varanasi:

Varanasi is place strewn with temples across the city. The place has great spiritual importance with may spiritual attractions like Art, Dance, Music etc. Varanasi is the oldest surviving city of the world and the cultural capital of India.The most famous temple Kashi Vishwanath Mandir is located on the western bank of India's holiest river Ganges, It is in the heart of this city that there stands in its fullest majesty the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in which is enshrined the Jyotirlinga of Shiva, Vishweshwara or Vishwanatha. The temple is visited every day by thousand of devotees. The temple roof is clad with Gold. The architecture and temple interior comes alive with mesmerizing effect during the main prayers.

River Ganges ‘Ghats’:

The century olds Ghats which are located 4 kms along the river Ganges is spectacular sight, especially with importance of each Ghat and its history and timeless appeal.  The long string of bathing steps leading down to the water on the western bank of the Ganges itself tells its spiritual story. Most are used for bathing but there is also located is ‘Marikarnika’ Ghat or the cremation Ghat for Hindus. There, one can often experience watching funeral processions threading their way through the backstreets to this ghat. The best time to visit the ghats is at dawn when the river is bathed in a mellow light as pilgrims come to perform puja (literally ‘respect’; offering or prayers) to the rising sun, and at sunset when the main ‘ganga aarti’ ceremony takes place at Dasaswamedh Ghat. One can explore a trip from Dasaswamedh Ghat south to Harishchandra Ghat and can have a great knowledge about the place Varanasi. The Ghats are best approached by Dashashwamedha ghat, where boats are available on hire.

Varanasi is mainly popular for these ghats and the spiritual environment over here. People here come to explore about the Hindu culture, tradition and religion. Thus this place is very famous and full of tourists from across the world throughout of year.

Bharat Kala Bhavan:

Bharat Kala Bhavan, started in year 1920 A.D. inside BHU campus as university museum, is an art and architecture museum and houses a vast collection of paintings, Hindu and Buddhist sculptures and other materials of archeological importance, especially its unique collection of miniature paintings.

Bharat Kala Bhavan also has a great collection of miniature paintings from the courts of Mughals and other Kingdoms and principalities. Some of the important sections in the Bharat Kala Bhavan are Mahamana Malaviya gallery, Nicholas Roerich gallery, Chhavi (Painting Gallery), sculpture gallery, Nidhi (Treasures) gallery, sculpture gallery, archaeological gallery, decorative art gallery and Banaras through age’s gallery.

Central Institute Of Higher Tibetan Studies:

The only institute of its kind in the world, imprating education in the Tibetan language, it was established by the Dalai Lama in 1971. Presently located at Sarnath, the institute has a rare collection of Buddhist texts, Tibetan manuscripts and other journals. Maharaja Banaras Vidya Mandir Museum, Ramnager Ramnager fort was originally built by Maharaja Balwant Singh (1740-70 AD.) The Banaras Vidya Mandir Museum is housed in the Ramnager fort itself. The museum collection mainly Comprises of textiles, pieces of decorative arts, arms & armours, utilitarian objects, means of transport-old bagghis, palkis & haudasivories, furniture and manuscripts.

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.

Kashi Vidya Peeth:

The Kashi Vidyapeeth was set up in 1920 by Babu Shiv Prasad Gupta to provide alternate education arrangement discarding that of the British. It soon became a centre of natoinal 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.

Jantar Mantar:

Jantar Mantar is an observatory, built by Jai Singh, the Maharaja of Jaipur  in the year 1737. Jai Singh was a great admirer of science and technology and he was particularly passionate about astronomy. Before the commencement of construction (of observatories) he sent scholars abroad to study the foreign observatories. The emissaries returned with many manuals on astronomy. The Jantar Mantar at Varanasi was built in line with Delhi, Mathura, Ujjain and Jaipur observatories. There are Jantar Mantar Clones in Delhi and Jaipur as well.

Ramnagar Fort:

The Ramnagar fort lies about 14 km. from Varanasi and is situated on the opposite bank of river Ganga. It is the ancestral home of the Maharaja of Banaras. Maharaja Balwant Singh built this fort-palace in the eighteenth century. The fort is built in red sandstone. The Ramnagar fort has a temple and a museum within the grounds and the temple is dedicated to Ved Vyasa, who wrote Mahabharata, the great Indian epic. Legends have it that Ved Vyasa stayed here for a brief period.

A temple of Dakshin Mukhi Hanuman is there. Inside the giant walls of the Ramnagar fort-palace, there is a big clock. This particular clock shows of the movement of the stars. An interesting array of ornate palanquins, gold-plated howdahs and weapons are some of the artifacts on display in the Ramnagar fort-palace museum.

Besides these places one can also look for places like; Sarnath Museum, Ashoka Lion Capital, Buddhist Temples, Chaukhandi Stupa, Dhamekh Stupa, Dharamrajika Stupa etc.