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 Varanasi or Banaras, referred to in the Scriptures as 'Kashi' derived its name from the word 'Kash'
meaning Brightness- 'The city of Light'. It has been propogating Indian Culture, Philosophy and
traditions among masses from the times immemorial.
Varanasi is the most famous and the oldest inhabited city of the world and boasts of being among
the seven sacred cities (Sapta Puries) of the ancient India. The trinity of birth, life and even death carry
equal importance here. It is situated on the bank of river Ganges which has two tributaries: Varuna and
Assi; so is the name Varanasi. /
Perhaps this is the only city which is endowed with a rare combination of holy river Ganges, abode
of Su preme God Shiva and the oldest living city itself. It remains vi bra ntth ro ghoutthe year. Its temple-
ghats bear testimony to its glorious past, bright present and prosperous future. Its religion, culture and
traditions are so beautifully mingled that itgivesthecitya unique ambience. )

- The precious compliment by the famous American Writer Mark Twain about this heritage city is
worth mentioning: 'Banaras is older than history, older than traditions, even older than legend and
looks twice as old as all ofthem put together'.
The city is the centre of a variety of cultural and religious activities including learning, literature
and art. Famous Bhakti movement poets and the doyens of Indian literature, prominent philosophers,
writers and musicians are associated with this multi-dimensional and multi-faceted city. It is an
important seat of learning and houses one of the most venerable educational institutions-Banaras
Hindu University, one of the largest residential universities in Asia. It has the proud privilege of having
Sarnath in thevicinitywhere Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon after getting Enlightened.
It is the hub of various cottage industries mainly in weaving and hand-loom sector. Banarasi
muslin, ultra fine silk, carpet, perfumes, ivory works, pearls & beads and sculptures are world famous
for their luster and beauty.
Undoubtedly, noothercltylntheworld can bea parallel to this magnlficlentclty.
·,_. , !HJ
II

I
banks af holy Ganga on Kartlk Poornlma
1:·
1ll1s observatory was built by Raja Man Singh of
Jaipur at Manmandir Ghat near Dashashwamedh
Rajendra Prasad Ghat. r;m;ng, 10.00 a.m•
.00 p.m. Closed on Friday.
fee:
Foreign Tourist Rs. 200.00
DomestlcTourlstRs.15.00

Bharat Mata Temple

A unique temple at Sigra locality-dose to M.G. Kashi
Vidyapeeth, is dedicated to Mother India, which
Instead of the customary gods and goddesses,
houses one of the most perfect relief maps of India
canied on marble. It was Inaugurated by Mahatma
Gandhi in 1936.
\
Kabir Math
Situated in the Kabir C~aura locality, 1 is the main
Kabir Gaddl. The paintln_gs related with t he life.
events ofSaint Kabirdasji are worth seeing.

Radha Swami Temple

The temple bllV!ng an attractive gate and building,
situated dn the Kabir Chaura road at Lohatla, is
associated with the Rad ha Swami Sect.
Galis (narrow Lanes) \
The serpentine narrow lanes of this city mirror the
typical lifestyle of the inhabitants. Some of the
famous Galls are Vlshwanath Gali, Kachauri Gali,
Thatheri Bazar Gali, Khoa Gali etc.
Alamglr Mosque
This mosque, an amalgamation of Hindu-Muslim
religious sentiments, is also known as "Beni Madhav-
ka-Dharehara". The entire lower portion of the
mosque is retained as a Hindu temple.
 Gali {Narrow Lane)

Lshartara Sarovar, 3 km from Cantt. Railway Station on

varanasi-Allahabad route, is the Udbhav Sthal of great Dr. Sampumanand Sanskrit University
saint Kabirdasji. The old temple built in between the
sarovar (pond) is worth visiting.
The other attractions are : Sakshl Vinayak Temple, Nepali
Temple, Goddess Sankatha Temple, Lord Bal]nath Temple,
Lord Batuk Bhairav Temple, Bindumadhav Temple,
Chitraghanta Temple, Bara Ganesh Temple, Kalratri
Temple, Mukh Nirmalika Temple, Shailputri Devi Temple,
Garhwa Ghat, Shool TankeshwarTemple etc.

Organisations
• Yoga Institute, B.H.U. • Mahatma Gandhi Kash!
Vldyapeeth • Dr. Sampurnanand Sanskrit University •
Krishna Murtl Foundation, Rajghat
• R.K. Mission, Lux.a Road • Gandhi Institute, Rajghat •
Nagari PrachariniSabha, Maidagin
• GyanPravah,Nagwa. GarhwaGhatAshram
• Theosophical Society • Maha Bodhl Society of India,
Sarnath • Tibetan Institute, Sarnath
• Kayakalpam Ayurvedic Health Spa, 49-Patel Nager.

Nagari Pracharini Sabha Saint Kabir Temple

VARANASI
~~

Subah-E-Benaras (Morning of Varanasi)

 Puja offerinw; to mother Ganges

Manikaranika Ghat
Manikarnika is considered to be the most sacred cremation
ghat of Varanasi. It is believed that consigning the mortal
remains to fire atthe ghat provides eternal peace to the soul. It
is said that the fire of the funeral pyres have not gone out over
centuries.

Subah-e-Banaras
Everyday morning is commemorated with the essence of
Subah-e-Banaras atthe famous Assi Ghat. A spiritual blend of
nature's splendor and human existence. Rising Sun - yellow
Ganga and illuminated river fronts motivate man to enchant,
sing and invoke (Yoga). (Timing: sunrise)
IIT
 Dev Deepawali
Festivals, fairs and umpteen rituals give Varanasi a
colourful and diverse look. It is said that in 365 days 400
festiva Is are celebrated here.
The most picturesque festival, Dev Deepawali is
celebrated every year fifteen days after the traditional
Deepawali on the banks of river Ganga.
The ghats come alive with lights, chants & prayers.
The mighty Ganga is lit up with endless floating lamps.
It's an infinitely divine experience.

Awesome view of Dev Deepawali

-->
t-
en
LL.I
LL.

Dushera Celebration

Royal presence during festivity at Ganges Nag Nathaiya at Tulsi ghat

Some of the important events are :-
Ganga Mahotsav and Dev Deepawali (Oct.-Nov.),
Dushera (Sept.-Oct.), Nakkataiya (Chetganj, Oct.),
Bharat Milap (Nati lmli, Oct.-Nov.), Budhwa Mangal (first
Tuesday after Holi festival at Dashashwamedha Ghat),
Nag Nathaiya (Tulsi Ghat), Annakoot (Annapurna
Temple, Oct.-Nov.), Hanumat Jayanti (Sankat Machan
Temple), Panch Koshi Parikrama (in every Purushottam
Month), Dhrupad Mela (Tulsi Ghat, Feb.-March), Lolark
Chhath (July), Buddha Mahotsav (Sarnath), Unique
Ramleela at Ramnagar (Sept.-Oct).

The biggestannual festival atSarnath is held on Buddha

Purnima -the full moon day in May-to mark the birth and
death anniversaries of Lord Buddha. A big fair springs
up on the occasion and the relics of Lord Buddha are
taken out on well-<lecorated elephants for public
display.

Malkhambh Mahashivratri celebrations

BANARASI WOVEN WONDERS Varanasi's traditions in brocade and zari
reached their zenith in the Mughal period,
Out of sight from the ghats and the traffic on particularly during the reign of emperor
the Ganga, deep within the alleyways of the Akbar.
cl1y, the rivers flow from the looms of
weavers. These cascades of silk, shot with There was an influx of Persian motifs due to
reputation for quality and artistry travels all the influence and importance of Persian
thewaybacktoancienttimes. masters in the court of emperor Akbar; Ghias
Naqshaband being the greatest Persian
The virtuosity of the city's weavers or master among them to the royal atelier of
tantuvidyas reached its pinnacle in the Akbar. Zari even accented the turbans.
Mughal period when the Persian influence,
particularly in floral motifs, came in. Later, in the 19th century, textile designs
started resembling the patterns on Victorian
In the early 19th century, colonial travellers wallpaper and even geometrical layouts.
llke George Viscount Valentia also observed Today's trends revive traditional patterns and
Varanasi's thriving exports to Europe. Indeed mix them with modern color schemes and
It was predominantly textiles on which the styles. Intricate floral and foliate, kalga, bel,
fortunes of the city were built. According to and jhallar decorate the borders of modern
the Banaras District Gazetteer of 1922, Banarasis.
around 23,000 people in and around the city
were engaged in the local textile industry. A The two oldest and most active weaving
conservative count estimates 100, 000 localities in Varanasi are Alaipura and
weavers in Varanasi today. Madanpura, each with its own unique
composition and weaving techniques that •
The dazzlling Banarasi saree continues to be are easily distinguishable.
a byword for luxury. No Indian bride worth her
trousseau would consider leaving home Madanpura weavers are known for fine and
without a Banarasi saree. delicate traditional kimkhab, whereas
Alaipura weavers are renowned for
The flowering of Banaras's Zari and Brocade experimenting with new techniques and
traditions. designs.
Zan and Brocade are to Varanasi what Apart from these hubs, other weaving
Chlkankari is to Lucknow, workmanship that centres in and around Varanasi include Nati
becomes synonymous with a city. The lmli, Lallapura, Chittanpura, Ramnagar,
filigreed brocade of Varanasi is called Dulhipur, Pilikothi, Cholapurand Dharsauna.
kimkhab, which aptly captures the
ephemerality of the work in gold and silver
threads.
 Varanasi Music Tradition forward by othertabla virtu

Music in Varan ..
to the anc· . as1 is a tradition linked
Shardasahai (h.
Pandit Samta t osos, such as Pandit
great-great-grand son),
rasad, and Pand't 1
ient times of the P . Maharaj Shehn . Kishan
. a1 mastro Ustad .
Lord Shiva is credited . uramc legends. Khan kathak . B1smillah
with develop·nI .
' wizard Birjoo Mah .
dance ofVaranas· Le g music & mastro Kishan M h araJ, tabla
Renu son of S i.. gends also attribute it to
' age V1shvamitra & M Allandin Khan & hi d~ ~raj, legendry Baba
who were the pre ahagobind, s isc1ple Shri R . S
cursors of m · singers Girija Devi B av1 hankar,
Kashi, where nym h us1c tradition in ' egum Akhtar d
and Ki P s (Apsaras), Gandharvas more lived and pract·iced here. an many
nnaraswerethet d'.
of this art i ra 1t1onal practitioners
orm, and saint Ch Classical music ech
Vallabhacharya aitanya and Varanasi it may b oes everywhere in
. were the pioneers in . ' e weekly ·
th1smusictrad't' .
i ion in Varanasi.

Bana_ras has been long renowned for i

spreading

.
temple, in music played
annual festivals, all
heritage of Vara
:n music concerts in
ghats and rooftops,
. rm part of musical
nas1, which h
both instrumental a d ts music, Varanasi been n ave helped
Thumri Dadra n vocal. Dhrupad, Kheyal amed the 'City of
' and famo ' UNESCO. music' by
traditions are a . us vocal musical
ssoc1ated of Vi
Banaras Gharan h aranasi. In
. a, ere are ten main to
music composT I ions-Dhrupad Dh rms of
Kheyal, Tappa Th . • amar,
' umri Hor' C
Ragasagar, Tarana Sa ' I, haturang,
kajri & chaiti are t~e . rgam. Among folk music
important parts of
music. Dhrupad is the oldest form of I vocal
c------
H'

,mging of Indian cl ~ is the emotional

industani music. Kh I .
ass1cal mus· T
c ass1cal
.

Tappa are-th ic. humri &

e ys to expr
I C and emotl ess the feelings of
~ ons .
~

founded the Ba naras

tabla in kabir chaura
cy has been carried
CHUNAR
40 km. from Varanasi and Mirzapur, Chunar is the place where
religion, history and nature intermingle with each other. Situated in
the Vindhya range on the bank of the holy river Ganga, its scenic and
calm atmosphere enchants visitors.

Fort
The massive fort was established by King Vikramaditya of Ujjain in
honour of the stay of his brother, the well known philosopher King
Bhartrihariji. Spread over an area of 3400 sq. yards, the fort houses,
about 800-1000 years old monolithic stone temples, Samadhi of
Bhartrihariji, an ancient well, Sonva Mandap, Bavan Khambha,
Bungalow of Warren Hastings and a Sun Dial. About 1500 years old
rock-cut images of Lord Vishnu and other deities. Siddhnath dari

Gangeshwar Nath Temple

It is a very old temple related with the mythological stories and
dedicated to Lord Shiva.

Goddess Durga Cave Temple

2 km. away, this Cave Temple, believed to be of the 3rd century A.D.
Near the temple there is the Samad hi ofGosain Kamal Giri.
Durga Khoh : This famous temple was explored in 1883-84 by
Major General A. Cunningham. The Durga Khoh rock shelter has
several rare figures and inscriptions.
Dargah Shariaf: One km. away, on the bank of the Ganga, is the
Dargah of Sufi Saint Baba Quasim Suleman, built in Mughal style of
architecture.
Samadhi of Bhartrihariji

Baragaon
About 2 km. to the south-east of the Chunar Railway Station is this
2300 years old stone-quarry site. The stone-blocks lying here bear
ancient inscription to 3rd century BC downwards. Chunar is also
famous for its special pottery ware.

Excursions
Jargo Reservoir Dam (20 Km.), Siddhanath-ki-dari (20 Km.), Ashokan
Period Inscription (25 Km.), Lakhania Dari (30 Km.), Chunadari (40
Km.), Varanasi (40 Km.), Vindhyachal/Mirzapur (48 Km.), Kaimur
Wildlife Sanctuary (60 Km.), Salkhan Fossils (100 Km.), Allahabad
(130Km.).

Goddess Durga cave temple

SONBHADRA
~

89 km. An enchanting region, spread over a large area, having the

various places of archaeological, historical, religious and natural
attractions. Ancient Fossils atSalkhan, Shivdwar{famous for rare Uma-
Maheswar idol), Barela (known for Ekmukhi Shivlinga), Punchmukhi
(Punchmukhi Shivlinga), Markundi-Loric stone pillar, Mau (Buddhist
idols-inscriptions, Sahastra Shivlinga), Vijaigarh Fort-Hazrat Meeran
Shah Mazar - Ram Sagar Talab, Mukha Falls, Rock Paintings, Kai moor
Wild Life Sanctuary etc. are worth visit ing places of Sonbhadra.

Ancient Fossils at Salkhan

JAUNPUR
{)cf

58 Km. from Varanasi, Jaunpur was founded in the 14th century

by Feroz Shah Tughlaq. Later, around 1394 A.D., it became the
centre of t he independent Sharquie kingdom of Jaunpur,
founded by Malik Sarvar. The Sharquie rulers were great patrons
of art and architecture and constructed many fine tombs,
mosques and madarsas here. It was also an important centre of
Islamic studies. The city is known today for its jasmine oil,
tobacco leaves, radish and lmarti-a sweetmeat.
Located on the Lucknow-Varanasi-Mughalsarai section of Northern
Railway, Jaunpur is connected with all major cities.

PLACES OF INTEREST
Jhajhari Masjid Atala Masjid (1377-1408), Jama Masj id (1458-78), Lal Darwaja
Masjid (1450), Shahi Bridge (1568), Maa Shitla Choukiya Dham,
Shahi Quila, Khwabgah, Dargah Chishti, Panj-e-Sharief, Khalis
Mukhlis Masjid, Jhajhari Masjid, Akbari Bridge, the tombs of the
Sharquie Sultans, Archaeological Museum (T.D. College), the
meditation place of Guru Teg Bahadurji at Chachakpur and
Jamadagni Ashram.

ShahiQuila

Historical Mosque ShahiBridge

CHAN DAU LI
~

70 km. from Varanasi, Chandauli is an ideal

tourist destination having worth visiting natural
sites. The Chandraprabha Wild Life
Sanctuary, a beautiful picnic spot on Varanasi-
Chandauli road, is major attraction here. The
presence of Rajdari and Devdari waterfalls
within the sanctuary makes it even more
special.

Devdari Fall
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 INFORMATION
~
Area 73.89 sq. km.
Population (Distt.) 36,82,194 (2011 Census)
Height 200 mtrs. above sea level
Altitude 80.71 mtrs. above sea level
BestSeason October-March
Temperature Max. 43° Celsius to Min. 5° Celsius
Language Hindi, English
Local Transport Bus/Cycle Rickshaw/Auto Rickshaw

AIR
The nearest Airport is Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport at Babatpur, 22 km from Varanasi and 30 km from Sarnath. Varanasi is
connected with Delhi.Agra, Khajuraho, Kolkata, Mumbai, Lucknow, Bhuvaneshwar, Kathmandu.
-Air India Tel.: 2502547 - Indian Air Lines Tel.: 2502527 - Jet Airways Tel.: 2622026, 27 -Spice Jet Tel.: 2623081, 82 - King Fisher
Tel.: 2623076, 77

RAIL
Varanasi Gantt. and Mughal Sarai-16 km (one of the main railway stations of Varanasi) are the important rail junctions that link
Varanasi with all major cities of India.
- Varanasi Railway Station Tel.: 131, 139 - Mughal Sarai Railway Station Tel.: 05412-255703

ROAD
Varanasi, on NH2 from Kolkata to Delhi, NH7 to Kanya Kumari and N H29 to Gorakhpur, is well connected with the rest of the country
by good motorable roads. Some of the major road distances are: Sarnath-10 km, Chunar-35 km, Jaunpur-60 km, Vindhyachal-70
km, Allahabad-125 km, Ayodhya-140 km, Bodhgaya-240 km, Patna-246 km, Lucknow-286 km, Khajuraho-405 km, Agra-565 km.

SHOPPING
Varanasi, the apex religious centre, is also an exciting shopping hub. The city is famous for superior quality
handicraft products. The exotic embroidery on Banarsi silk, royal carpets, fantastic wooden work, attractive bead
& pearls jewellery, tempting sweetmeat- all fascinating enough to win heart over.
UP TOURISM ACCOMMODATION
UPSTDCTourist Bungalow, Tel.: 0542-2208413,
Parade Kothi, Opp. cantt. Railway Station 2208545
E-mail: rahitbvaranasi@up-tourism.com

STAR HOTELS
The Gatewaythe Ganges Tel.: 6660001
Hotel Clarks Varanasi ,the Mall Tel.: 2501011-20
Ramada Plaza, the Mall Tel.: 251000~11
Hotel Radision, the Mall Tel.: 2501515-20
Hotel Hindustan International, Maldaihiya Tel.: 2411484-9
MaradianGrand, Patel Nagar Tel.: 2509953

TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRES

UP Govt. Tourist Office Tel.: 0542-2505033
Sanskratic Sankul, Urban Haat,
Chauka Ghat, Varanasi
E-mail: varanasi@up-tourism.com
UP Govt. Tourist Information Counter, Tel.: 0542-2506670
Cantt. Railway Station,
(near Enquiry Office, Main Hall)
Modem Reception Centre Opp. Samath
Museum, Samath
Govt. of India Tourist Office, The Mall Tel.: 2501784
Tourist Office, Bihar Govt. Gantt. Tel.: 2223821