To know in detail about Varanasi in India and how to visit and what places to see and what beauty to enjoy, read our important articles in the post. If you are a travel lover or planning a trip, it is important to have a clear idea about Varanasi holy place travel.
The holy place of Varanasi in India:
Varanasi is one of the holiest cities in the world today. Varanasi situated at the confluence of Varuna and Ausi rivers. According to mythology, Kasya, the son of Suhotra, founded the oldest city in the world, Varanasi. Hence the other name of Varanasi is Kashi. Many religious rituals are held in the city’s ghats and its accessibility may be ancient but its living heritage attracts tourists from all over the world to visit Varanasi, India.
Varanasi in India Map:
How to go to Varanasi in India?
Railway: Train is the easiest way to reach Varanasi from several cities including Delhi, Agra, Lucknow, Mumbai and Kolkata. Varanasi Junction Station Code: BSB.
By Bus : There are buses run by the state government from Lucknow (8 hours), Allahabad (3 hours), Gorakhpur (8 hours) and Kanpur (9 hours).
By Airplane : Varanasi Airport is located 25 km from the city centre. Air India, Jet Connect, SpaceJet and IndiGo fly daily from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Khajuraho and Visakhapatnam.
Where to stay in Varanasi?
Varanasi s a favorite city of tourists and pilgrims, can be found from very simple Dharamshalas to medium and good quality hotels. UP Tourism’s Rahi Tourist Bungalow (2208413/545) at Parade Kathi near Cantonment Station. Very basic Vishnu Rest House (2450206) at Pande Ghat and Yogi Lodge (2392588) at Kalika Gali.
What to visit in Varanasi?
Your first day in Varanasi will be spent exploring the local temples and Ganga ghats. The second day will be spent in Varanasi by auto or car in two stages, morning and afternoon, after having breakfast, we will leave for Ramnagar and Sarnath. On the third day, Chunar and Bindhyachal will travel by car.
1. Kashibishwanath Temple (Varanasi in India):
After the old temple was destroyed, the present temple was built by Maharani Ahalyabai Holkar of Indore (1777). Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Punjab covered the upper part of the temple with gold leaf weighing about 850 kg. Pandas will ambush you as you enter the temple through the narrow lanes. Be open about the fact that you are not willing to pay more than 20 rupees just for a visit. The evening at Vishwanath Temple is enchanting. Temple opening time: 3.00 am and Aarti is from 3.00 am to 4.00 am.
2. Annapurna Temple in Varanasi :
You will find Annapurna Temple in Baba Vishwanath Lane. Peshwa Bajirao built this temple in 1725. Aurangzeb’s controversial ‘Benimadhav ka Darera’ mosque is right next to the Kashibishwanath temple in Kashi. Annapurna Temple Opening Hours: 4.00 AM to 11.30 AM and 7.00 PM to 11.00 PM. Aarti Hai 4.00 am.
3. Durga Temple (Varanasi in India):
The red colored temple at Nagri Sheyli dates back to the 18th century. The idol of Devi is very much awake in Garbhagriha. Durga Mandir Opening Hours: 7.00 AM to 8.00 PM.
4. Tulsi Manas Temple (Varanasi in India):
A little further from the Durga temple is the huge white colored Tulsi Manas temple. Apart from the idol of Lord Rama, the temple also has walls, where various verses of Ramcharit Manas are carved. Temple Opening Hours: 5.30 AM and 3.30 PM to 9.00 PM.
5. Bharat Kala Bhavan and New Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi :
The Banaras University complex, founded by Pandit Madanmohan Mangal Kavya, houses the Bharat Kala Bhavan Naam Museum (a must-see collection of Mudhl miniature paintings) and the towering New Vishwanath Temple at Birlad. Also worth seeing in Kashi –
- Crisis Relief Temple,
- Hundiraj Ganesha Temple,
- Bharatmata Temple built by Babu Shivprasad Gupta,
- Kalabhairava Temple,
- Vishalakshi Temple,
- famous observatory,
- Mandir of Sanksha Devi.
6. Dashashwamedh Ghats in Varanasi :
- The main attraction of Varanasi is the row of over eighty picturesque ghats along the Ganges. At sunrise in the morning, the entire Varanasi including the Ganga ghats wakes up with the ritual bathing and manglik of thousands of devotees. If you want to enjoy the heavenly beauty of Varanasi ghats, hire a boat in the morning –
- Dashashwamedh Ghat,
- Manikarnika Ghat,
- Harishchandra Ghat,
- Tulsi Ghat,
- come to the pier
- Observatory Ghat,
- Kedar Ghat,
- Panchganga Ghat, etc.
7. Ramnagar Fort and Museum in india :
On the other side of the Ganges, the museum is built in a part of the fort and palace of the past kings of Varanasi. Here you will see – Horse-cart palanquins of various eras composed of kings, Chaudola, handiwork howda, costumes, fancy watches, many weapons, in a part of the fort you will see photographs of some scenes of the famous Ramlila of Ramnagar.
- Incidentally, Ramnagar can be reached by walking across the pontoon bridge or by ferry boat (all year round) in summer. The museum is open from 9 am to 12 pm and 2 pm to 5.30 pm.
8. Sarnath (Varanasi in India):
Buddhism originated in Sarnath, just 10 km from Varanasi. After attaining ‘Bodhi’ in Bodh Gaya, Buddhadev came to Sarnath and first of all gave religious sermons in the deer park here. To the Buddhists this event is known as ‘Mahadharmachakra Mandhana’. Incidentally, the name of this ancient town was ‘Rishipattan’ during the reign of Buddhadev. The name Sarnath derived from Saranganath (Saranga meaning deer). In Sarnath you will see –
Chowkhandi Stupa: It is no exaggeration to call this huge stupa a small mound on the left side of the entrance to Sarnath. Emperor Ashoka came here in 234 BC. He built this huge stupa.
Dhamek Stupa: The most notable landmark of Sarnath is the 43 meter tall Dhamek Stupa of Chongakriti. The diameter of this stupa near the ground is 28 meters and at the bottom you will see the Gupta era architecture.
Moolgandhkuti Vihar: Another attraction of Sarnath is this modern Buddha temple built by the Mahabodhi Society. Here you will see some wonderful frescoes painted by the leading Japanese artist Kosetsu Nosu. The ruins of Adimulgandhkuti Vihar are some distance away.
Sarnath Museum: The collection of numerous Buddha and Buddha statues in this government museum inspires wonder. Here witness the finest examples of Buddhist art and sculpture and the four contiguous lions atop the Ashoka Pillar (our national symbol). The museum is closed on Fridays. Other days are open from 10 am to 5 pm. If you want to spend a night in this holy land, you will find the Rahi Tourist Bungalow of the Tourism Department (0582-2595965). You can stay at Jain Payong Guest House (2595621) or Aggarwal Payong Guest House (221007).
9. Chunar in Varanasi :
The main attraction of Chunar, 35 km from Varanasi, is the massive fort on the banks of the Ganges.According to mythology, Lord Vishnu in his dwarf avatar first set foot on this holy land and named it Charnadri. Bhatrahari, brother of Maharaja Vikramaditya, the ruler of Ujjain, took a living samadhi here after performing severe austerities. The history of the lime fort is also ancient. According to many historians, King Sahadeva built the present fort in 1029 AD.
The main attraction of the fort is the ‘Sonha-mandap’, built as the wedding venue of the then Maharaja Alhakhand of Mahabara with King Sadeva’s brave daughter Sonha or Sonwa. The first builder of this fort was King Vikramaditya. Behind Sonha Mandap you will see the tomb of Vikramaditya Bhai Bhatrihari. The first Mughal emperor Babur took possession of this fort in 1525. Akbar recaptured the fort in 1574 after it fell into the hands of Shershah.
After being under the Mughals for nearly two hundred years, the East India Company captured the historic Chunar Fort in 1772. Legend has it that a historic secret tunnel leads down to the Ganges from this fort. Currently, Government of India has established PAC (Provincial Amord Core) training center here. Therefore, except for Sonha Mandap and Bhatrahari Samadhi, ordinary tourists are not allowed inside the fort. Apart from the fort, you can see Dargah of Hazrat Sulaiman, works of Pathar carving artists and Durgamandir and Kalimandir about 2 km away.
10. Bindhyachal in Varanasi :
70 km from Varanasi, one of the 51 satipeeths, the main attraction of Bindhyachal is the Vindhyavasini Temple. Sati’s left toe fell on this spot. According to the Puranas, this is the place where Goddess Shumbha killed Nishumbha with her own hands. .
11. Ashtabhuja Temple :
Goddess Ashtabhuja (actually Durga) temple on Vindhyapavarta, 3 km from Vindhyavasini temple. The old tradition when Yashoda tried to kill the pregnant Mahamaya thinking she was the eighth-born child of Kansa Devaki, Mahamaya disappeared after listening to the sky. Bhagwati appeared at the present temple site and always exists here in the form of Durga. You have to go inside the narrow cave to see the idol.
12. Kalikhoh :
Kalikhoh is famous for the awakened face of Mother Kali in a cave above Vindhyapavarta. Gauvarna Parvati became so enraged at this spot after hearing the deities being insulted by the Asuras that her golden limbs turned black like kajal (since then the goddess was named Kali). Even today the names of the goddess are Kali, Chandi and Chamunda. Devout devotees complete the Mahatrikosh Parikrama within the Vindhyavasini octagonal Kalikho on the mountain path.
Also visit Vindhyachal –
Sitakunda (one opinion is that Sita bathed here during her forest life, another opinion is that Lakshman created this pool by killing Sita to quench her thirst for water)
- Tarkeswarnath Temple,
- Temple of Burnath,
- Narada Ghat,
- Ocher,
- Kshetrapal Temple,
- Kamakhya Devi Temple,
- shivkhoh,
- Ravana’s penance,
- Sakhigopal Temple,
- Sankatmochan Hanuman Temple.
Required information and phone number-
Shivprasad Gupta Hospital (2333723), Ramakrishna Mission Hospital (2321727), Mata Anandamayi Hospital (2313013), Marwari Hospital, D, M-2508585, SP-2502644, Tourist Police 2506670, U, P Tourism Office-2208162/ 206638, Bus Stand -2203476, Varanasi Railway Station-131, 132, 133, Mughalsarai Junction-255703.
Finally, you can enjoy the pleasure and satisfaction of mind by visiting the mentioned attractions for Varanasi in India tour. Also, here you will get a complete guide line to travel around Varanasi a beautiful and easy way.
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