Varanasi

李月昊

  Varanasi, also known as Benares, ranks among the most sacred cities of Hinduism. It stands on the left bank of the crescent-shaped middle reaches of the Ganges in the southeastern part of Uttar Pradesh, India, with a current population of approximately one million.
   Legend has it that the city was founded by Lord Shiva, dating back 6,000 years, making it one of India’s oldest cities. A major holy site for Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, Varanasi houses over 2,000 temples. More than 80 riverfront ghats line the Ganges, where daily religious rituals are held, drawing numerous pilgrims for bathing, prayer and cremation.
   Sarnath, ten kilometres northwest of the city, is where Buddha delivered his first sermon and gained his first group of disciples. In the 7th century, Xuanzang, the eminent Chinese monk, visited here and documented its prosperity.
  Despite outdated urban facilities and severe pollution plaguing the Ganges, the city retains its irreplaceable religious status and remains a core symbol of India’s spiritual culture.

刁承宇

Thanks for  your sharing! Varanasi is a deeply sacred ancient city full of spiritual charm. Home to countless temples and holy ghats along the Ganges, it bears long‑standing religious heritage. Sarnath and Xuanzang’s records add more historical depth. Despite pollution troubles, its unique spiritual status remains irreplaceable.

李月昊

Varanasi is regarded as the place where Hindus fulfill three of their four life goals: dwelling in a holy city, worshipping Lord Shiva and drinking water from the Ganges. Hindus believe that those who pass away and are cremated here shall escape reincarnation and ascend directly to paradise.

The Ganges is revered as the incarnation of Goddess Ganga. Legend has it that Lord Shiva caught the celestial river on his matted locks to slow its descent to earth and bless all living beings. Hence devotees hold the river water sacred for cleansing sins. Every dawn, crowds gather on the riverside ghats to bathe, drink the holy water and scatter ashes into the river.

李月昊

Cows are revered as sacred animals in Varanasi, closely associated with Nandi, Shiva’s mount, and Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu depicted as a cowherd.
  They are indispensable to local life for farming, transportation, milk supply and dung fuel. The combination of religious significance and practical utility elevates cows to a holy status. Cows wander freely on streets and are never driven away even when blocking traffic.
  Monkeys are worshipped for Hanuman’s feat of assisting Rama to defeat Ravana in Ramayana. Large numbers of monkeys dwell around the Durga Temple.

廖婉玲

The four life goals (Purusharthas) are Dharma (righteousness), Artha (prosperity), Kama (desire), and Moksha (liberation).

廖婉玲

Thanks for  your sharing! I have some questions. Why do Hindus believe that dying in Varanasi leads to liberation from reincarnation？Why is Varanasi considered one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Hinduism?