Varanasi: A city in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh

Varanasi

Nickname: The spiritual capital of India



Muhammad Ghori looted and destroyed many temples in Varanasi in the twelfth century AD. The city's temples and religious institutions date back to the 18th century

Kashi Maharaja (also known as "Kashi Naresh") is the main cultural patron of Varanasi. He is an important part of all the religious festivals of Varanasi. The culture of Varanasi has a special connection with the Ganges. Varanasi has been a cultural center of northern India for thousands of years. The history of Varanasi is older than the history of many major religions of the world. The Varanasi genre of Hindustani classical music originated in this city. The city is home to many prominent Indian philosophers, poets, writers and musicians. Sarnath Gautam Buddha first preached Buddhism near Varanasi.

Varanasi is the spiritual capital of India. Several famous books including Tulsidaser Ramcharitamanas were written in this city. The Hanuman Temple in Varanasi is called the "Tulsimanas Temple" in his memory. Kashi Hindu University in Varanasi is one of the oldest residential universities in Asia. Varanasi is also called "Temple City", "Holy City of India", "Religious Capital of India", "City of Light", "City of Education" and "Oldest Living City in the World".

The name "Varanasi" [probably comes from the names of two rivers: the Baruna (still flowing in Varanasi) and the Aussie (a small river flowing near Aussi Ghat). These two tributaries of the Ganges point to the town of Varanasi on the north bank of the Ganges. [11] On the other hand, the name Varanasi comes from the name of the river Varuna. Because, some people say that in ancient times this river was called Varanasi river. [12] However, there is disagreement among historians about the second opinion. Throughout the ages Varanasi has been called Nana.

The city is referred to as "Kashi" in the Rig Veda. In that text, Kashi is described as a learning center. The name Kashi is also mentioned in the Skanda Purana. In one of the verses of the Purana, Shiva says, "The three worlds are only one city to me, and Kashi is my palace in that city."

History

According to legend, Shiva founded the city. [16] The Pandava brothers, the protagonists of the Hindu epic Mahabharata, came to the city in search of Shiva to save them from the sins of fratricide and Brahma-killing in the Battle of Kurukshetra. [17] One of them is Varanasi:

Ayodhya, Mathura, Gaya, Kashi, Kanchi, Avantika and Dwarvati - these seven cities are called the savior.

The oldest archaeological evidence found in Varanasi suggests that the settlement in the Gangetic valley and the center of Vedic religion and philosophy were established in the eleventh or twelfth centuries BCFor this reason, Varanasi is considered one of the oldest cities in the world. Archaeological remains suggest that the region was inhabited by Vedic Aryans. However, the Atharva Veda, written in almost contemporary times, indicates that the area was formerly inhabited by local tribes. .Archaeological excavations have yet to uncover the remains. The 23rd Jain Tirthankara Parshva (the first historically recognized Tirthankara) in the eighth century BC was a native of Varanasi.

Varanasi also developed as an important economic center. The city was famous for its muslin and silk textiles, perfumes, ivory work and sculpture. [21] Varanasi was the capital of the Kashi kingdom during the reign of Gautam Buddha (born 56 BC). . This event is known in the history of Buddhism as "Dharmachakrapravratna". Fa Hien, a Chinese tourist, came to this city in 635 AD. His writings provide an insight into the religious and cultural activities of this city. He wrote that Varanasi was located 5 km (3.1 mi) long on the west bank of the Ganges...Hiuen Tsang came to Varanasi in the 7th century AD. He referred to the city as "Polonisi" and wrote that the city had 30 temples and about 30 monks. Varanasi's religious significance increased in the eighth century. At this time Adi Shankara established Shiva worshipers as the main community in Varanasi