{"id":6139,"date":"2013-08-02T05:46:01","date_gmt":"2013-08-02T05:46:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mapsofworld.com\/travel\/?p=6139"},"modified":"2022-09-19T11:08:45","modified_gmt":"2022-09-19T11:08:45","slug":"varanasi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mapsofworld.com\/travel\/destinations\/india\/varanasi\/","title":{"rendered":"Varanasi India"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
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\"Varanasi,<\/a>

The Holy Ghats of Varanasi in India.<\/p><\/div>\n

Varanasi (also called Benaras) is one of the most sacred cities in the world today. Mark Twain famously described it as being \u201colder than history\u201d. The history of this city dates back to as much as 8,000 years. Located on the banks of the Ganges (also known as the Ganga) and founded by Lord Shiva, this city has been mentioned in scriptures from the early Vedic period.<\/p>\n

The Ganges is viewed as the river of salvation and a symbol of hope making this city magical and overwhelming. Many rituals take place in public on the city\u2019s ghats and the accessibility to the ancient but living traditions is what attracts many visitors to Varanasi. The Ganges is the most important river in the Indian subcontinent and people travel long distances to come to the holy river. Although, the water is now polluted, the sanctity of the river and belief of the people are still the same.<\/p>\n

It is not possible to imagine Varanasi without the Ganges and watching the sunset over the river is probably one of the most beautiful sights people see during their trips to the holy city.<\/p>\n

Varanasi is also known for its old and beautiful temples including Kashi Vishwanath, Kal Bhairava, Durga Kund and Annapurna. These temples get particularly crowded during religious activities. Apart from the attractions, music and dance also remain important aspects of the history of this city. There are a number of dance festivals in Varanasi and many famous musicians and dancers trace back the origins of their art to this city.<\/p>\n

Varanasi Map<\/span><\/span>
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