Varanasi-Cultural Centre of India

Varanasi is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world.The city has been a cultural and religious centre in India for several thousand years.People often refer to Varanasi as "the city of temples", "the holy city of India", "the religious capital of India", "the city of lights", "the city of learning" and the "culture capital of India". It is also called as "Benaras" or "Kashi".Varanasi's "Old City," the quarter near the banks of Ganga, has crowded narrow winding lanes that are flanked by road-side shops and scores of Hindu temples. 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 them put together."

Varanasi is a holy city in Hinduism, being one of the most sacred piligrimage places for Hindus of all denominations. This Old City is rich with culture, and a deservedly popular destination for travelers and tourists. More than One million pilgrims visit the city each year. It has the holy shrine of Lord Kashi Vishwanath (a manifestation of Lord Shiva), and also one of the twelve revered Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva.Hindus believe that bathing in Ganga remits sins and that dying in Kashi ensures release of a person's soul from the cycle of its transmigrations. Adi Shankara wrote his commentaries on Hinduism here, leading to the great Hindu revival. Vaishnavism (who worships Lord Vishnu) and Shaivism (who worships Lord Shiva) have always co-existed in this city harmoniously. It is believed that this city consists of 33 crores of Shiva Lingas. At the same time we can find many temples for Lord Vishnu also.

It is also holy place for Bhuddists and Jains.Being one of the four pilgrimage sites said to have been designated by Gautama Buddha himself, (the others being Kushinagar, Bodh Gaya, and Lumbini). In the residential neighborhood of Varanasi lies Sarnath, the site of the deer park where Gautama Buddha is said to have given his first sermon about the basic principles of Buddhism. It is believed to be the birthplace of Parshvanatha, the twenty-third Tirthankar. Islamic culture has also had an influence on Varanasi.We can see many monuments constructed by Muslim invaders here.