Varanasi is commonly known as Benares or Banaras or Kashi and also "the city of temples", "the holy city of India", "the religious capital of India", "the city of lights", and "the city of learning". The city is situated on the left (west) bank of the River Ganga (Ganges) and regarded as holy by Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains. It is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world. American writer Mark Twain wrote: "Benares is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend, and looks twice as old as all of the m put together”. Sarnath, the most important Buddhist pilgrimage center is situated 6 KM north of Varanasi.

Maharaja of Kashi is the chief cultural patron of Varanasi and he is the essential part o f all religious celebrations.The culture and festivals of Varanasi are closely associated with the River Ganges and the river's religious importance. The city has been a cultural and religious centre in North Indiafor several thousand years. TheBenares Gharanaform ofIndian classical music developed in Varanasi, and many prominent Indian philosophers, poets, writers, and musicians are from Varanasi, including Kabir, Ravidas.Their Guru Swami Ramanand,Trailanga Swami, Munshi Premchand, Jaishankar Prasad, Acharya Shukla, Ravi Shankar, Girija Devi, Hariprasad Chaurasia, and Bismillah Khan.Tulsidas wrote his Ramacharitamanas there, and Gautama Buddha gave his first sermon at Sarnathnear Kashi.

As the place lies with the confluence of Varuna with the Ganges being to its north and that of Assi and the Ganges to its south,the nameVaranasi,has its origin possibly from the names of these two rivers. Through the ages, Varanasi was variously known as Avimuktaka,  Anandakanana,  Mahasmasana,  Surandhana,  Brahma Vardha, Sudarsana, Ramya and Kashi.

History

Varanasi is one of the seven sacred cities of Hindus. Many Hindu scriptures, including the Rigveda, Skanda Purana,Ramayana, and theMahabharata, mention the city. It is generally believed to be about 3,000 years old.Varanasi was famous for its muslin cloth and silk fabrics, perfumes, ivory works, and sculpture. During the time of Gautama Buddha(born circa 567BCE), Varanasi was the capital of theKingdom of Kashi.

Kashi Naresh and Ramnagar

Varanasi became an independentKingdom of Kashiin the eighteenth century, and subsequently came under British rule. In 1910, the British made Varanasi a new Indian state, with Ramanagar as its headquarters but with no jurisdiction over the city of Varanasi itself. Kashi Naresh still resides in the fort of Ramanagar. TheRamnagar Fort with Mughalstyle ofarchitecturewith carved balconies, open courtyards, and picturesque pavilions is situated to the east of Varanasi, across the Ganges.The Fort was built by Kashi Naresh Raja Balwant Singh with creamy chunarsandstonein the eighteenth century. The other fort of the Kashi Naresh is the Chet Singh Palace, near Shivala Ghat, Varanasi built by Maharaja Chet Singh.

Ramnagar Fort and its museum are the repository of the history of the kings of Benaras and since the 18th century has been the home ofKashi Naresh.Even today the Kashi Naresh is deeply revered by the people of Benares.

Last Updated on Friday, 13 August 2010 14:04