JOIN USEverything was exciting in Varanasi — the magnificent Ganges, the people, the roadside shops, the monuments, and of course, not to forget — the lavish north Indian food. I set out on the first leg of my trip to Sarnath, one of the major Buddhist centres in the sacred pilgrim city of Varanasi.
According to legends, after achieving enlightenment in Bodh Gaya, Lord Buddha came to Sarnath to preach his message. Later, Emperor Ashoka erected magnificent stupas and mansions at Sarnath to honour the religion. The splendid attractions here are Dhamekh stupa, Ashoka Pillar, the Archaeological Museum and the Bodhi Tree.
Cradle of Buddhism
The Dhamekh stupa dates back to AD 500. The geometrical and floral patterns on the stupa are typical of the Gupta period but excavations reveal brickwork of Mauryan period around 200 BC. The 20-metre-high Ashoka Pillar has representations of lion, elephant, horse and bull at the lower portion, while the upper portion of four lions has been broken down and kept in the museum.
Sarnath truly weaves an instant spell on the visitors with its calm, quiet and lush green surroundings. The Archaeological Museum houses many figures and sculptures from the various periods at Sarnath — Maurya, Kashana, Gupta and so on.
There is a Bodhi tree at Sarnath, transplanted from Sri Lanka. It is said to be the descendant of the original tree under which Buddha sat when he attained enlightenment. It is believed that he delivered his first sermon to his five disciples under its shade.
From Sarnath I stretched the day’s visit to the Mulagandha Kuti Vihar, which is a modern-style temple built by the Mahabodhi society in 1931. The temple has interesting murals painted by a well-known Japanese artist Kosetsu Nosu in 1936, depicting the life story of Buddha.
Varanasi has been a centre of learning and civilisation for more than 2,000 years. Kashi and Benares are the other names of Varanasi, but its present name is derived as the city between two rivers — Varauana and Asi. The old city of Varanasi is situated along the western bank of Ganges and extends from the river ghats in a winding collection of narrow alleys. Areas such as Chowk, Lahurabir and Godaulia are just outside the vicinity of the old city.
After a delicious lunch the next afternoon, we headed towards Ramnagar Fort, which was once the home of the Maharaja of Benares, built in the 17th century. The fort has massive walls and magnificent gateways flanked by high towers.
Ghat-hopping
The next day, at the break of dawn, I decided to head to the Ganges for a holy dip. A long string of bathing ghats lines the western bank of the river. The best time to visit these ghats is at dawn when the city slowly rouses from its slumber. After taking a dip in its sacred water, I decided to take a boat ride. I started my trip from Dasaswamedh Ghat and headed to Manikarnika Ghat. I was informed that the Asi Ghat, the furthest upstream is one of the five special ghats. Many of these ghats were owned by maharajas or other princely rulers. The Dandi Ghat is the ghat of ascetics known as Dandi Panths. Manasarowar Ghat was built by Raja Mansingh of Amber and is named after the Tibetan lake at the foot of Kailash Peak.
The other must-witness spectacle in Benaras is the evening Ganga aarti. Fast-moving flames, resonance of sonorous music of bells and hymns sung by devotees at the backdrop of gushing Ganges create a mesmerizing effect.
Varanasi is famous the world over as an abode of saints and sages. It is strewn with beautiful temples for devotees such as The Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Tulsi Manas Temple, Sankatmochan Temple, Durga Temple and Bharat Mata Temple.
Dedicated to Lord Shiva, Kashi Vishwanath Temple is one of the most ancient temples in Varanasi. It is known for its architectural and historical splendour. However, the most extravagant temple, which captured our attention, was Tulsi Manas. It is an architectural marvel, which constitutes one of the finest pieces of temple architecture ever to be constructed in modern Shikara style.
We ended our Varanasi trail at the Benaras Hindu University founded by Pandit Malaviya as a centre of education, art and culture in India. Bharat Kala Bhavan Museum, located in the Banaras Hindu University, displays a fine collection of miniature paintings and sculptures from 1st to 15th centuries. It depicts the lifestyles of the inhabitants of Varanasi in an interesting and colourful manner.