Varanasi, also known as Benaras and Kashi, is a major city in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Situated on the banks of the holy river Ganga, the city has great religious significance for the Hindus. Varanasi is home to Kashi Vishwanath Temple, which is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It enshrines one of the twelve Jyotirlingams of Shiva. It is said that this temple was rebuilt several times. The latest structure standing here dates back to the 18th century. Thousands of Pilgrims converge here to perform an abhishekam to the sacred Jyotirlingam, with water from the Ganga. Beside its religious significance, the temple is also an architectural marvel. The magnificent edifice offers a breathtaking view to the onlooker. It is said that once Lord Shiva came in the dream of Rani Ahalya Bai Holkar of Indore. She, being a devotee of Lord Shiva, got the current temple built in 1777.

Kashi Yatraa- A pilgrimage to the holy city of Kashi, or Varanasi, as it is known today, is the dream of every devout Hindu. There are many interpretations of the term ‘Kashi Yatraa’. To some, it simply means a visit to the holy city to bathe in the holy Ganges, have darshan of Lord Vishwanath, and perform the sacred rites to one’s ancestors to satisfy them. To most South Indians, the Kashi Yatraa starts with a trip to Rameswaram, where one collects the sand at either Rameswaram, or more particularly, Dhanushkodi. This sand is then carried all the way to Kashi, or, if possible, the Triveni Sangam at Allahabad, and immersed at the confluence of the 3 holiest rivers- Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati. From here, water is collected, and after performing all the rites and pujas at Kashi, carried back to Rameswaram, and used to perform Abhishekam to the Lord there. For north Indians, the trip, for obvious geographical reasons, is the opposite. They start the Yatra at Kashi, and bring the holy water to Rameswaram, from where they take the sand back for immersion in the Ganga. We are South Indians, hailing from Ramanathapuram, and have been fortunate enough to have visited the holy temple at Rameswaram a number of times. On one of our trips, my in-laws brought back the holy sand on which lord Rama would have stepped ages ago. They had kept the sand carefully for a number of years, hoping to make the trip to Kashi at least once in their lifetime, and satisfy our forefathers. Fortune has finally smiled on us, and we have just returned from a trip to Kashi. Though we took the train to Varanasi, the first place we visited was Allahabad, where we made a Shiva lingam with the sand from Rameswaram, performed the appropriate pujas, and finally immersed it in the Triveni Sangam. We have returned with the holy water from the confluence, and are waiting for the next trip to our home town and Rameswaram, so that we can complete our Kashi Yatra successfully. Kashi is such an ancient city, with a culture and history unparalleled by any other, that one article is not enough to describe it. There is so much to see and so many places and temples to visit, both in and around Kashi, that I am starting a new blog to do justice to it. To visit my new www.kashiyatraa.com It will takesome time for me to give all the details, (and believe me, there are many..........), so please do look for regular updates, both in this blog, as well as the new one.

For a middle-aged person living in India, visiting Varanasi at some point in his/her life is almost a given. The reason being the storied history and religious significance of the place as well as the architecture and art that has forever preserved the past her. Touted as one of the holiest cities in India, it has loads of temples and ghats that host endless lines of pilgrims from all over the country. Of course, it only adds to the holiness of the fact that river Ganga passes through Varanasi!

There is clearly no shortage of places to visit in Varanasi, and this is just a short list of the top 9 that you should not miss out on if you find yourself in the land of mysticism.

Places to Visit in Varanasi: