Varanasi

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.

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