Varanasi's principal attraction is the long string of bathing ghats which line the wesat banks of the Ganges. There are ove 100 ghats in all. The Assi Ghat is one of five special ghats where pilgrims are supposed to bathe in all of them on the same day, in the following sequence i.e. Assi, Dassahwamedh, Adi Keshav (Varunasagam), Panchganga and finally Manikarnika. The

Dasashwamedh Ghat is the main ghat as lord Brahma performed the Ten Horses rituals here which helped deriving the name of this ghat. Many of the ghats. Many of the ghats are owned by Maharajas or other princely rulers, such as the very fine Shivala or Kali Ghat owned by the Maharaja of Varanasi.

Of the temples, the Tulsi Manas Temple built in 1964, is the most Interesting .The walls of the temple education are engraved with verses and Scenes from the Ram Charit Manas. Its author Tulsi Das lived in Varanasi at Tulsi Ghat while writing it and died around 1623. On the 2nd floor you can watch electrically operated performing statues and scenes from Hindu mythology.

Further down is the famous Benaras Hindu University (BHU), constructed all the beginning of the century (1918). This large university covers an area of 5 Sq. Kms. and was founded by Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya as a center of education in Indian art, culture and music, and for the study of Sans krit.

The Bharat Kala Bahaman at the university has a fine collection of miniature paintings and also sculptures from the 1st to 15th centuries.

A 30-minute walk from the gates of the University leads to the new Vishwanath Temple, which was planned by Pandit Madan Mohan Mlaviya and built by the Birla family. A great nationalist, Malaviya wished to see Hinduism revived without its prejudices - accordingly this temple is open to all. The interior has a Siva Lingam and verses from Hindu scriptures inscribed on the walls. The temple is supposed to be a replica of the original Vishwanath Temple destroyed by Aurangzeb. On the other side of the river is the 17th century Ram Nagar Fort, home of the Maharaja of Benaras. Either join the tours to the fort or catch a ferry across the river to get to it. The interesting museum it houses contains old silver and brocade palanquins for the ladies of the court, elephant howdahs made of silver, old brocades and an armory of sword and old guns.

Back to Asiatour