Varanasi: Difference between revisions

{{Short description|Metropolis in Uttar Pradesh, India}}

{{Distinguish |Varanasi division|Varanasi district|Varanasi Tehsil}}

{{Use Indian English|date=May 2022}}

{{Infobox settlement

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| population_metro_footnotes = <!-- UA --><ref name=UA1Lakhandabove>{{cite web | url=http://censusindia.gov.in/2011-prov-results/paper2/data_files/India2/Table_3_PR_UA_Citiees_1Lakh_and_Above.pdf | title=Urban Agglomerations/Cities having population 1 lakh and above | publisher=Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India | access-date=12 May 2014 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017153124/http://censusindia.gov.in/2011-prov-results/paper2/data_files/India2/Table_3_PR_UA_Citiees_1Lakh_and_Above.pdf | archive-date=17 October 2013 | df=dmy-all}}</ref>

}}

*{{citation|last1=Fouberg|first1=Erin H.|last2=Moseley|first2=William G.|title=Understanding World Geography|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|location=New York|page=173|isbn=9781119473169|oclc=1066742384|year=2018|quote=The city of Varanasi, India, is central to the death tradition in Hinduism.  Hindus see Varanasi as the world of death and life, and some make pilgrimages to Varanasi to die. In Hindu tradition, if a person dies in the holy city of Varanasi on the Ganges River, he or she is attains moksha, or freedom from the cycle of death and rebirth.  Pilgrims travel to Varanasi to cremate their deceased relatives on the ghats along the river.}}

*{{citation|last=Eck|first=Diana|author-link=Diana Eck|title=Banaras, the City of Light|publisher=Alfred Knopf Inc, [Columbia University Press]|orig-year=1981|page=324|year=2013|quote=&ndash;No other city on earth is as famous for death as is Banāras. More than for her temples and magnificent ghāts, more than for her silks and brocades, Banāras, the Great Cremation Ground, is known for death. At the center of the city along the riverfront is Manikarnikā, the sanctuary of death, with its ceaselessly smoking cremation pyres. The burning ghāt extends its influence and the sense of its presence throughout the city.}}

*{{cite book| last = Mallet | first =  Victor | title = River of Life, River of Death: The Ganges and India's Future| year = 2017 | publisher = Oxford University Press | location = Oxford, UK| isbn =  9780198786177|lccn = 2017939064|quote=Modi, however, went out of his way to court Varanasi’s Muslims—they account for nearly a quarter of the city’s 1.6 million voters—and to emphasize its multicultural, syncretic traditions when he was on the campaign trail in 2014. He praised not only Hindu but also Muslim cultural figures, including the musician Bismillah Khan, and said Khan was arguably the greatest symbol of Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb (Ganga-Yamuna culture), a riverine phrase often used to describe the intertwined Hindu-Muslim culture of north India where those two rivers flow. Modi also targeted the important Muslim community of sari weavers in the district of Lallapura. Varanasi’s silk wedding saris, lavishly designed and interwoven with gold thread, are much sought after by Indians from across the country and from overseas, and Modi promised to help the weavers acquire modern technology, quality raw materials and better marketing skills so they could compete with Chinese clothing manufacturers. ‘The weavers of Varanasi are an integral part of the city’s history', he wrote in a blog post on his nomination day. ‘It is my resolve to ensure that they stand on their own feet with pride and their future generations have a bright future.’ (pp. 51&ndash;52) An earlier great poet, son of Varanasi and symbol of north India’s syncretic traditions, was the fifteenth-century Kabir, whose pithy lines in Hindi are still much quoted today by Indians over social media. Again, the legends surrounding his life are confused. He may have been born into a low-caste Muslim community of weavers or been a Hindu by birth. But he famously mocked the priesthoods and the rituals of both Muslims and Hindus, even to the extent of deliberately leaving holy Varanasi to die in an obscure town, when most north Indians would be heading in the other direction and yearning to expire within the boundaries of the city to find salvation. His contempt for organized religion is reflected in the legend of his death: Hindu and Muslim devotees argued over who should claim the poet’s remains, but when the cloth covering his body was lifted, they found nothing underneath but a spray of flowers. (pp 60&ndash;61)}}

*{{citation |last=Kumar |first=Nita |title=The Artisans of Banaras: Popular Culture and Identity, 1880&ndash;1986 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bZYrDgAAQBAJ |page=15, 18, 137 |year=2017 |series=Princeton Legacy Library |publisher=Princeton University Press |isbn=9781400886999 |quote=The simplicty of weavers' weddings is a contrast even to those of other Muslims, such as the Pathans. (p. 15)  ... Contrary to the experience of most artisan production in modern times, the silk weaving industry has actually flourished, and remained the commercial backbone of the Hindu pilgrimage and religious centre of Banaras. (p. 18)  The debate on how Muslims in other parts of South Asia adjust an "Islamic" identity with a territorial-cultural one which is heavily oriented towards local Hinduism is very instructive with regard to our material. The weaver of Banaras is as shaukeen a man as the Hindu and central to his life-style is the love of the outside, of akharas, and of music.(pp. 137&ndash;138)|orig-year=1988}}

   

In the 16th century, Rajput nobles in the service of the courts and armies of the [[Mughal Empire|Mughal emperor]] [[Akbar]], sponsored the building or further enhancement of the major Shiva temple in the city; they also built other temples, all displaying an empire-wide architectural style.<ref name=bose=todarmal-mansingh>{{cite book|last=Bose|first=Melia Belli|chapter=Royal Matronage and a Visual Vocabulary of Indian Queenship: Ahilyabai Holkar's Memorial Commissions|title=Women, Gender and Art in Asia, c. 1500&ndash;1900|editor-last=Bose|editor-first=Melia Belli|location = London and New York|publisher = Routledge|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZiMxDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT81|year=2017|isbn=9781351536554 |quote=Each time prior to Aurangzeb's razing, the temple was rebuilt by prominent Rajputs, such as Raja Todar Mal (d. 1586), finance minister and high-ranking courtier to Mughal Emperor Akbar, in 1585.  Although he did not sponsor the temple's rebuilding, among the Kashi Vishvanath's most illustrious donors is Raja Man Singh Kachhwaha of Amber, who commissioned several other temples and ghats in the vicinity. ... Raja Man Singh ... was also closely associated with the Mughal emperors Akbar and Jahangir, in whose armies and courts he served}}</ref><ref name=metcalf-imperial-projects>{{cite book|last=Metcalf|first=Barbara|chapter=Introduction|editor-last=Metcalf|editor-first=Barbara D.|title=Islam in South Asia in Practice|location = Princeton and London|publisher=Princeton University Press|year=2009|isbn=978-1400831388 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pR0LzVCpfw8C&pg=PA15|quote=As Catherine Asher has argued, the temples of a Hindu noble like the Rajput Man Singh, built with Mughal patronage, should be seen as 'imperial projects,' reflecting bonds between nobles and the king and making empire-wide architectural styles.}}</ref> Under the Treaty of Faizabad, the [[East India Company]] acquired Benares in 1775,<ref name="bourke-burke-benares">{{citation|last=Bourke|first=Richard|title=Empire and Revolution: The Political Life of Edmund Burke|date=8 September 2015|publisher=Princeton University Press|page=843|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E6eeDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA843|isbn=9780691145112|quote=Since 1724 Awadh, “in extent about the size of England,” had enjoyed effective autonomy as a quasi-independent province within the Mughal Empire. It came to terms with the British after the Battle of Buxar in 1764, finally signing up to the Treaty of Benares in 1773. This imposed on the Wazir of Awadh, Shuja-ud-Daula, the obligation to accept troops stationed in his territory while paying a subsidy to the British for the privilege. The Wazir’s successor, Asaf-ud-Daula, agreed to increase this subsidy under the Treaty of Faizabad in 1775, at the same time ceding Benares to the Company.}}</ref><ref name="markovitz-benares">{{citation|last=Markovitz|first=Claude|chapter = Birth of the British Empire in India (1765&ndash;1818)|title=A History of Modern India, 1480&ndash;1950|date=24 September 2004|editor-last=Markovits|editor-first=Claude|publisher=Anthem Press|isbn=9781843311522|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=r2OKvG5wbaAC&pg=PA254|quote=In the face of the hostility of all the dynamic forces of the country, the threat of the Marathas looming large on the frontiers, Asaf could count henceforth only on the help of the English, who exerted themselves to use this tumultuous situation to the full.  In exchange for their military protection, the ''nawab'' granted them as early as 1775 the control of the region of Benares, in addition to a substantial increase in indemnity.}}</ref> the city later successively becoming a part of the Benares Division in the [[Ceded and Conquered Provinces]], the [[North-Western Provinces]], and the [[United Provinces of Agra and Oudh|United Provinces]], and after India's independence of Uttar Pradesh.<ref name="bayly-benares-division">{{citation|last=Bayly|first=Christopher|author-link=Christopher Bayly|title=Rulers, townsmen, and bazaars: north Indian society in the age of British expansion, 1770&ndash;1870| year=1983 |publisher=Cambridge University Press|url=https://archive.org/details/rulerstownsmenba0000bayl/page/n15/mode/2up?|pages=xii&ndash;xiii| isbn=9780521229326 |quote=In 1801 a large area of Awadh situated in the Doab and Rohilkhand were ceded to the British.  It was added to districts conquered from the Marathas in 1803&ndash;4 around Delhi and Agra to form the 'Conquered and Ceded Provinces' of the British Bengal Presidency.  The term 'Western Provinces' and later 'North-Western Provinces' came into gradual use to describe this area and the adjoining Benares Division; ... In 1856 the remaining 'Reserved Dominions' of the ruler of Awadh were annexed to become the British Province of Oudh under a Chief Commissioner.  In 1901 the two provinces were amalgamated to become the United Province of Agra and Oudh.}}</ref>

==History==

===Mythology===

===Ancient period===

[[File:Kabir004.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Kabir]], a 15th-century Indian mystic poet and saint]]

Varanasi remained a centre of activity for intellectuals and theologians during the Middle Ages, which further contributed to its reputation as a cultural centre of religion and education. Several major figures of the Bhakti movement were born in Varanasi, including [[Kabir]] who was born here in 1389,{{Sfn|Das|1991|p=17}} and [[Ravidas]], a 15th-century socio-religious reformer, mystic, poet, traveller, and spiritual figure, who was born and lived in the city and employed in the tannery industry.{{Sfn|Merriam-Webster|1999|p=910}}

Numerous eminent scholars and preachers visited the city from across India and South Asia. [[Guru Nanak]] visited Varanasi for [[Maha Shivaratri]] in 1507, a trip that played a large role in the founding of [[Sikhism]].{{Sfn|Gandhi|2007|p=90}}

The Raja of [[Jaipur]] established the Annapurna Mandir, and the {{convert|200|m|adj=on}} Akbari Bridge was also completed during this period.{{Sfn|Mitra|2002|p=182}} The earliest tourists began arriving in the city during the 16th century.{{Sfn|Prakash|1981|p=170}} In 1665, the French traveller [[Jean-Baptiste Tavernier]] described the architectural beauty of the Vindu Madhava temple on the side of the Ganges. The road infrastructure was also improved during this period. It was extended from [[Kolkata]] to [[Peshawar]] by Emperor [[Sher Shah Suri]]; later during the [[British Raj]] it came to be known as the famous [[Grand Trunk Road]]. In 1656, Emperor [[Aurangzeb]] ordered the destruction of many temples and the building of mosques, causing the city to experience a temporary setback.{{Sfn|Berwick|1986|p=121}} However, after Aurangzeb's death, most of India was ruled by a confederacy of pro-Hindu kings. Much of modern Varanasi was built during this time, especially during the 18th century by the [[Maratha Empire|Maratha]] and [[Bhumihar Brahmin]] rulers.{{Sfn|Schreitmüller|2012|p=284}} The kings governing Varanasi continued to wield power and importance through much of the British Raj period, including the Maharaja of Benares, or simply called by the people of Benaras as [[Benares State|Kashi Naresh]].

[[File:Chait Singh of Benares.jpg|thumb|180px|Raja [[Chait Singh]] of Benares State (r.1771–1781)]]

An exhausting [[guerrilla war]], waged by the [[Benares]] ruler against the [[Oudh]] camp, using his troops, forced the [[Nawab]] to withdraw his main force.<ref name="Bayly 1983 489 at p 18"/> The region eventually ceded by the [[Nawab of Oudh]] to the [[Benares State]] a subordinate of the [[East India Company]] in 1775, who recognised Benares as a family dominion.<ref name="Benares Princely State">[http://uqconnect.net/~zzhsoszy/ips/b/benares.html Benares (Princely State)] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060221030606/http://uqconnect.net/~zzhsoszy/ips/b/benares.html |date=21 February 2006 }} – A Document about Maharajas of Varanasi</ref><ref>[[Charles Umpherston Aitchison|Aitchison, Chalres Umpherston]] (1857). "Translation of the Proposed Articles of the Treaty with the Nabob Ausuf-ul-Dowla,— 21st May 1775: Article 5". ''[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.32432/page/n147/mode/2up?view=theater A Collection Of Treaties, Engagements And Sanads]''. Vol. 2. Delhi: Mittal Publications. p. 107. Retrieved 23 April 2022. <q>the English Company shall, after one month and a half from the date of this Treaty, take upon them the sovereignty and possession of the districts under Rajah Cheyt Sing, as hereunder specified, viz- Sircar Benares</q></ref>

Varanasi was ceded to the Union of India in 1947, becoming part of [[Uttar Pradesh]] after Indian independence.<ref name=Varun />

<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">

Benares - riverfront - edit LCCN2004707379.jpg|An 1895 photograph of the Varanasi riverfront.

</gallery>

=== 21st-century ===

==Geography and climate==

===Geography===

===Climate===

| Nov uv = 6

| Dec uv = 5

| url = https://www.weather-atlas.com/en/india/varanasi-climate

| title = Climate and monthly weather forecast Varanasi, India

| publisher = Weather Atlas

| access-date = 28 June 2022

}}</ref>

}}

==Demographics==

{{See also|List of cities in Uttar Pradesh}}

The population of the Varanasi urban agglomeration in 2001 was 1,371,749 with a ratio of 879 females every 1,000 males.<ref name=censusmillioncities>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/|title=Urban Agglomerations/Cities having population of more than one million in 2001|access-date=18 August 2006|date=25 July 2001|work=Census of India 2001 (Provisional)|publisher=Office of the Registrar General, India|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061223112810/http://www.censusindia.net/results/slum1_m_plus.html|archive-date=23 December 2006}}</ref> However, the area under Varanasi Nagar Nigam has a population of 1,100,748<ref name=uptownscensus1>{{cite web |url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/ |title=Population, Population in the age group 0–6 and literates by sex – Urban Agglomeration/Town: 2001 |access-date=17 August 2006|work=Census of India 2001 (Provisional) |publisher=Office of the Registrar General, India |pages=53–4 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061223112810/http://www.censusindia.net/results/slum1_m_plus.html |archive-date=23 December 2006}}</ref> with a ratio of 883 females for every 1,000 males.<ref name=uptownscensus1 /> The literacy rate in the urban agglomeration is 77% while that in the municipal corporation area is 78%.<ref name=uptownscensus1 /> Approximately 138,000 people in the municipal area live in slums.<ref name=censusmillionslums>{{cite web |url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/ |title=Slum Population in Million Plus Cities (Municipal Corporations): Part A |access-date=18 August 2006 |date=22 January 2002 |work=Census of India 2001 (Provisional) |publisher=Office of the Registrar General, India |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061223112810/http://www.censusindia.net/results/slum1_m_plus.html |archive-date=23 December 2006}}</ref>

|caption = Religion in Varanasi City (2011).<ref>{{cite web

  |title      = C-01 Population By Religious Community – Uttar Pradesh

|label1 = [[Hinduism]]

|value1 = 70.11

{{pie chart

|thumb = right

|value1 = 83.87 <!-- 1,017,017 -->

|label1 = Hindi

=== Administration ===

====General administration====

====Police administration====

====Infrastructure and civic administration====

===Politics===

===Healthcare===

Hospitals in the city include the [[Sir Sunderlal Hospital]], a teaching hospital in the [[Banaras Hindu University]], Heritage Hospital, Marwari Hospital, Pitambari Hospital, Mata Anand Mai Hospital, Rajkiya Hospital, Ram Krishna Mission Hospital, Shiv Prasad Gupta Hospital, Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital (managed by the state government), and Varanasi Hospital and Medical Research Centre. The urban parts of the [[Varanasi district]] had an [[infant mortality]] rate of 70 per 1,000 live births in 2010–2011.<ref>[http://censusindia.gov.in/vital_statistics/AHSBulletins/files/01-Uttar%20Pradesh%20AHS%20Bulletin.pdf "Annual Health Survey 2010–2011"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130207152047/http://www.censusindia.gov.in/vital_statistics/AHSBulletins/files/01-Uttar%20Pradesh%20AHS%20Bulletin.pdf |date=7 February 2013}} (11 mb PDF). Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India (2011).</ref>

[[Sushruta]], an ancient Indian physician known as the primary author of the treatise ''[[Sushruta Samhita]]'', the [[Sanskrit]] text of surgery, lived in Varanasi and practised medicine and surgery sometime during the 5th century BCE. Since 1922, Ayurveda has been a subject of training in the Banaras Hindu University, and in 1927 a separate Ayurvedic College was established.<ref>[https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?objectid=DS405.1.I34_V02_605.gif Susruta] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080409072255/http://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/pager.html?objectid=DS405.1.I34_V02_605.gif |date=9 April 2008}} [[The Imperial Gazetteer of India]], 1909, v. 2, p.&nbsp;570.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bhu.ac.in/ims/ayurveda/ayurveda_about.htm|title=faculty of Ayurveda|publisher=Banaras Hindu University|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150302014851/http://www.bhu.ac.in/ims/ayurveda/ayurveda_about.htm|archive-date=2 March 2015}}</ref> There are many ayurvedic centres in Varanasi providing treatments such as [[Panchakarma]] as well as other treatments.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.ayurveda.in/centers/sparsa-ayurvedic-centre-399.html|title= Sparsa Ayurvedic Centre|publisher= ayurveda.in|url-status= live|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150711130249/http://www.ayurveda.in/centers/sparsa-ayurvedic-centre-399.html|archive-date= 11 July 2015|df= dmy-all}}</ref>

Because of the high population density of Varanasi and the increasing number of tourists, the Uttar Pradesh government and international non-governmental organisations and institutions have expressed grave concern for the pollution and pressures on infrastructure in the city, mainly the sewage, sanitation, and drainage components.{{Sfn|Mohanty|1993|p=316-7}} [[Pollution of the Ganges]] is a particular source of worry because of the religious significance of the river, the dependence of people on it as a source of drinking water, and its prominence as a symbol of Varanasi and the city itself.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://fore.yale.edu/news/item/indians-keep-faith-with-ganges-despite-pollution/ |title=News &#124; The Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale |first=Yasmeen |last=Mohiuddin |work=fore.yale.edu |date=2010 |access-date=4 August 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151018001045/http://fore.yale.edu/news/item/indians-keep-faith-with-ganges-despite-pollution/ |archive-date=18 October 2015}}</ref> The sewage problem is exacerbated by the role of the Ganges in bathing and in river traffic, which is very difficult to control.{{Sfn|Mohanty|1993|p=316-7}} Because of the sewage, people using local untreated water have higher risk of contracting a range of water-borne stomach diseases.<ref name="HamnerTripathi2006">{{cite journal|last1=Hamner|first1=Steve|last2=Tripathi|first2=Anshuman|last3=Mishra|first3=Rajesh Kumar|last4=Bouskill|first4=Nik|last5=Broadaway|first5=Susan C.|last6=Pyle|first6=Barry H.|last7=Ford|first7=Timothy E.|s2cid=23264273|title=The role of water use patterns and sewage pollution in incidence of water-borne/enteric diseases along the Ganges river in Varanasi, India|journal=International Journal of Environmental Health Research|volume=16|issue=2|year=2006|pages=113–32|issn=0960-3123|doi=10.1080/09603120500538226|pmid=16546805}}</ref>

Varanasi's water supply and sewage system is maintained by Jal Nigam, a subsidiary of Varanasi Nagar Nigam. Power supply is by the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited. The city produces about {{Convert|350000000|litre}} per day<ref name=schemevaranasi>{{Cite news |first=Gopal |last=Bhargava |url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2000/20001025/mailbag.htm |title=Scheme for Varanasi |date=25 October 2000 |work=The Tribune |location=India |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060912203749/http://www.tribuneindia.com/2000/20001025/mailbag.htm |archive-date=12 September 2006}}</ref> of sewage and {{Convert|425| tonnes}} per day of solid waste.<ref name=cpcbsolidwaste>{{cite web|url=http://www.cpcb.nic.in/pcpdiv_plan4.htm |title=Waste Generation and Composition |access-date=18 August 2006 |work=Management of municipal solid wastes|publisher=Planning Division, Central Pollution Control Board |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060717141102/http://www.cpcb.nic.in/pcpdiv_plan4.htm <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 17 July 2006}}</ref> The solid wastes are disposed in one landfill site.<ref name=cpcbsolidwaste2>{{cite web|url=http://www.cpcb.nic.in/pcpdiv_plan4.htm

Among manufacturing workers, 51% work in spinning and weaving, 15% work in metal, 6% work in printing and publishing, 5% work in electrical machinery, and the rest work in a wide variety of industry sectors.{{Sfn|JNNURM|2006|p=31}} Varanasi's manufacturing industry is not well developed and is dominated by small-scale industries and household production.{{Sfn|JNNURM|2006|p=29}}

In the metal manufacturing sector, [[Banaras Locomotive Works]] is a major employer.{{Sfn|JNNURM|2006|p=31}} [[Bharat Heavy Electricals]], a large power equipment manufacturer, also operates a heavy equipment maintenance plant.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bhelherp.com/about.jsp|title=About Bharat|publisher=Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited|access-date=3 November 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120611084358/http://www.bhelherp.com/about.jsp|archive-date=11 June 2012}}</ref> Other major commodities manufactured and traded in Varanasi include hand-knotted Mirzapur carpets, rugs, [[dhurrie]]s, brassware, copperware, wooden and clay toys, handicrafts, gold jewellery, and musical instruments.{{Sfn|JNNURM|2006|pp=29–31}} Important agricultural products include [[betel]] leaves (for [[paan]]), [[langra]] mangoes and [[khoa]] (solidified milk).{{Sfn|JNNURM|2006|p=31}}{{Sfn|Mitra|2002|p=117, 169}}

Tourism is Varanasi's second most important industry.{{Sfn|JNNURM|2006|p=57}} Domestic tourist most commonly visit for religious purposes while foreign tourist visit for ghats along River Ganges and Sarnath. Most domestic tourists are from [[Bihar]], [[West Bengal]], [[Madhya Pradesh]], and other parts of Uttar Pradesh, while the majority of foreign tourists are from [[Sri Lanka]] and [[Japan]].{{Sfn|JNNURM|2006|p=56}} The peak tourist season falls between October and March.{{Sfn|JNNURM|2006|p=56}} In total, there are around 12,000 beds available in the city, of which about one half are in inexpensive budget hotels and one third in [[Dharamshala (type of building)|{{transliteration|hi|dharamsalas}}]].{{Sfn|JNNURM|2006|p=58}} Overall, Varanasi's tourist infrastructure is not well developed.{{Sfn|JNNURM|2006|p=58}}

{| class="wikitable"

|}

==Notable landmarks==

Many of the ghats were constructed under the patronage of the Marathas, Shindes ([[Scindia]]s), [[Holkar]]s, [[Bhonsle]]s, and [[Peshwa]]s. Most are bathing ghats, while others are used as cremation sites. A morning boat ride on the Ganges across the ghats is a popular tourist attraction. The extensive stretches of ghats in Varanasi enhance the riverfront with a multitude of shrines, temples, and palaces built "tier on the tier above the water's edge".{{Sfn| Pletcher|2010|pp=159–160}}

'''The [[Manikarnika Ghat]]''' is the Mahasmasana, the primary site for Hindu cremation in the city. Adjoining the ghat, there are raised platforms that are used for death anniversary rituals. According to a myth, it is said that an earring of Shiva or his wife [[Sati (Hindu goddess)|Sati]] fell here. Fourth-century [[Gupta Empire|Gupta period]] inscriptions mention this ghat. However, the current ghat as a permanent riverside embankment was built in 1302 and has been renovated at least three times throughout its existence.<ref name=ghats />

File:New Vishwanath Temple at BHU.jpg|[[Shri Vishwanath Mandir]] has the tallest temple tower in the world.<ref name="Brief description">{{cite news|title=Brief description|publisher=[[Benaras Hindu University]] website|access-date=7 March 2015|url=http://www.bhu.ac.in/VT/|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180526232342/http://www.bhu.ac.in/VT/ |archive-date=26 May 2018}}</ref>

File:Varanasi India.jpg|The 18th century [[Durga Kund Temple]]

</gallery>

Among the estimated 23,000 temples in Varanasi,{{Sfn|Bansal|2008|pp=48–49}} the temples most popular for worship are: the Kashi Vishwanath Temple of Shiva; the [[Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple]]; and the Durga Temple, known for monkeys that reside in the large trees nearby.<ref name=Varun>{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9074835/Varanasi|title=Varanasi|encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]|access-date=11 August 2009|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110805033554/http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/623248/Varanasi|archive-date=5 August 2011}}</ref><ref name=temple>{{cite web|url=http://varanasi.nic.in/temple/various_temples.html|title=Important temples of Varanasi|access-date=2 November 2012|publisher=National Informatics Centre|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105032502/http://varanasi.nic.in/temple/various_temples.html|archive-date=5 November 2012}}</ref>{{Sfn|Cunningham|Sastri|2002|pp=131–140}}

* '''The [[Kashi Vishwanath Temple]]''', on the Ganges, is one of the 12 ''[[Jyotirlinga]]'' Shiva temples in Varanasi.<ref name=temple /> The temple has been destroyed and rebuilt several times throughout its existence. The [[Gyanvapi Mosque]], which is adjacent to the temple, is the original site of the temple.<ref name="Warrier2014">{{cite book|author=Shrikala Warrier|title=Kamandalu: The Seven Sacred Rivers of Hinduism|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qNhiCAAAQBAJ&pg=PA57|date=December 2014|publisher=MAYUR University|isbn=978-0-9535679-7-3|pages=57–|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180303145703/https://books.google.com/books?id=qNhiCAAAQBAJ&pg=PA57|archive-date=3 March 2018}}</ref> The temple, which is also known as the Golden Temple,<ref name=route>{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/42205744.cms|title=The religious route|access-date=4 December 2008|date=3 April 2003|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090107193930/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/42205744.cms|archive-date=7 January 2009}}</ref> was built in 1780 by Queen [[Ahilyabai Holkar]] of [[Indore]]. The two [[shikara|pinnacles]] of the temple are covered in gold and were donated in 1839 by [[Ranjit Singh]], the ruler of [[Punjab (region)|Punjab]]. The dome is scheduled to receive gold plating through a proposed initiative of the Ministry of Culture and Religious Affairs of Uttar Pradesh. Numerous rituals, prayers, and [[aarti]]s are held daily at the temple between 02:30 and 23:00.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://varanasi.nic.in/temple/KASHI.html |title=Shri Kashi Vishwanath Mandir Varanasi |publisher=National Informatics Centre, Government of India |access-date=4 February 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070210110217/http://varanasi.nic.in/temple/kashi.html |archive-date=10 February 2007}}</ref>

* '''There are two temples dedicated to the goddess Durga in Varanasi''': [[Durga Mandir, Varanasi|Durga Mandir]] built in the 16th century (exact date not known), and Durga Kund (Sanskrit 'kund' meaning "pond or pool") built in the 18th century. A large number of Hindu devotees visit Durga Kund during [[Navratri]] to worship the goddess [[Durga]]. The temple, built in the [[Nagara architecture|Nagara]] architectural style, has multi-tiered spires<ref name=route /> and is stained red with [[ochre]], representing the red colour of Durga. The building has a rectangular tank of water called the [[Durga Mandir, Varanasi|Durga Kund]] ("Kund" meaning a pond or pool). During annual celebrations of [[Nag Panchami]], the act of depicting the god Vishnu reclining on the serpent [[Shesha]] is recreated in the Kund.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/varanasi/Nag-Panchami-celebrated-with-religious-fervour/articleshow/15115776.cms|title=Nag Panchami celebrated with religious fervour|work=The Times of India|date=24 July 2012|access-date=30 July 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170818152150/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/varanasi/Nag-Panchami-celebrated-with-religious-fervour/articleshow/15115776.cms|archive-date=18 August 2017}}</ref> While the [[Annapurna Devi Mandir|Annapurna Temple]], located nearby to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, is dedicated to [[Annapoorna devi]], the goddess of food,<ref name=temple /> the Sankatha Temple adjacent to the Sindhia Ghat is dedicated to Sankatha, the goddess of remedy. The Sankatha Temple has a large sculpture of a lion and a cluster of nine smaller temples dedicated to the [[navagraha|nine planets]].<ref name=temple />

* '''[[Parshvanath Jain temple, Varanasi|Parshvanath Jain temple]]''' is the temple of Jain religion dedicated to Parshvanath, the 23rd Thirthankara who was born at Bhelpur in Varanasi. The idol deified in the temple is of black colour and {{convert|75|cm|abbr=off}} in height. It is located in Bhelapur about {{convert|5|km|abbr=off}} from the centre of Varanasi city and {{convert|3|km|abbr=off}} from the Benares Hindu University. It belongs to the Digambar sect of Jainism and is a holy tirtha or pilgrimage centre for Jains.

[[File:RavidasiVaranasi.JPG|thumb|Memorial of [[Sant Ravidas]] at [[Sant Ravidas Ghat]]]]

===Sarnath===

[[File:Sarnath Residential Area.jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|Sarnath, the suburb of Varanasi]]

The city is mentioned by the Buddha as one of the four places of [[pilgrimage]] to which his devout followers should visit. It was also the site of the Buddha's [[Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta]], which was his first teaching after attaining enlightenment, in which he taught the [[Four Noble Truths]] and the teachings associated with it.<ref name=bn />

===Music===

{{Main|Music in Varanasi}}

Varanasi's music tradition is traced to the [[Puranas|Pauranic]] days. According to ancient legend, Shiva is credited with evolving music and dance forms. During the medieval era, [[Vaishnavism]], a [[Bhakti movement]], grew in popularity, and Varanasi became a thriving centre for musicians such as [[Surdas]], [[Kabir]], [[Ravidas]], [[Meera]] and Tulsidas. During the monarchic rule of Govind Chandra in the 16th century, the [[Dhrupad]] style of singing received royal patronage and led to other related forms of music such as Dhamar, Hori, and Chaturang. Presently the Dhrupad maestro Pandit [[Ritwik Sanyal]] from Varanasi is working for the revival of this art-music.<ref name=Music>{{cite web|url=http://www.varanasicity.com/varanasi-music.html|title=Varanasi Music|access-date=27 May 2013|publisher=Varanasi City.com|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130228013039/http://www.varanasicity.com/varanasi-music.html|archive-date=28 February 2013}}</ref>

The [[Ramlila]] of [[Ramnagar, Varanasi|Ramnagar]] is a dramatic enactment of Rama's legend, as told in ''Ramacharitamanasa''.{{Sfn|Mitra|2002|p=216}} The plays, sponsored by Kashi Naresh, are performed in Ramnagar every evening for 31 days.{{Sfn|Mitra|2002|p=216}} On the last day, the festivities reach a crescendo as Rama vanquishes the demon king [[Ravana]].{{Sfn|Mitra|2002|p=216}} Kashi Naresh [[Udit Narayan Singh]] started this tradition around 1830.{{Sfn|Mitra|2002|p=216}}

[[Nag Nathaiya]] is celebrated on the fourth lunar day of the dark fortnight of the Hindu month of [[Kartik (month)|Kartik]] (October–November). It commemorates the victory of [[Krishna]] over the serpent [[Kaliya]]. On this occasion, a large [[Neolamarckia cadamba|Kadamba tree]] (''Neolamarckia cadamba'') branch is planted on the banks of the Ganges so that a boy, playing the role of Krishna, can jump into the river on to the effigy representing Kaliya. He stands over the effigy in a dancing pose playing the [[flute]], while an audience watches from the banks of the river or from boats.{{Sfn| Pintchman|2005|pp=69–70}} ''[[Bharat Milap]]'' celebrates the meeting of Rama and his younger brother [[Bharata (Ramayana)|Bharata]] after the return of the former after 14 years of exile.<ref name=Varun /> It is celebrated during October–November, a day after the festival of [[Vijayadashami]]. Kashi Naresh attends this festival in his regal attire. The festival attracts a large number of devotees.<ref name=festival>{{cite web|url=http://varanasi.nic.in/culture/fair.html|title=Fairs and festivals|access-date=2 November 2012|publisher=National Informatics Centre|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121113184204/http://varanasi.nic.in/culture/fair.html|archive-date=13 November 2012}}</ref>

''Ganga Mahotsav'' is a five-day music festival organised by the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department, held in November–December. It culminates a day before [[Kartik Purnima]], also called [[Dev Deepawali (Varanasi)|the Ganges festival]]. On this occasion the Ganges is attended by thousands of pilgrims, release lighted lamps to float in the river from the ghats.<ref name=Varun /><ref name="festival1" />

==Education==

{{Main|List of educational institutions in Varanasi|l1=Educational institutions in Varanasi}}

[[File:BHU Main Gate, Banaras Hindu University enhanced.jpg|alt=The Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi|thumb|The Banaras Hindu University in Varanasi]]

[[File:Dept of Electrical Engineering IIT-BHU.jpg|alt=Indian Institute of Technology in Varanasi|thumb|[[Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) Varanasi|Indian Institute of Technology]] in Varanasi]]

Varanasi also has three [[Kendriya Vidyalaya]]. Among them [[Kendriya Vidyalaya BHU]] holds the regional office of Varanasi Region of KVS and is seat of Deputy Commissioner. Kendriya Vidyalaya BHU is also accredited by the British Council. Other KVs are Kendriya Vidyalaya 39 GTC and Kendriya Vidyalaya DLW.

==Media==

{{Main|List of films shot in Varanasi|l1=Films shot in Varanasi}}

Newspapers are widely available in Hindi and English. [[Aj (newspaper)|Aj]], Hindi newspaper was established in 1920 in Varanasi.<ref name="About us">{{cite web|url=http://ajhindidaily.com/AboutUs.aspx|title=About us|access-date=30 June 2020|archive-date=30 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200630142218/http://ajhindidaily.com/AboutUs.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref> Some publishers in the city are:

* Jansandesh Times<ref>{{cite web|url=http://jansandeshtimes.net/view/1608/varanasi-city|title=Jansandesh Times Varanasi|access-date=30 June 2020|archive-date=30 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200630142220/http://jansandeshtimes.net/view/1608/varanasi-city|url-status=dead}}</ref>

* [[Aj (newspaper)|Aj]]<ref name="About us"/>

The city also hosts a Doordarshan Kendra, which was established in 1984 by the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India late Smt. Indira Gandhi. In 1998, Doordarshan studio was setup.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ddkvaranasi.co.in/history.aspx|title=Varanasi Kendra|access-date=30 June 2020|archive-date=1 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200701054655/http://ddkvaranasi.co.in/history.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref>

* [[Radio City (Indian radio station)|Radio City]] 91.9&nbsp;MHz

* [[Red FM 93.5|Red FM]] 93.5&nbsp;MHz

* AIR Varanasi 1242 AM

==Sport==

[[Basketball]], [[cricket]], and [[field hockey]] are popular sports in Varanasi.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/2005/11/09/stories/2005110912892000.htm|title=Varanasi team scores big win|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=9 November 2005|access-date=30 October 2012|location=Chennai, India|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130721024839/http://www.hindu.com/2005/11/09/stories/2005110912892000.htm|archive-date=21 July 2013}}</ref> The main stadium in the city is the [[Dr Sampurnanda Stadium]] (Sigra Stadium), where first-class cricket matches are held.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://stats.thecricketer.com/Grounds/1268.html|title=Dr Sampurnanda Stadium, Varanasi|publisher=The Cricketer|access-date=30 October 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116143238/http://stats.thecricketer.com/Grounds/1268.html|archive-date=16 January 2014}}</ref> The city also caters an AstroTurf hockey stadium named, Dr. Bheemrao Ambedker National Hockey Stadium.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://upsports.gov.in/pages/sportsdirectorate-en/topmenu/institutions/stadiums/sportsdirectorate-en-hockey-stadium|title=Hockey Stadium|access-date=1 July 2020|archive-date=26 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200626213926/http://upsports.gov.in/pages/sportsdirectorate-en/topmenu/institutions/stadiums/sportsdirectorate-en-hockey-stadium|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[Gymnastics]] is also popular in Varanasi, and many Indian girls practise outdoors at the ghats in the mornings which hosts [[Pehlwani|akhada]]s, where "morning exercise, a dip in the Ganges and a visit to Lord [[Hanuman]]" forms a daily ritual.{{Sfn|Tiwari|2010|p=47}} Despite concerns regarding water quality, two swimming clubs offer swimming lessons in the Ganges.<ref>{{cite web| last = Naskar| first = Sudhiti| title = The river where swimming lessons can be a health hazard| publisher = BBC News| access-date = 4 July 2014| date = 4 July 2014| url = https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-28112403| url-status = live| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140703134305/http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-28112403| archive-date = 3 July 2014| df = dmy-all}}</ref>

Varanasi is served by [[Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport]] {{Airport codes|VNS|VEBN}}, which is approximately {{convert|26|km|abbr=on}} from the city centre in Babatpur.{{Sfn|Mitra|2002|p=195}} The airport's new terminal was inaugurated in 2010, and it was granted international airport status on 4 October 2012.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=777269|title=Cabinet Grants International Status to Five Airports|publisher=Outlook India|date=4 October 2012|access-date=30 October 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130509140104/http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=777269|archive-date=9 May 2013}}</ref> [[Air India]], [[Air India Express]], [[Buddha Air]], [[IndiGo]], [[Malindo Air]], [[SpiceJet]], [[SriLankan Airlines]], [[Thai AirAsia]], [[Thai Smile]] and [[Vistara]] operate flights from Varanasi to [[Ahmedabad]], [[Bangkok]], [[Colombo]], [[Delhi]], [[Gaya, India|Gaya]], [[Kathmandu]], [[Khajuraho]], [[Sharjah (emirate)|Sharjah]], [[Kuala Lumpur]], [[Mumbai]], [[Hyderabad, India|Hyderabad]], [[Bengaluru]], [[Goa]], [[Guwahati]], [[Jaipur]], [[Kolkata]] and several other cities.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.flightstats.com/go/FlightStatus/flightStatusByAirport.do?airportCode=VNS&airportQueryType=0 |title=Varanasi Airport|publisher=Flight Stats|access-date=30 October 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130603161542/http://www.flightstats.com/go/FlightStatus/flightStatusByAirport.do?airportCode=VNS&airportQueryType=0|archive-date=3 June 2013}}</ref>

===Railways===

[[Varanasi Junction railway station|Varanasi Junction]], commonly known as Varanasi Cantt Railway Station, is the city's largest railway station. More than 360,000 passengers and 240 trains pass through each day.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-05-11/varanasi/29531482_1_summer-special-trains-railway-station-passenger-trains|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510113525/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-05-11/varanasi/29531482_1_summer-special-trains-railway-station-passenger-trains|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 May 2013|title=With mercury soaring, Kashi is still 'hot' destination|work=[[The Times of India]]|date=11 May 2011|access-date=30 October 2012}}</ref>&nbsp;[[Banaras railway station]] is also a Terminal station of&nbsp;Varanasi. Because of huge rush at Varanasi Junction&nbsp;the railway developed the station as a high facilitated terminal. [[Varanasi City railway station]] is also one of the railway stations in Varanasi district. It is 4&nbsp;km North-East of Varanasi Junction railway station. It serves as Terminal station because of heavy rush at Varanasi Junction. [[Mughalsarai Junction railway station]] is also the important station in Varanasi suburban.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="background:#fff;"

|-

|-

|}

===Roads===

[[File:Varanasi Ring Road Phase 1.jpg|thumb|upright|Ring Road Phase I]]

{| class="wikitable sortable"

|-

|-

|[[National Highway 19 (India)|NH 19]]

|{{cvt|1323|km}}

|-

|-

|[[National Highway 35 (India)|NH 35]]

|{{cvt|346|km}}

|-

|}

=== Inland waterways ===

==Projects==

===Road===

The Government is executing seven road projects connecting Varanasi, the total project cost being ₹7100 crores and the total length of the project being 524&nbsp;km.

Some important projects are:

* Four lane Varanasi-Sultanpur NH-56<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/varanasi-big-budget-projects-galore-in-pm-narendra-modis-constituency/articleshow/54271330.cms |title=Varanasi: Big budget projects galore in PM Narendra Modi's constituency|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170824101452/http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/varanasi-big-budget-projects-galore-in-pm-narendra-modis-constituency/articleshow/54271330.cms |archive-date=24 August 2017|newspaper=The Economic Times|last1=Sharma|first1=Shantanu Nandan|date=11 September 2016}}</ref>

===Accommodation===

===Railways===

===Airport===

===Metro===

===Commercial===

==Sister cities==

|-

|{{flagicon|Japan}} Japan

|-

|{{flagicon|Nepal}} [[Nepal]]

|}

* [[Bibliography of Varanasi]]

* [[Guptakashi]]

* [[List of people from Varanasi]]

* [[Pradosha]]

* [[Banarasi Babu (disambiguation)|Banarasi Babu]]

{{div col end}}

== References ==

=== General bibliography ===

{{Further|Bibliography of Varanasi}}{{Refbegin|30em}}

* {{cite book|last1=Cunningham|first1=Alexander|last2=Sastri|first2=Surendranath Majumdar |title=Ancient Geography of India |publisher=Munshiram Manoharlal |orig-year=1924 |year=2002 |isbn=81-215-1064-3}}

* {{cite journal |last=Desai|first=Madhuri|title=Mosques, Temples, and Orientalists: Hegemonic Imaginations in Banaras |journal=  Traditional Dwellings and Settlements Review|volume=15 |issue=1 |year=2003 |pages=23–37|jstor=41758028}}

* {{cite book|last=Jayaswal|first=Vidula|title=Ancient Varanasi: an archaeological perspective (excavations at Aktha)|year=2009|publisher=Aryan Books International|isbn=978-81-7305-355-9}}

* {{cite book|last1=Singh|first1=Rana P.B.|last2=Rana|first2=Pravin S.|title=Banaras region: a spiritual & cultural guide |year=2002|publisher=Indica Books|isbn=9788186569245}}

* {{cite encyclopedia|last=Wood|first=Jolie M.F.|title=Contentious politics and civil society in Varanasi |encyclopedia=Re-framing Democracy and Agency at India: Interrogating Political Society|year=2011 |publisher=Anthem Press |isbn=978-0-85728-350-4|editor=Ajay Gudavarthy}}

{{Refend}}

== External links ==

* [http://varanasi.nic.in/ Official website of Varanasi District]

* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090908004947/http://www.up-tourism.com/destination/varanasi/varanasi.htm State Government Tourism Website]

[[Category:Former capital cities in India]]

[[Category:Hindu holy cities]]

[[Category:Populated places established in the 2nd millennium BC]]