Varanasi, the 'eternal city', is one of the most important pilgrimage sites in India and also a major tourist attraction. According to Facts About India, Varanasi recieves about 3 million visitors a year.Situated on the banks of the sacred Ganges, Varanasi has been a centre of learning and civilisation for over two thousand years. It was at Sarnath only 10 km from V aranasi, that the Buddha first preached his message of enlightenment, 25 centuries ago. Later the city became a great Hindu centre, but was looted a number of times by Moslem invaders from the 11th century on. These destructive visits climaxed with the Moghul Emperor Aurangzeb, who destroyed almost all of the temples and converted the most famous one into a mosque.
Varanasi has also been known as Kashi and Benares but its present name is a restoration of an ancient name meaning the city between two rivers - the Varuna and Asi. For the pious Hindu the city has always had a special place. Besides being a pilgrimage centre, it is considered especially auspicious to die here, ensuring an instant routing to heaven. To this day Varanasi is a centre oflearning, especially Sanskrit, and students flock here from all over India. Ironically Varanasi is in the centre of the most backward areas of India - a largely agrarian, rural and overpopulated area that has developed little since independence.
On the other hand Varanasi has become a symbol of the Hindu renaissance and has a special role in the development of Hindi - the national langauge of India. The well known novelist Prem Chand and the literary figure Bharatendu Harischand have played their part in this development Tulsi Das, the famous poet who wrote the Hindi version of the Ramayana known as the Ram Charit Manas, also lived many years in this city.
The old city of Varanasi is situated along the west bank of the Ganges and extends back from the riverbank ghats in a winding collection of narrow alleys. They're too narrow for anything but walking and tall houses overhang the picturesque, though hardly clean, lanes. It's a fa scinating area to wander around. The town extends from Raj Ghat, near the bridge, to Asi Ghat, near the university. Areas known as Chowk, Lahurabir and Godaulia are situated just outside the old city area along the river.
One of the best ways to get oriented in Varanasi is to remember the positions of the ghats, particularly important ghats like Dasaswamedh Ghat The Cantonment area around the Varanasi Junction railway station is entirely new and major hotels like Clarks and the V aranasi Ashok are situated across the tracks. Here you will also find the Government of India Tourist Office (tel 64189) at 158 The Mall. The broad, tree-lined avenues of the Cantonment are a great contrast to the crowds of people, bicycles and rickshaws in the old part of town.
The Indian Airlines Office (tel 64146, 66116) is in the Mint House Motel, opposite N adesar Palace in the Cantonment Babatpur Airport is a lengthy 22 km out of the city. Airline buses charge Rs 20 between the airport and the city terminal Railway reservations at the Varansia Junction (Cantonment) Station are made by phoning 64920.
The bus station is also close to the Cantonment If you're staying in Varanasi in one of the cheaper hotels and could do with a swim, several of the hotels in the Cantonment area permit the use of their pools for a charge of Rs 20 to 25. They include the Hotel Clarks V aranasi, the Hotel Varanasi Ashok and the Hotel Taj Ganges. If you're interested in studying yoga pay a visit to the Malaviya Bhawan at the university. They offer courses in Yoga and also in Hindu philosophy. There's a good bookshop outside the Tourist Bungalow and also in the Hotel Varanasi.
