Varanasi – India’s Holiest City
Discover Varanasi, India’s holiest city, known for sacred ghats, ancient temples, and spiritual experiences along the Ganges River.
Of the seven sacred cities of Hinduism, Varanasi, which, according to tradition, was founded by Shiva himself, is the most important of them all.
Located in the state of Uttar Pradesh, Benares, Varanasi in Hindi, is situated on the banks of the Ganges River, the most important of the seven sacred rivers of Hinduism. At least once in their lives, Hindus must visit this city and perform ablutions from the ghats in this sacred river, considered the direct access route to Nirvana.
Given the spiritual and religious importance that both Varanasi and the Ganges have for Hindu culture, it is not surprising that Hindus wish to die in this city, inhabited by almost 1,200,000 inhabitants.
Today, we discover Varanasi, one of the oldest cities in India where life mixes with death.
Varanasi: India in its purest and most spiritual state
Varanasi is India's spiritual city par excellence. A place of pilgrimage for millions of Hindus, it is also the final destination on their journey in life.
For Hindus, dying in Varanasi is a sure bet to enter Nirvana and put an end to their time in the earthly world. That is why the burning bodies of the recently deceased and the living performing their ablutions meet in the waters of the sacred Ganges as they pass through Varanasi.
When death comes to the inhabitants of this legendary city of Varanasi, India, the lifeless bodies are carried on the shoulders of male relatives until they reach the ghats, enormous steps that descend to the waters of the river and where the cremations of the corpses take place.
The bodies are cremated with wood and spices, depending on the purchasing power of the relatives. When the flames die down, the ashes of the bodies are thrown into the waters of the Ganges, so that they can be reincarnated again.
We have designed various Varanasi Tour Packages covering day tours, activities, and sightseeing. The best time to visit Varanasi is from November to February. If you are in this holy city, you should surely not miss out on your chance to indulge in a rendezvous with God by visiting the beautiful temples, and ghats.
Manikarnika: The most famous of the cremation ghats
Varanasi is known as the city of ghats, mystical steps or stairs that descend to reach the waters of the Ganges. Of the 87 ghats spread along the banks of the Ganges, Manikarnika has emerged as the most important and sacred.
Manikarnika is dotted with plumes of smoke every day of the year from the funeral pyres on which the deceased are cremated. Life and death go hand in hand at this ghat, which is a testament to the vast number of Hindus who come to Varanasi to die.
Also known as the Ghat of Liberation, the history of Manikarnika is replete with legends that give it a sacred character. According to one of the myths, Manikarnika Ghat stands on the spot where the earring that adorned the ear of goddess Sati fell. Manikarnika means “earring”.
In addition to seeing with your own eyes the most sacred and popular crematorium in Varanasi, during your visit to this fascinating city, you cannot miss a group of enclaves that will undoubtedly not leave you indifferent.
Key points on your visit to Varanasi
The sacred city of Benares, India, in addition to its rich intangible heritage, holds numerous corners, temples and sacred places of great historical and artistic importance that you cannot miss.
The heart of the city is, without a doubt, the Ganges, the spiritual centre of Hindu culture, to whose banks thousands of believers flock to absolve themselves of their sins or to scatter the ashes of their deceased.
The Fire Ceremony or Ganga Aarti
The riverbank is home to one of the most symbolic and powerful rituals you can witness in this sacred Indian city: the “Ganga aarti” or fire ceremony. Every day, as dusk falls, this magical ritual takes place in honour of the goddess of the most sacred river in India: the Ganges.
In it, light is offered to one or more deities through fire, used as an offering. Lamps are lit and praises to Mother Ganga are sung by the pandits or Hindu priests.
Sarnath, the cradle of Buddhism
Just half an hour from Varanasi lies the place where, according to legend, Buddha gave his first sermon.
Numerous temples and ruins are located in the Sarnath complex, including a monastery, a stupa and an archaeological museum that houses the Ashoka pillar with four lions, one of the symbols of India.
Kashi Vishwanath Temple
Varanasi is home to one of the most popular Hindu pilgrimage centres in the country: Kashi Vishwanath. Dedicated to Shiva, the patron deity of Varanasi, this temple is also known as the Golden Temple of Benares, due to its domes covered with 800 kilos of gold.
The architectural complex has suffered several destructions and reconstructions throughout its centuries of history. A mosque was even built on the same site. Today, it borders the temple that was built in the 18th century, which is why it is a very conflictive enclave because it is disputed by Muslims and Hindus.
Ramnagar Fort
On the banks of the sacred river stands a majestic fortress with several centuries of history.
This was the ancestral home of the Maharaja of Benares, who lived there in the 18th century. This luxurious residence, which draws on the influences of the Mongol style, exudes elegance and opulence. As a curiosity, access to this fortress during the rainy season is only possible by boat, since the bridge that provides the entrance is equipped with a base of floating drums.
Varanasi shows the most striking side of India. A bustling, chaotic and noisy city that, at the same time, is the destination where every Hindu yearns to end their days. As a visitor, you will not be oblivious to the energy that permeates this city, so full of spirituality, life, also, death.
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