Among the endless reasons, millions of tourists travel to India every year, seeking spiritual serenity and inner peace ranks at the top. India is a land of spirituality, meditation, yoga, mysticism, and the birthplace of some of mankind’s most revered spiritual traditions.
Varanasi, which is referred to in the ancient scriptures as Kashi or Banaras has been the custodian of an estimated 5,000 years of history. It is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. No other destination is as steeped in so much holiness and spiritual aura as Varanasi. This grand old city is as old as civilization in India!
This city of ancient temples is arguably the most important of all Hindu destinations in India. The Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple is among the most important holy temples in India visited by millions across the year. Varanasi is also a city of the holy River Ganges that is revered in the Hindu faith.
It is where every devout Hindu would want to spend the twilight of his life and get cremated to escape the cycle of life and death. At Varanasi’s Ghats (embankments of the Ganges) you’ll see the funeral pyres and witness the cremations.
The daily Ganga Aarti (tribute to the Ganges) ceremony takes place every evening at sunset at the Ghats, which holds a special place in the Hindu faith and draws in tens of thousands of devotees and visitors, on auspicious days the numbers can grow t ten to fifteen times.
And, it is not just Hinduism that reveres Varanasi. A few miles from its city center lies the holy town of Sarnath, where Lord Buddha is believed to have delivered his first Sermon after finding Nirvana (enlightened). This site in Varanasi is considered a holy place by adherents of the Buddhist faith.
Varanasi comes alive with festivity and celebrations during religious festivals like Holi, Ganga Mahotsav, Buddha Mahotsav, and Shivratri, but one of the best times of the year to plan a Varanasi trip is for festivities of Dev Deepavali (Divali of the Gods) in the month of (November/December), which falls two weeks after Diwali Festival.
It is believed that during this period, the gods descend from their abode to bathe themselves in the holy waters of Banaras. The entire city is adorned like a bride and the steps of all the Ghats are dotted with little lamps (diyas). It is a spectacle to behold!
Let our Resplendent Travel experts plan a bespoke Varanasi Tour for you.
