Kashi: An Ancient Spiritual Epic Centre

Kashi, an ancient spiritual city also famous as Varanasi or Banaras, is a very sacred city for Hindus. This place is on the side of the holy river Ganga. Varanasi is the most famous city in Uttar Pradesh and devotees visit this place to worship Lord Shiva who is one of the main gods of Hindu name Bhrama, Vishnu and Mahesh. You can also visit Rishikesh, which is also a famous city among Hindu devotees.

As per historians, it is said that in the Ganga river valley, the Aryans were settled first in the middle of this valley, and so the philosophy of the Aryans spread all around this place. It is also famous as the “City of Light”, which means spirituality and knowledge are deeply mixed in its atmosphere. It is also known by the name of Banaras is a very old and holy city situated on the bank of the river Ganga in Uttar Pradesh State in the northern part of India.

As per historians, the Aryans first settled in the middle of the Ganga Valley, and therefore, the Aryan philosophy was spread all over this region.

This place is meant for holy learning and consists of globally known Universities and educational institutes like Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth, Sampurnanand Sanskrit University, and Banaras Hindu University.

This city was the capital of this place at the time of Buddha and was a commercial and industrial hub, and was known for its silk fabric, ivory articles, perfumes and muslin. This city is famous for its spiritual culture and has a large number of temples and ghats. Years ago, this place was known for its Chagas (the cheaters), where the pandits snatch money from the visitor in the name of holy ceremonies.

Kashi is also famous as a religious city in India. Every Hindu has the desire to at least once visit this city for religious purposes apart from their tourist visit. This city is very ordinary and not aware of the modern culture of nightclubs, bars and dances.

Why Kashi is considered the Holy Capital of India 

1. Religious Importance – This is the place of most religious temples for Hindus, known as the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. In this temple, people come throughout the year from different places to worship God Shiv.

2. Pilgrim Hub – It is believed that whoever dies in this place is relieved from the cycle of birth and death by way of getting Moksha.

3. An Education Centre – The world-famous university known as Banaras Hindu University (BHU) is in Kashi, where millions of people come to get religious enlightenment and get education in other regular courses.

4. Traditional Culture – Known for traditional classic dance and music, apart from world-famous banarsi sarees made from vibrant colours and unique designs.

The main points of attraction in Kashi are:

Banaras Ghats – Kashi 

  This is a chain of riverbank steps, which are 88 in count, situated on the bank of the holy Ganga, displaying an iconic picture of Kashi culture and spirituality. These ghats are used for performing different Hindu rituals like Ganga Aarti, taking a bath in the holy Ganga, doing deep prayer and other important rituals like cremation after sacrificing life at Manikarnika ghat.

The most famous ghats in Kashi are:

• Aasi Ghat: This is the most significant ghat in terms of spirituality.
• Dashashwamedh Ghat: This ghat has its importance due to its historical location and Ganga Aarti.
• Manikarnika Ghat: This Ghat is known for cremation ceremonies and is believed to relieve one from the birth and death cycle immediately.

River Ganges – Kashi 

Ganga is a holy river for Hindus, which originates from Gomukh, a part of the Himalaya Mountains, ending in the Gangotri glacier. The Bhagirathi River gets Crystal clear water with the melt of glaciers’ ice. Bhagirathi River, when it flows down from the Himalaya, merges with the Alaknanda River, which officially forms the holy Ganga River. In Bangladesh, it is called the Padma River. The Significance of Kashi 

Though the Ganga River is very long, it is shorter than the Indus and Brahmaputra. Holy Ganga river, among others, is considered to be a female goddess, except for the only male river named the Brahmputra. Holy Ganga is born from King Himavat and Queen Mena, the parents of goddess Parvati, the spouse of God Shiva.

After collecting the sweat from the feet of God Vishnu, Brahma created the Ganga. It is about 2505 km. long and 31 meters deep. Ganga water is considered to be a holy water and is used in many rituals of Hindus. The importance of Ganga water can be assessed as it is sold in different shops of local markets.

Kashi Vishwanath Temple – Kashi 

Situated in the Vishwanath Gali, this is one of the most religious places of Hindus where millions of devotees visit for worship of Lord Shiva to whom this temple is dedicated. The temple is situated on the banks of the holy Ganga River in Kashi and is a holy place for Hindus to worship and seek the blessings of Lord Shiva. This is one of the holy sites and is included in the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines. Vishwanath, situated in the temple, is believed to be the king of the entire universe.

This temple was built in 1585 by Raja Todar Mal and Man Singh. To worship in the temple and take a bath in the holy Ganga is believed to relieve devotees from the life and death cycle (Moksha). Every Hindu have a desire to at least visit this temple once during their life. As per tradition, every devotee who visits this temple needs to give up at least one desire, as living life with minimum desires is the lifestyle of a yogi. Due to wide popularity, a large number of temples were built in all parts of India in the same architectural.

Sarnath – Kashi 

  Located about 10 km in Kashi, close to the Varuna river, it is one of the most religious places for Buddha. Gautam Budh first got enlightenment about Kondanna and Dharma in the deer park. The birthplace of Shreya Sanath is about 1 km. Distant from Singapore, Jainism has eleven tirthankaras. Now it is a famous pilgrimage site, and a big temple was built by his followers in his memory. Sarnath is also known by the names, i.e Migadaya,  Mrigadava, Isipatana, and Rishipattana.

Gautam Buddha sacrificed his family and friends immediately after seven weeks of getting enlightenment. He got enlightenment under the tree known as the Bodhi tree, located in the holy place Bodh Gaya. This is the most significant religious place for Buddha, and every follower of Bodha wants to visit this place at least once in their lifetime.

Chausatti Ghat – Kashi 

Situated on the bank of the holy Ganga, Chausatti ghat is the most significant religious ghat. There are various ghats in Varanasi performing different religious activities, and Chausatti ghat is one of them. This ghat is famous for taking a holy bath and a sacred dip in the Ganga. The name of this ghat is translated to 64 and relates to the 64 yoginis, who are the female counterparts of goddess Maha Kali.

This temple reflects the Divine power of a female. According to different records, this ghat originated either by Pratap Aditya in the 16th century or by the ruler of Bangal Digpatiya in the 18th century. This ghat is a famous religious site for Hindus, particularly during the Hindu religious festival season.  A large number of Hindu devotees visit this temple to worship and offer flowers to the statues of 64 yoginis. The atmosphere near the ghat becomes full of Divine power when a large number of worshipers visit this temple for worship.

Manikarnika Ghat – Kashi

Situated on the side of the sacred river Ganga, Manikaran Ghat is one of the most famous ghats in Kashi. It is known for cremation as it is the oldest ground for cremation, and it is believed that whoever gets cremation on this ghat is relieved from the birth and death cycle by getting Moksha. People come here to complete final rituals after the death of a family member or loved one.

This ghat is open for cremation round the clock. Visitors are allowed to watch Solomon’s cremation, but with proper discipline. To click a photo is prohibited at this ghat. The caretaker of the ghat is a dom who belongs to an ancient cast. They are responsible for the maintenance of ever-burning flames with purity and hygiene.

It is believed that this flame was created by Lord God Shiva about 3500 years ago, and since then it is continuously burning. As per Hindu traditions, females are not allowed to participate in cremation due to religious reasons, but as per the ghat’s rules, there is no restriction for women to observe cremation from a distance from the river Ganga. This ghat is believed to be the most haunted place because it is connected with death and cremation. Some incidents are found for the presence of gosht.

Man Mandir Ghat – Kashi

It was built by Amer king Man Singh Tomar at about 1500 A.D. This ghat is known for its marvellous architectural beauty and patterns and stones placed in a royal Rajput-style building. Initially, this ghat was built for taking a bath by the Amer royal family. The prime reason to build this ghat was to give excess Ganga water to the royal family and maintain the privacy of the religious rituals performed by them.

A large number of tourists, Hindu devotees, and sadhus visit this place to have a bath or dip in the Ganga to cleanse their sins and get enlightenment. This ghat is also the home of the Someshwar temple, believed to be the place of Lord Shiva. Hindu devotees visit this ghat all around the year to worship and take blessings of God Lord Shiva. The material used in worship makes the entire atmosphere full of Divine power. The visitors can store a religious beauty in their memories for their whole life.

The speciality of this city

• Langda or Malda Mangoes are a popular variety of mango found in this place, which are very sweet and juicy.
• Silk Cloths are produced from silkworms, which are natural fibres. Their clothes are very soft, a speciality of Kashi.
• Wooden Handicrafts are the Kashi Kala made in the historical traditional style of this city.
• Carpets and Brass Ware – Kashi and surrounding areas, including Bhadohi and Mirzapur, are very famous for making silk and woollen carpets.
• Gold Jewellery – with a legacy of about 70 years, the jewellery of Kashi is known for its fine and traditional jewellery.
• Thater Bazar – known for its theatre activities like Nagri Natak Mandali and Rangshala Theatre Society, are famous natak organisations in Kashi.

Airport for reaching Kashi: Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport, Babatpur Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.

How to reach by train: Varanasi Junction (BSB), Kashi (KEI), Manduadih (MUV).

Famous Malls & Markets: Thatheri Bazar, Godowlia Market, Vishwanath Lane, Rajan Silk Market, Golghar, Gyanvapi, Dal Mandi Market, Lahurabir, Chowk and Urban Hatt, IP Sigra Mall, IP Vijaya Mall, JHV Mall, Vinayak Plaza, PDR Mall.

Street Food of Kashi: Chena Dahi Vada, Kachori Sabji, Chooda Matar, Baati Chokha, Tamatar Chaat, Dahi Chutney Golgappe, Banarasi Thandai and Lassi, Banarsi Paan.

In Short

Kashi, an ancient spiritual city also famous as Varanasi or Banaras, is a very sacred city for Hindus. This place is on the side of the holy river Ganga. According to historians, it is said that in the Ganga river valley, the Aryans were settled first in the middle of this valley, and so the philosophy of the Aryans spread all around this place.

Kado is also famous as the “City of Light”, which means spirituality and knowledge are deeply mixed in its atmosphere. This city was the capital of Kasi at the time of Buddha, and was a commercial and industrial hub and was known for its silk fabric, ivory articles, perfumes and muslin.

FAQ on Kashi: An Ancient Spiritual Epic Centre

1. What is Kashi known for?

Kashi, also known as Varanasi or Banaras, is known as one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities and the spiritual capital of India. It is famous for its temples, ghats, rituals on the Ganga, and rich cultural heritage.

2. Why is Kashi considered sacred?

Kashi is believed to be founded by Lord Shiva. According to sacred scriptures, those who visit Kashi attain liberation (Moksha), making it a major pilgrimage site for Hindus.

3. What are the most famous attractions of Kashi?

Some iconic places include:

• Kashi Vishwanath Temple
• Dashashwamedh Ghat
• Assi Ghat
• Manikarnika Ghat
• Sarnath Buddhist site

4. What is the significance of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple?

The temple houses one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva. It represents cosmic energy, faith, and the divine presence of Shiva.

5. Why are the ghats in Kashi famous?

Kashi’s ghats are used for prayers, sacred rituals, bathing, cremation, and meditation. The Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat is the city’s spiritual highlight.

6. What is special about Manikarnika Ghat?

It is one of the most sacred cremation ghats in India. It is believed that those cremated here attain salvation.

7. What rituals should visitors explore?

Popular rituals include:

• Ganga Snan (holy bath)
• Rudrabhishek at Kashi Vishwanath Temple
• Ganga Aarti
• Pind Daan
• Temple darshans and heritage walks

8. What is the connection between Kashi and Sarnath?

Sarnath, near the city, is where Gautama Buddha gave his first sermon after enlightenment, making it a revered Buddhist pilgrimage point.

9. When is the best time to visit Kashi?

October to March is ideal due to pleasant weather. Devotees especially prefer festivals like Shivratri, Kartik Purnima, and Dev Deepawali.

10. How is food culture in Kashi?

Kashi’s cuisine is rich and traditional, offering delicacies such as:

• Banarasi paan
• Rabri and jalebi
• Kachori-sabzi
• Lassi
• Malaiyo in winter

11. Is Kashi a good cultural destination?

Absolutely. The city is famous for music, silk weaving, Sanskrit learning, classical dance, and spiritual literature. Banarasi sarees are globally renowned.

12. How do pilgrims reach Kashi?

The city has excellent connectivity by:

• Air: Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport
• Rail: Varanasi Junction and Kashi Railway Station
• Road: Connected with major Indian cities

13. What makes Kashi unique compared to other holy cities?

Its combination of ancient history, divine cultural traditions, and belief in liberation makes Kashi unmatched. Many believe it is a place where spirituality and everyday life blend beautifully.