Varanasi

Varanasi

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Varanasi

वाराणसी

Banaras

—  city  —

Varanasi

वाराणसी

Location of Varanasi

वाराणसी

in Uttar Pradesh and India

Coordinates 25.282°N 82.9563°ECoordinates: 25.282°N 82.9563°E

Country         India

State   Uttar Pradesh

District(s)     Varanasi

Mayor           Kaushlendra Singh

Population

• Density

1,211,891 (district)[1] (2001)

• 1,995 /km2 (5,167 /sq mi)[2]

Time zone     IST (UTC+5:30)

Area

• Elevation

1550 km2 (598 sq mi)

• 80.71 metres (264.8 ft)

Codes[show]

Footnotes[show]

Varanasi (Sanskrit: वाराणसी Vārāṇasī, Hindustani pronunciation: [ʋaːˈraːɳəsi]  ( listen)), also commonly known as Benares or Banaras (Hindi: बनारस, Urdu: بنارس, Banāras [bəˈnaːrəs]  ( listen)) and Kashi (Hindi: काशी, Urdu: کاشی, Kāśī [ˈkaːʃi]  ( listen)), is a city situated on the banks of the River Ganges in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, 320 kilometres (199 mi) southeast of state capital Lucknow. It is regarded as a holy city by Buddhists and Jains, and is the holiest place in the world in Hinduism (and center of the Earth in Hindu cosmology). It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and probably the oldest in India.[3][4]

The Kashi Naresh (Maharaja of Kashi) is the chief cultural patron of Varanasi and an essential part of all religious celebrations.[5] The culture of Varanasi is closely associated with the River Ganges and the river's religious importance. The city has been a cultural and religious centre in North India for several thousand years. The Benares Gharana form of Indian classical music developed in Varanasi, and many prominent Indian philosophers, poets, writers, and musicians resided or reside in Varanasi, including Kabir, Ravidas their Guru Swami Ramanand, Trailanga Swami, Munshi Premchand, Jaishankar Prasad, Acharya Shukla, Ravi Shankar, Girija Devi, Hariprasad Chaurasia, and Bismillah Khan. Tulsidas wrote Ramacharitamanas here, and Gautama Buddha gave his first sermon at Sarnath located near Varanasi (Kashi).[6]

Varanasi is home to four universities: Banaras Hindu University, Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth, Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies and Sampurnanand Sanskrit University. Residents mainly speak Hindi and Kashika Bhojpuri, which is closely related to the Hindi language. People often refer to Varanasi as "the city of temples", "the holy city of India", "the religious capital of India", "the city of lights", and "the city of learning."[7]

Contents [hide]

1 History

1.1 Etymology

1.2 Legendary history

1.3 Kashi Naresh and Ramnagar

1.4 Events of 1857

1.5 Railway opening in 1862

2 Geography and climate

2.1 Geography

2.2 Climate

3 Economy

3.1 Weaving

3.2 Agriculture

3.3 Manufacturing

3.4 Tourism

4 Administration and Politics

5 Education

5.1 University education

6 Culture

6.1 Art and literature

6.2 Museums

6.2.1 Jantar Mantar at Varanasi

6.2.2 Archaeological museum

6.2.3 Bharat Kala Bhavan

6.2.4 Ramnagar Fort

6.3 Festivals

6.3.1 Ramlila

7 Holy City

7.1 Hinduism in Varanasi

7.1.1 Ghats

7.1.2 Temples

7.2 Buddhism in Varanasi

7.3 Jainism in Varanasi

8 Demographics

9 Transport

9.1 Air

9.2 Rail

9.3 Road

9.4 Public Transport

10 Recent terrorism

11 In popular culture

12 Media

13 Notable residents

14 See also

15 Further reading

16 References

17 External links

[edit]History

[edit]Etymology

The name Varanasi[8] has its origin possibly from the names of the two rivers Varuna and Assi, for it lies at the confluence of the Varuna, with the Ganges being to its north, and the Assi, with the Ganges being to its south.[9] Another speculation about the origin of the name is that the river Varuna itself was called Varanasi in olden times, from which the city got its name.[10] This is generally disregarded by historians, though there may be some earlier texts suggesting it to be so.[11]

Through the ages, Varanasi was variously known as Avimuktaka, Anandakanana, Mahasmasana, Surandhana, Brahma Vardha, Sudarsana, Ramya, and Kasi.[12]

In the Rigveda, the city was referred to as Kasi or Kashi, "the luminous one" as an allusion to the city's historical status as a center of learning, literature, and culture.[13] Kasikhanda described the glory of the city in 15,000 verses in the Skanda Purana. In one verse, God Shiva says,

The three worlds form one city of mine, and Kasi is my royal palace therein.[14]

Ancient Indian (Bharat) cities and places (title and location names are in English.)

[edit]Legendary history

According to legend, the city was founded by the Hindu deity, Lord Shiva, around 5,000 years ago,[3] thus making it one of the most important pilgrimage destinations in the country. It is one of the seven sacred cities of the Hindus. Many Hindu scriptures, including the Rigveda, Skanda Purana, the Ramayana, and the Mahabharata, mention the city.

Varanasi is generally believed to be about 3,000 years old.[15] Varanasi was a commercial and industrial center famous for its muslin and silk fabrics, perfumes, ivory works, and sculpture. During the time of Gautama Buddha (born circa 567 BCE), Varanasi was the capital of the Kingdom of Kashi. The celebrated Chinese traveler, Xuanzang, attested that the city was a center of religious, educational, and artistic activities, and that it extended for about 5 km along the western bank of the Ganges.

Painting of Benares in 1890.

It was at this very place where an unusual incident was observed, a crocodile seized a sleeping tiger on the bank of the river and dragged it into the water.[16]

[edit]Kashi Naresh and Ramnagar

Main article: Kasi Kingdom

Varanasi became an independent Kingdom of Kashi in the eighteenth century, and under subsequent British rule, it remained a commercial and religious center. Varansi suffered during the raids into India by Muhammad of Ghori, as described by Kamil-ut-Tawarikh of Ibn Asir: “The slaughter of Hindus (at Varanasi) was immense; none were spared except women and children,(who were taken into slavery) and the carnage of men went on until the earth was weary.”[17] In 1910, the British made Varanasi a new Indian state, with Ramanagar as its headquarters but with no jurisdiction over the city of Varanasi itself. Kashi Naresh still resides in the fort of Ramanagar. The Ramnagar Fort of the Kashi Naresh is situated to the east of Varanasi, across the Ganges.[18] The Ramnagar Fort was built by Kashi Naresh Raja Balwant Singh with creamy chunar sandstone in the eighteenth century.[5] It is a typically Mughal style of architecture with carved balconies, open courtyards, and picturesque pavilions.[5] The other fort of the Kashi Naresh is the Chet Singh Palace, near Shivala Ghat, Varanasi built by Maharaja Chet Singh.[19]

Ramnagar Fort and its museum are the repository of the history of the kings of Benares and since the 18th century has been the home of Kashi Naresh.[5] Even today the Kashi Naresh is deeply revered by the people of Benares.[5] He is the religious head and the people of Benares consider him the incarnation of Lord Shiva.[5] He is also the chief cultural patron and an essential part of all religious celebrations.[5]

[edit]Events of 1857

A massacre by British troops, of the Indian troops stationed here and of the population of the city, took place during the early stages of the rebellion of 1857.[20]

[edit]Railway opening in 1862

On 23 December 1862 "the railway was opened for public traffic to Benares, that is to Rajghat Sation, on the right side of the Ganges, opposite Benares." On 5 February 1863, a special train from Howrah took George Turnbull the Chief Engineer of the East Indian Railway Company, the Viceroy Lord Elgin, Lt Governor Sir Cecil Beadon and others over two days to Benares. Benares on 7 February celebrated the building of the railway 541 miles from Calcutta: "a grand durbar, a splendid sight ... about thirty Rajahs, and other native dignitaries; followed by a grand dinner at the theatre, given to Lord Elgin by the [East Indian Railway] Company, Edward Palmer in the chair. Speeches were delivered by the Governor General, the Lieut General, General Campbell, Starkey, Sibley, and myself [George Turnbull]".[21][22]

[edit]Geography and climate

[edit]Geography

The city of Varanasi is located in the middle Ganges valley of North India, in the Eastern part of the state of Uttar Pradesh, along the left crescent-shaped bank of the Ganges river. It has the headquarters of Varanasi district. The "Varanasi Urban Agglomeration" — an agglomeration of seven urban sub-units — covers an area of 112.26 km2 (approximately 43 mi²).[23] The urban agglomeration is stretched between 82° 56’E - 83° 03’E and 25° 14’N - 25° 23.5’N.[23] Being located in the Indo-Gangetic Plains of North India, the land is very fertile because low level floods in the Ganges continually replenish the soil.

On a local level, Varanasi is located on a higher ground between rivers Ganges and Varuna, the mean elevation being 80.71 m.[24] As a result of absence of tributaries and canals, the main land is continuous and relatively dry. In ancient times, this geographic situation must have been highly favorable for forming settlements. But it is difficult to ascertain the original geography of Varanasi because the city's current location is not exactly the same as the one described in some old texts.

Varanasi is often said to be located between two confluences: one of the Ganges and Varuna, and other of the Ganges and Assi, (Assi having always been a rivulet rather than a river.) The distance between these two confluences is around 2.5 miles (4.0 km), and religious Hindus regard a round trip between these two places—a Pancha-kroshi Yatra (a five mile (8 km) journey) ending with a visit to a Sakshi Vinayak Temple as a holy ritual.