|  The
religious capital of Hinduism since times immemorial.
It is probably the oldest living city in India, and
one of the world's most ancient . It was previously
known as Kashi
- the city that illuminates . As a place of devotion
and worship , with hundreds of temple dotting the city,
Varanasi attracts thousands of pilgrims. The present
name is probably derived from the fact that the city
is situated at the confluence of the rivers Varuna and
Asi. At a distance of 12km from Varanasi lies
Sarnath
where Lord Buddha preached his first sermon after enlightenment.
Here he revealed the eight fold path, the Buddhist doctrine
. and also here, at some distance, are centers of Buddhist
pilgrimage such as Patna, Gaya and Bodhgaya. Though
Varanasi unmistakably retains its ancient heritage,
the city is also slowly but moving on the fast track.
New markets, commercial complexes and developing hotels
make it a melting pot of both the ancient and the modern.
The marble Vishwanatha
Temple is a recent addition but the
campus is also home to one of India's great museums.
The Bharat Kala Bhavan
has excellent sculpture from Mathura, Sarnath, Etah
and Khajuraho as well as Varanasi . There is also a
fine collection of paintings and manuscripts. The Vishwanath
Temple has been an important Shiva shrine for over a
1000 years. The other prominent places are Kashi-Vishwanath
Temple, The Bharat
mata mandir, The Gyanvapi
Mosque, The Ramnagar
Fort, Tulsi
Manas Mandir,
the Vinayaka Temple
and the famous Benares
Hindu University. The
fort of Chunar
situated in Mirzapur district is famous for its association
with Afghan ruler Sher Shah Suri
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