Overview

• •Varanasi, also known as Kashi or Banaras, is one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities, situated on the banks of the sacred Ganges in Uttar Pradesh.
• •A jewel of Hinduism's seven holiest cities, it draws pilgrims seeking moksha, with the Kashi Vishwanath Temple—one of the twelve Jyotirlingas—standing as a spiritual centerpiece.
• •The city's labyrinthine lanes, nearly 88 ghats, and the nightly Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat create a timeless atmosphere of devotion and living heritage.
• •Nearby Sarnath, where the Buddha delivered his first sermon, adds a profound layer of Buddhist history, making Varanasi a destination where faith, art, and tradition converge.