Destination Features

For all god fearing people visiting Kashi Vishvanath Temple is a must. Non-Hindu's are not allowed inside. There are lot more temples that one can check out.

To experience the true spirit you must go to one of the popular ghats (river sides are referred as ghats. Most popular is Dashaswamedh ghat, if you manage to be here at sunrise/sunset you will get to see the enchanting Ganga Aarti. You can also go to Assi ghat if you don't like many people around you. There are many more ghats (alomst 80 or assi in hindi) which you can take rounds of.

Dhamek Stupa at Sarnath, where Buddha gave his first preaching, is also a must see. It also has remains of old monastery.

Benaras Hindu University, though a modern structure but seems to be carrying along the heritage and culture of Benaras being a center for education and learning since ages, is worth noticing. its probably the biggest university in single campus.

There is an interesting fort, Ram Garth, close to the city. It is on the bank of Ganga which might interest some people, besides that there is not much to see inside the fort.

 Common mode of  transportation is either manual rickshaw or auto-rickshaw. Though cab can also be ordered.

There are a few more interesting, but lesser known temples in Varanasi:

The Varahi Temple : This temple is dedicated to Varahi, one of the seven forms of the Devi (known as  Saptha mata). This temple is on the banks of the Ganga near the Maan Mandir Ghat. The temple is approachable from Dashashwamedha Ghat or the Vishwananth Temple also, and there are indicators on some roads. A number of policemen patrolling the area know about it too.

The specialty of this temple is that the temple is open only early in the morning, between 5:30 to 7:00 AM.The reason for this is not very clear, but it is believed that the Goddess is an extremely angry one, and she does not like sunlight. The temple is closed before the sun rises.

The image of the Devi is huge, and is in  a basement-like structure in the basement. Devotees are not allowed near her, and have darshan from grills places in the floor(ceiling of basement) from which the idol is seen. The pujari and his wife enter the sanctum, do the necessary pujas and lock up the temple when they are finished.

A visit to this temple entails waking up early in the morning, but it is worth the effort, for the temple is among the oldest in varanasi, and the image of the Devi is too beautiful for words!

The Tilabhandeshwar Temple : This temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is near the Bengali Tola Intermediate College. This is another of the ancient temples of Varanasi, and it is believed that the lingam increases by the size of a Til (sesame seed) every day, and hence the name, tilabhandeshwar. This lingam is the largest in Varanasi, a city where one finds lingams everywhere one turns.

The Chozhi Mata Temple : For some reason, this temple is famous among south Indians, and largely unknown to those from the north. It is believed that Lord Shiva had a sister, who grew jealous of the attention He received from the devotees. In anger, Shiva cursed her, and sent her out of the temple. When she repented and begged forgiveness, he relented, and decreed she remain outside the temple, but all those who visited kashi would visit her too. Only those who visited her and gave her Chozhis (cowries, a type of shells) would reap the benefits of their kashi yatra. This temple is on the way to BHU, and is known to the auto drivers.

Ghats

Whenever some one thinks about the Varanasi the first image in his mind comes of a river bank & people doing religious rituals there. The ghats of Varanasi are actually image of Varanasi from ages.Some of the must visit ghats are as below.

Assi Ghat-Assi Ghat an important ghat of Varanasi traditionally constitutes the southern end of conventional city. On the confluence place of river Ganga and Asi known as Asi or Assi ghat.

Harishchandra Ghat-This ghat is name after a mythological King Harish Chandra, who once worked the cremation ground here for the perseverance of truth and charity but at the end the Gods rewarded him and restored his lost thorn and his dead son to him. This is one of the two cremation ghat, and some times referred as Adi Manikarnika still there exists Adi Manikarnika Tirtha.

Kedar Ghat-This is the site of Haramapapa Tirtha.  At the top exists the temple of Kedaresvarathe patron deity of the southern sacred segment. The attached shrines and sacred sites are: Tarakesvara, Gauri Kunda and Vitanka Nrsimha.

Mansarovar Ghat-At the top of this ghat there is a secred pond, in replicated from representing the famous sacred lake of the same name lying in Tibet.

Darbhanga Ghat-Together with magnificent building along the ghat and a grand Siva temple in Nilakantha area, the king of Darabhanga (Bihar) made them in 1915. The building along the ghat shows a massive Greek pillars style. The shrine of Kukutesvara lies at the top.

Sitla Ghat-this is the southern extension of Dasasvamedha Ghat, where exists Dasasvamedha Tirtha and images of Dasasvamedhesvara and Dasaharesvara. After the famous sitala temple there, this ghat is called after it. Important occasion at this Ghat is the special worship after the newly marriage, the couples and close family members come here for the Ganga worship ritual followed by rituals in the Sitala temple.

Dashashvamedha Ghat-This is the most busiest and the ancient most referred ghat. According to the myth related to Divodasa, Lord Brahma (" the creator" in the Hind trinity gods) performed the ten-horses sacrifice (dasa-asvamedha) at this site. The historical sources infer that at this site the revivalist Hindu dynasty of the second century, the Bhara Siva Nagas had performed ten-horses sacrifice. The temple of Sulatankesvara, Brahmesvara, Varahesvara, Abhaya Vinayaka, the Ganga ("goddess"), and Bandi Devi are closeby at the top of the ghat. These shrines are linked to several important pilgrimage journeys.

It is a must visit place

Rajendra Prasad Ghat-In 1979 in memory and honour of the first president of India (1950-1962). Rajendra Prasad (1884-1963) this ghat was renamed, and made pucca by the Municipal Corporation of Varanasi. In fact, this ghat is a northern extension of Dasasvamedha Ghat.This ghat is famous for few events which are organized here.

Man Mandir Ghat-The old name of this ghat was Somesvara, but when Raja Sawai Mana Singh (of Amber) made his palace and ghat this is named after him. This ghat is "known primarily for the magnificent building with exquisite, ornamentally carved window carvings".On the top of the floor is a Hindu Observatory built by Sawai Jai Singh-11.There are four main astronomical instruments and renovation were made in 1850s and again in 1912 under the patronage of the King of jaipur.

Manikarnika Ghat-Popularly called as “the great cremation ground" (Mahasmasana). This ghat area has ancient reputation as a cremation ground; saya Lord Siva: Having become Time itself, I destroy the world here, However, it is not clear when this site was fully accepted for cremation.

Panchganga Ghat-This is one of the five water-front sacred most sites, and believed To be the meeting point of five drains,viz. The Ganga, the Yamuna, the Sarsvati the Kirana and the Dhupapapa, among which only the first one is visible and rest are vanished, or assumed in the form of manifestation. The Ganga -arati (offering oil lamps) at the time of sun rise and sun set is the most attractive site and scene at this ghat, which is performed in honour of the Ganga. The shrine of the goddess Ganga is also here.

Prahalad Ghat-This is the named after Prahalada, the great mythological devottee of Lord Visnu. In the southern part exists the shrines of Prahaladesvara, Prahalada Kesava, Vidara Narsimha, and Varada and Picindala Vinayakas. Around the northern site exists Mahisasura Tirtha, Svaralingesvara,Yajna Varaha and Sivaduti Devi.

Adi Keshav Ghat-The temple complex of Adi Kesava has a pleasant pastoral setting on he bank above the confluence of the Varuna and the Ganga rivers. Among the oldest puranic listings of sacred sites in the city, this is one of them.

Temples

Varansi is a city full of temple, having a great religious importance. Some most famous ones are below.

Kashi Vishvanatha Temple-The Kashi Vishwanath Temple in which is enshrined the Jyotirlinga of Shiva, Vishweshwara or Vishwanatha. Here gravitate the teeming millions of India to seek benediction and spiritual peace by the darshan of this Jyotirlinga which confers liberation from the bondages of maya and the inexorable entanglements of the world.

Annapoorna Temple-Near the Kashi Vishwanath temple, there is a nice temple of Devi Annapurna , believed as  the "Godess of Fooding".

Kaal Bhairav Temple-It is the ancient temple of Varanasi near the Head Post Office, VishesharGanj. God KalBhairav is believed as "Kotwal Of Varanasi" , without his permission no one can stay in Kashi.

Mrityunjay Mahadev Temple-On the route of Daranagar to Kalbhairav temple this temple of Lord Shiva is  situated .  Just besides this temple there is a Well of much religious importance

New Vishvanath Temple-Situated in the premises of Banaras Hindu University, a modern place of worship planned by Pandit Malviya and built by the Birlas. Open to all, irrespective of caste or creed. This is said that it is the replica of the original Kashi Vishvanath temple demolished by Aurangzeb.

Durga Temple- There is nice stonework done in the temple, it is the nice example of NAGRA Shilp. There is a pond adjacent to the temple called "Durgakund".

Tulsi Manas Temple-Constructed by family of Varanasi, this modern temple is dedicated to Lord Rama. It is situated at the place Where Tulisdas, the great medieval seer, lived and wrote the epic "Shri Ramcharitmanas", which narrates the life of Lord Rama, the hero of the Ramayana. Verses from Tulidas’s epic are inscribed on the walls. It is just nearby to Durga Temple.

Sankat Mochan Temple-Besides the Assi river stream, on the way of Durga Temple to Banaras Hindu Temple this well known temple of Lord Hanuman is situated. Lord Hanuman is also known as "Sankatmochan" the god who protects from the troubles. This temple is founded by Goswami Tulsidas.

Bharat Mata Temple- This Temple was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi in 1936 and houses one perfect relief maps of India carved out of marble. The Temple was gifted by the nationalists Babu Shiv Prasad Gupta (Barat Ratana) and Shri Durga Prasad Khatri, leading numismatists and antiquarians.

Sant Ravidas Temple- The temple is devoted great saint & philosopher Ravidas.

Bharat Kala Bhavan

Bharat Kala Bhavan, the art and archaeological museum of Banaras Hindu University. No University in India has a museum of this dimension. Its 100,000 holdings include historically important archaeological materials, paintings, textiles and costumes, literary materials, decorative arts and India philately. The museum has twelve galleries where only 2 percent of the total collection is exhibited but the museum organizes periodical exhibitions with the materials taken out of the reserves.

Ramnagar Fort

14 km. from Varanasi cantt. Station, on the opposite bank of river Ganga Ramnagar lies. The fort at Ramnagar houses a museum displaying the Royal collection which includes vintage Cars, Royal palkies, an armory of swords and old guns, ivory work and antique clocks. The Durga Temple and Chhinnamastika Temple are also located at Ramnagar. The VedVyasa temple is also there inside the premises of Ramnagar fort, and a temple of DakshinMukhi Hanuman is there. Ramnagar is also famous for the RAMLILA, which is performed every year during the month of October.

Sarnath

The celebrated Mantra, 'Buddham Sharanam Gachhami', owes its origin to Sarnath.Sarnath is around 10 km from Cantt. Railway station. There are many Buddhist monuments in Sarnath like Dhameka Stup, Chaukhandi Stup, Mulgandh Kuti Vihar, remains of old Mulgandh kuti vihar, temples of different Buddhism schools of Burma, Thailand, Japan, China etc.

Other things to visit are temple of Jain tirthankar Shreyansnath & Temple of Lord Shiva Sarangnath temple.

Sarnath Museum is also a must visit place having India’s National Emblem in its original- yes the Ashoka Pillar of four Lions with many other sculptures, artifacts & edifices comprising numerous Buddha & Bodhisatva images.   

Excursions

Raj Dari & Dev Dari- Raj Dari & dev Dari are two very beautiful water falls in Naugarh around 66 km from Varanasi, situated in the periphery of Chandra Prabha Wild Life Sanctuary. This is the same Naugarh area which was mentioned in the famous epic Chandrakanta by Devkinandan Khatri

Chunar- Again this is also mention in the Chandrakanata as Chunar Garh, Here is a good fort to see. You can shop for clay potteries as it is quite famous here. It is around 40 km from Varanasi.

Vindhya Chal- Vindhya Chal is famous for its shakti pith the Temple of Devi Vindhya Vasani. If you are visiting Varanasi it is worth to offer a prayer here & watch the crowd gathering to small sleepy town. It is around 77 km from Varanasi. You may plan for it clubbing Chunar.