Along the river Ganges, in Northen India, Varanasi is one of the oldest living cities in the world - as old as Jerusalem, Athens, Peking. It is a traditonal centre for learning and a destination for Hindu, Buddist and Jaina pilgrims. (we suggest reading Diana Eck's scholarly and enjoyable book "Banaras: City of Light, Penguin Books"; that has been a resource for this short presentation).
It is a town that
has decided to remain faithful to ancient traditions and, unlike the other cities, little
has really changed in Varanasi in the past 200 years.
According to Hindu tradition it is the place the Lord Shiva has chosen as his abode.
Devout Hindus believe that Varanasi is not of this earth, but rather sits on top of
Shiva's trident: it's a midway point between this world and heaven.
Nothing
could be more auspicious for a Hindu than to die here, where he or she can take direct
passage from this life to the "further shore" of liberation. But until that
time, it is where one comes to bathe away one's sins in the Ganges and to bask in Shiva's
enlightening presence.
Its ancient name, in fact, is Kashi, City of Light.
The Ghats
The Museum 'Bharat Kala Kendra'
Sacred Geography and the
Temples
Environs
The Ganges River spreads wide over vast and fertile plains midway between its sources in the Himalaya and its delta at Calcutta. It takes a broad crescent sweep to the north at Varanasi, which rises for about six kilometres along its western shore. This combination of geography, nature and urban architecture sets a marvellous scene when devout pilgrims and residents are drenched in the golden rays of the aurora as they descend steep stairs to take their early morning dip.
Varanasi takes her current name from the two tributaries that feed into the Ganga: the Varuna in the northern part of the city and the Assi to the south. Banaras is a corruption of the name Varanasi.
The Ganges is believed to be the female life-energy of Shiva, his liquid Shakti. She spawned the lush vegetation that grew along her banks and created sacred pools in a Forest Of Bliss.
For over 2,500, Kashi has embraced the most varying teachings of sages coming from all over India to confront ideas, visions and methods. They attracted seekers who desired to enter into their way of seeing, darshana, and thus Ashrams and monastic centres flourish in Varanasi's womb. The greatest of India's philosophers, sooner or later, come to take part in public debates. Gautama Buddha came to give his first sermon in the sixth century B.C., followed by the grammarian Patanjali in the second century B.C., the philosopher Shankara at the end of the eighth century, and the theologian Ramanuja in the eleventh. Varanasi became synonymous with classical learning, and the encounter between so many darshana, led to the rich dialogue that refined these philosophies into transforming wisdom.
Varanasi continues its long tradition for classical learning and sacred sciences. The Banaras Hindu University is perhaps the most prestigious University in India for philosophy. The Sanskrit University is world renowned. Classical music schools reverberate with the sounds of the gods, while dancers evoke their many escapades. Traditional, master-disciple schools for music, dance, yoga, ayurvedic medicine etc. abound, but for those who feel more comfortable with a western approach, the University offers courses in such fields as well. The General Secretary of the Kautilya Society, Dr. Vrinda Dar is residing in Ram Bhavan and is available to assist our members in their choices and application processes.
Many people have a shorter time to spend in Varanasi, but, still, would like to have an in depth experience. Again, Vrinda has organized various itineraries to meet our members' needs in the areas mentioned above, as well as: eco tourism focusing on sustained development in villages and living artisan traditions, with visits to villages and workshops; cultural tourism focusing on the many temples, holy pilgrimages and museums. Others wish to use Ram Bhavan as a retreat house, in which case, we have our yoga teacher, and a select list of spiritual masters from either Hindu, Buddhist or Christian traditions.
The
Museum 'Bharat Kala Kendra'
Sacred Geography and the
Temples
Environs
Pilgrims flock to the ghats, which are the steep stairs that lead to the
landings on the river.
They come to have a ritual bath and perform puja in the rising sun, offering cups with
candles, flowers and incense which float down the Ganga. The air is pierced with the
golden rays of the aurora, laced with the scent of burning sandalwood and crushed
marigolds, reverberating with the sounds of mantras, and enveloped in an aura of devotion.
The main ghat is Dasashvamedh, 10 (Das) horses (ashva) sacrificed (medh). Legend has it
that it was performed by Brahma to pave way for Shiva's return to Varanasi after a spell
of banishment.
There are many other special ghats for pilgrims such as the Assi, Barnasangam, Panchganga
and Manikarnika (the burning ghat).
Dashasvamedh Ghat
If you walk carefully through this archeological museum on the Banaras
Hindu University campus, (Tel : 311833) with either Diana Eck's scholarly and enjoyable
book Banaras: City of Light, Penguin Books, or accompanied by Vrinda, you can trace
Varanasi's spiritual evolution through its sculptures and artefacts.
They take you from the indigenous fertility cults of the beginning of the first millennium
B.C. through the rise of the vedic ritual period, through the spiritual reform period of
the Upanishad seers, the banishment of the Hindu pantheon in the Buddhist Ashoka period,
to the rise of Hindu theism in the 6th century of this era.
The memory of these images will return to you as you catch glimpses of the same motifs in
the hundreds of temples and shrines in and around the city.
Then you begin to get a feel for how the current religious forms are an uninterrupted,
superimposition of thousands of years of different ways of seeing and expressing the great
mysteries of life.
Bharat Kala Kendra
As Diana Eck explains so well, Banaras is a mandala, "a sacred circle
that represents the entire universe, its powers, its interrelations, and its grounding
centre."
The outermost radius of the city's sacred circles is about twenty km, with its multitude
of guardian deities. It is circumambulated by pilgrims by way of the famous Panchakroshi
Road. Then there are three, increasingly smaller concentric circles within which all the
sages and gods of India have taken their positions.
Shiva is the grounding centre for Banaras as he abides in the Viswanatha Temple in the
city's inner sanctum. Ram Bhavan (the headquarters of the
Kautilya Society) lies on the border of this inner sanctum. I'll mention just a few of the
most important temples. For more details Eck's book is the best.
Viswanatha Temple
Is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is the most sacred shrine in Varanasi. His black linga has
been the centering point for Hindu devotion for hundreds of years. The atmosphere is thick
with religious fervour. The original temple was destroyed by the Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb
and was later restored by Rani Ahilyabai of Indore in the 18th century. The Gold plating
of the dome was done during the 19th century by Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Punjab. Vrinda is
working on special permission for Kautilya members, because foreigners' entry is
restricted.
Annapurna Temple
Annapurna, the Queen of Kashi, reigns alongside the Vishwanatha Shiva. Her temple lies a
few yards away. Bearing a cooking pot and spoon, she is the good and gracious mother who
feeds her children with food and the abundance of life. The vision of the solid gold
statue of the goddess can be beheld three days a year, in autumn, during her harvest
feast, when a banquet of food is laid out for her in her court.
Durga Temple
Known to western tourists as the monkey temple, it is the abode of the fierce and warrior
goddess, Durga. Her image consists of a silver mask, from which is draped a tinselled red
cloth. Animal sacrifices are still offered to this powerful goddess on special occasions.
Tulsi Manas Temple
Was built of white marble in 1964 on the spot where Saint Tulsi Das composed the Ramayana
in Hindi. On its interior walls are marble slabs on which the entire Hindu epic is
inscribed. At the back of the temple is a display of brightly attired, animated figures
from the Ramayana in various scenes. Also portrayed in this manner is Tulsi Das himself,
who wrote, "Serve with love all life through Kashi, the wishing cow of this Dark Age.
It banishes woe, affliction, sin, disease, and it amasses all things auspicious." His
sandals are also on display.
A.B.C. Art Gallery, Prabhu Astha, in the temple vicinity, holds exhibitions of
contemporary art. Open from October to March. From 3.00-7.00 p.m. Tel : 310434, 310967.
Entry is Free.
Vinayaka Temples
About 56 temples dedicated to Lord Ganesha, spread all over the city; some of them are
Sidda Vinayaka, Manikarnika Ghat, Kark Vinayaka, Lalak Kund, Bhadeni, Durga Vinayaka,
Abhayapad Vinayaka, Sakchhi Vinayaka.
Nepali Temple
A temple made of wood with exquisite carvings brought from Nepal.
Banaras
Hindu University
Founded by Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya is considered to be the largest residential
university in Asia, and the most prestigious for classical learning in India. Within the
university campus, Vishwanath Temple and Bharat Kala Kendra (Museum) are well worth a
visit. Tel: 311833.
Ramnagar Fort
Across the river to the south of the city is the impressive residential place of Kashi
Naresh (Former Maharaja of Varanasi) that houses a museum with the exhibits of palanquins,
costumes, swords, sabres, etc.
Sarnath
The great Buddha chose the environs of the city to preach his first sermon at Sarnath,
(only 10 kms away) after attaining enlightenment. Later, Ashoka, the great Mauryan Emperor
erected magnificent stupas and other buildings along with his mighty stone pillar,
Dharmarajika Stupa. The 110 ft. tall Damekh Stupa marks the place where Buddha preached
his first sermon.
Sarnath continues to be a premier centre for Buddhism. An important collection of ancient
Buddhist relics and antiques should be visited at the Archaeological Museum.
The main attraction at the Museum is the superb capital from the Ashokan pillar. It has
the Ashokan symbol of four back-to-back lions which has been adopted as the state symbol
for modern India.
Other finds from the site include many figures and sculptures from the various periods of
Saranath's history, namely the Mauryan, Kushana, Gupta and later, dating back to the 5th
and 6th centuries.
There are also some images of Hindu gods such as Saraswati, Ganesh and Vishnu from the 9th
to 12th centuries.
The museum is open from 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. daily, closed on Fridays. Tel : 385002.
While at Sarnath, you can visit the modern temples in the Thai, Chinese, Tibetan, Burmese
and Japanese monasteries. North of the Mulgandha Kuti Vihar is the deer park.
Chunar Fort
At the northern extremity of the Kaimur Hills, the massive sandstone battlements of Chunar
of the 16th century have a commanding vantage point over the Ganga before she curves north
to Varanasi, 22 km. away. Evidence of the earliest occupation of the site dates to
Vikramaditya of Ujjain in 56 BC. Chunar sandstone was used in Ashokan pillars and is still
quarried today.
Chandraprabha
About 70 kms away is a beautiful picnic spot with dense forests and Deodari waterfalls.
Tanda Fall
About 88 kms away is another scenic spot with dense forest and a waterfall.
Ramnagar
Sarnath
Chunar
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