Varanasi Tours,Varanasi Travel Package,Varanasi Tour Package

::PILGRIMAGE ATTRACTIONS OF VARANASI::

Ghats
The long string of bathing ghats are the principal attraction in Varanasi. Ghats are the steps which lead down to the river and the best time to visit the ghats is at dawn, when pilgrims take their morning dip.
There are over 100 ghats in all. The best way to see the activities on the ghats is to take a boat ride along the ghats. One can see the women bathing discreetly in their saris, the young men going through yoga exercises, the priests offering blessings.Look for the burning ghats where bodies are cremated. Manikarnika and Harishchandra are the main burning ghats. The lingams mark each ghat, for Varanasi is the city of Lord Shiva.
The Asi Ghat is one of the five special ghats which pilgrims are supposed to bath from in order and on the same day. The order is Asi, Dasaswamedh, Barnasangam, Panchganga and finally Marikarnika. The Tulsidas Ghat has fallen down and the Bachraj Ghat is Jain and there are three riverbank Jain temples. Like many ghats which are owned by the Maharajas or other princely rulers, the Shivata Ghat is owned by the Maharaja of Varanasi. The Dandi Ghat is the Ghat of ascetics known as Dandi Panths.
The Harishchandra or Samshan ghat is the secondary burning ghat. Mansarovar Ghat, built by Man Singh of Amber. Someshwar or Lord of the moon ghat is said to heal diseases. Munshi ghat is very picturesque and the Ahalya Bai’s Ghatnames after the Maratha woman ruler.

The most important ghat is the Dasaswamedh Ghat. The name indicates that Brahma sacrificed (medh), 10 (das) horses (aswa) here. The other ghats include the Man Mandir Ghat, built in 1600, the Mir Ghat , the Jaisain Ghat where cremations take place and it adjoins the most sacred of the ghats i.e Manikarnika Ghat, the Dattatreya ghat which bears the footprints of the Brahmin saint of that name in a small temple nearby, Scindia ghat, Ram Ghat, Panchganga ghat ,Trilochan Ghat & finally Raj ghat.

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::OTHER ATTRACTIONS::

Golden Temple
Built in 1776 by Ahalya Bai of Indore the temple is dedicated of Lord Shiva, the Lord of the Universe. The gold plating on the towers was provided by Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Lahore. The first temple contructed in 1600 structure was destroyed by Aurangzeb and had built a mosque over it. Non Hindus are not allowed inside the temple.

Great Mosque of Aurangzeb
The mosque has minarets towering 71m above the Ganges and was constructed using columns from the Bineswar temple razed by Aurangzeb.

Durga Temple
Commonly known as Monkey temple due to many monkeys that have made it their home. It was built in 18th century by Bengali Maharani and is stained red with ochre. Durga is a form of Siva’s wife Parvati and at festivals there are often sacrifices of goats. Non Hindus not allowed inside the temple.

Benares Hindu University
It was constructed at the beginning of the century and covers an area of 5 sq. km. The university was founded by Pandit Malaviya as a center of education in Indian art, culture and music and for the study of Sanskrit. The Bharat Kala Bhawan at the university has a fine collection of miniature paintings from the 1st to the 15th centuries.

Bharat Mata Temple
Dedicated to “Mother India” this temple is a marble relief map of India. The temple was opened by Mahatma Gandhi and is open to Non Hindus.