Varanasi City – Spiritual Capital of India

Varanasi City Sacred Place for Hindus

Varanasi is one of India’s seven holiest cities, known as Kashi and Benaras. Benaras has been the City of Moksha for Hindus for centuries. The Varanasi city is one of the twelve Jyotir Linga sites and has one Sakthi Peethas and the most famous pilgrimages to the Hindus. The Hindus believe those who die and are cremated here get salvation, which is the central concept of Hinduism.

Hindus’ belief in Varanasi Temple:

The City is also the abode of Lord Shiva, the temple on the River Ganges’s banks. The pilgrims make the bath in the River Ganges. The Hindus believe that those who made the bath in the sacred Ganges had those sins washed away from their lives and turned into purified people. The pundits said that those who sacrificed and chanted here would get the graces of Lord Shiva a thousand times more than those good deeds performed at other places because of the power of that place. The people believed that three nights of fasting in the spiritual City could reap the rewards of many thousands of lifetimes of asceticism!

Varanasi History

Varanasi city is more than 3000 years old and one of the oldest cities in the world. Many temples are occupied every corner of the town, and every temple has its spiritual history and also narrates the importance of the temples in Hindu Puranas. But most of the temples were demolished by the Muslim rulers in medieval times. But the devotees rebuilt the Jyotirlinga Visvanatha temple in 1776, dedicated to Lord Shiva. The devotees believed Lord Shiva had been dug in the Well Jnana Vapi, another attractive holy place. Another popular pilgrimage spots in Varanasi are the Ganga Ghats. In ancient areas and at present,o these Ganga Ghats are the centres of music and learning. Every day the priests offer the poojas to the sacred River Ganges to purify all the devotees’ sins.

The Old Varanasi History

The old City is famous for its muslin, silk fabrics, perfumes and various sculptures. Some historical figures 23, rd Jain Tirthankara lived in the town, and Gautama Buddha also spent many days in Varanasi city. During the period of the Kashi kings, Varanasi was the capital city of their dynasty. Many historical kings ruled this City and treated this place very sacred. During the period of Adi Shankara, Varanasi city thrived with religious importance.

During Qutb-ud-din-Aibak, he ordered the soldiers to destroy the City and temples. Due to his orders, the soldiers demolished thousands of temples and religious monuments in 1194 A.D. Some of the other ancient temples were also destroyed in 1496 A.D. Despite facing such difficulties, Varanasi maintained its cultural activities and religious rituals. The saints and Poets Kabir Das, Ravidas and Guru Nanak Dev visited the place during the religious festival celebrations. The famous Mughal emperor improved greater around the 16th century. He also constructed some new temples of Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva.

Spiritual and Cultural Activities in Varanasi city

Kashi Naresh, the King of Kashi, started the City’s religious celebrations and became the chief guest of the cultural activities—the religious rituals connected with the River Ganges. The spiritual City struggled during the mediaeval period due to the brutal actions of Muslim rulers and their lust for spreading Islam. Later in the 18th century, Varanasi City became an independent kingdom of Kashi. Still, Kashi Naresh’s generations live in the fort of the Ramanagar. Kashi Naresh’ Raja Balwant Singh’ built the defence in the eighteenth century. These generations are the chief cultural patrons and are also known as the essential part of all religious celebrations of Hindus.