Varanasi, also known as Kashi and Banaras is considered to be the oldest living city of the world. Varanasi is among the Seven Cities of Hinduism (Sapta Puri) and is called as Spiritual Capital of India. It is said that Varanasi bestows the people living and visiting it with moksha, or freedom from the cycle of life and death.
The numerous Puranic sites, ghats, temples, and museums in the city add up to rich cultural heritage of Varanasi. The most iconic feature of Varanasi is the eighty ghats along the western bank of Ganges, where everyday life takes place amidst the landscape of ceremonies, rituals, and spiritual activities. Ganga aarti at Dashashwamedh ghat is a captivating ritual where priests offer prayers to the river ganges with chanting of vedic mantra and rythmic movement of lamps. A tranquil perspective of the enduring beauty of the city can be witnessed from the boat ride along the Ganges at sunrise (Subah e Banaras) and sunset.
The city dots several temples and shrines, some of which are Kashi Vishwanath Temple (One of the Jyotirlinga), Annapurna Temple, Vishalakshi Temple, Kaal Bhairav Temple, Durga Temple, Tulsi Manas Temple, Sankat Mochan Temple and New VT BHU. Varanasi's vibrant narrow lanes, or galis, form a maze that leads to hidden treasures like Thatheri Bazar and Kachori wali Gali, among other places. In addition, Varanasi has a wide selection of brassware, handcrafted silk, and traditional banarsi sarees. Overall, colors and sounds abound throughout the city.
The Dev Deepawali festival of Varanasi is celebrated on the day of Katik Purnima marking the victory of Lord Shiva over demon Tripurasura. The ghats are lit up with millions of diyas and lights. There are laser shows and firecracker are burnt. People from all over the world visit Varanasi during this time to get mesmerized with the stunning view.
