Varanasi is considered to be the oldest city in the world. It is also known as Kashi. The Ghats situated on the Ganges river in Varanasi are famous all over the world. The devotees from India and abroad come to worship the Kashi Vishwanath temple. Lord Buddha gave his first preacher in Sarnath in this area. You can go to Varanasi via train, bus, flight or taxi.
General Information
Area- 73.89 sq km. population- 3682194 (As per 2011 census) , Altitude – 80.71 mtrs above sea level. Temperature – summer- 32 degree C. to 43 Degree C. Winter- 5 Degree C. to 15 Degree C. Season- October- March , Clothing; summer- Cottons, Winters-Woolens, Rainfall- 111 cms (annually), Language; Hindi, English, Bhojpuri.
STD Code- 0542
What to See
River Front ( Ghat)
As the first rays of the sun set gently flowing Ganga afire, thousands of devotees take the ceremonial dip and the Ghats come alive to people from all walks of life. There are more than eighty ghats at the river front. Harish Chandra Ghat, Dashashwamedh Ghat, Manikarnika Ghat, Tulsi Ghat, Assi Ghat, Manmandir Ghat, and Panchaganga Ghat are important ghats.
The Kashi Vishwanath Temple
This Temple is also known as the Golden Temple. The present temple was built in 1777 by Maharani Ahilyabai Holker of Indor. In 1839, Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Punjab had the top of the temple plated with about 820 Kg. gold. The shivalinga of the temple is one among the 12 Jyotirlinga.
New Vishwanath Temple
It is situated in the premises of Banaras Hindu University. It is managed by the reputed industrialist Birla.
4-Bharat Mata Temple-
This temple dedicated to Mother India, Here one of the most perfect relief maps of India carved out of Marble. The temple was gifted by the nationalist Babu Shiv Prasad Gupta and Sri Durga Prasad Khattri.
Gyanvapi Mosque
It is situated adjacent to the Vishwanath Temple. It was built by Mugal Emperor Aurangzeb.
Durga Temple
This temple is dedicated to Durga, the goddess of Power. It is the most important temples in the city situated at Durga Kund. It was constructed during the 18th century in Nagar style of temple architecture.
Tulsi Manas Mandir
It was built in 1964 by a philanthropist family of Varanasi. This temple is dedicated to Lord Ram. The white marble building is inscribed with with quartets and couplets of the Sri Ramcharitmanas all over.
Bharat Kala Bhawan, B.H.U.
It was started in1950 as a university museum. It is famous for unique collection of miniature paintings.
Other Temples
Annapurna Temple, Shanidev Temple, Adi Vishveshwar, Mritunjaya Mahadev, Kal Vhairav, Varah Devi Temple, Karawat Temple etc.
Excursions
Sarnath (10 km), Ramnagar fort (14 km), Markandey Mahadev Mandir, Chandraprabha wildlife sanctuary, Chunar Fort (40 km), Kaimoor Wild life Sanctuary (100 km), jaunpur (61 km).
Air service
The nearest airport is Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport, Babatpur. It is 22 km From Varanasi and 30 km from Sarnath. Direct flights for Varanasi are available from Delhi, Kathmandu (Nepal), Kolkata, Mumbai, Lucknow, Agra, Bhuvaneshwar.
Phone Number
- Air India- 2622494, 2502527-547
- Jet Aieways – 2622577, 2622795
- Spice Jet – 2623081, 2623082
Rail
Sarnath is a small Railway Station but Varanasi and Mughal Sarai (Now Pt. Deen dayal Upadhyay railway station) are two major rail junction with connection to rest of the country.
Phone Number
- Varanasi Railway Station – 139, 2504221
- Mughal Sarai Railway Station- 139, 05412-255782
Road
Varanasi is passing through National Highway (NH) 2 from Delhi to Kolkata, NH 7 from Varanasi to Kanyakumari and NH 29 from Varanasi to Gorakhpur is good connected to the rest of the country. Agra- 565 km, Allahabad-128 km, Bhopal- 791 km, Bodhgaya- 240 km, Kanpur- 330 km, Khajuraho -405 km, Lucknow- 286 km, Patna- 246 km, Sarnath-10 km.
Roadways bus Enquiry- 09415049623 .
Local Transport
Private Taxis are available from pre-paid taxi booth Lal Bahadur Shashtri Airport, Babatpur and Varanasi cant railway stn, travel agencies, hotels. The rate are negotiable, unmetred auto rickshawa, cycle rickshaws and tempos are also available.
Hospitals
- Shiv Prasad Gupta Hospital, Kabir Chaura – ph- 0542- 2214723
- Sir Sundar Lal Hospital, B.H.U. Ph- 0542-2369169
- Rajkiya Hospital, Shivpur- Ph- 0542-2282226
- Hindu Seva Sadan, Chowk- Ph- 0542- 2400356, 2400988
- Ram Krishna Mission Hospital, Luxa, Ph- 0542- 2451727
- Cancer Institue, N.E. Railway, Lahartara, Ph- 0542- 2220348
- Heritage Hospital, Lanka, Ph- 0542-2369991-5
- Apollo Clinic, Mehmoorganj, Ph- 2360682
Important Telephone Number
- District Magistrate – 2508585 , 2502626, 2502727
- S.S.P. (Sr. Supritendent of Police)- 2502644, 2502655
- L.I.U./ Foreigners Registration Office- 2330444
- Tourist Office, Govt. of U.P.- 2505033
- Tourist Information Centre – 2506670
- Tourist Office, Govt. of India- 2501784
Railway Enquiry- 139
- State Bank Of India (Foreign Exchange Branch)- 2284503-05 , 2284508
- Allahabad Bank (Foreign Exchange Branch)- 2502324, 2504281
- Police Control- 100
- Ambulance -102
- Child Helpline- 1098
Accommodation
- Hotel Gateways the Ganges, Nadesar-5 Star, tel- 2503001-18
- Hotel Meraden Grand, patel nagar,4 Star, tel-2509952-8
- Hotel India, patel Nagar, 3 Star- tel-2507593-98
- Hotel Vaibhav, Patel Nagar, 3 star, tel-2501359-62
- Hotel pradeep, jagaiganj, 3 star, tel- 2204594
- Hotel Sidharth, Sigra, tel-2221961
- Hotel Ramada, The Mail, tel-2510000
- Hotel Clarks, The Mail, tel-2501011-20
- Hotel Diamond, Bhelupur, tel-2276696
- Hotel Buddha Resort, Sarnath
Note- Max tariff- 15000 rs, min tariff-500 rs, more than 100 paying guest houses.
General Information-
Area- 73.89 sq km. population- 3682194 (As per 2011 census) , Altitude – 80.71 mtrs above sea level. Temperature – summer- 32 degree C. to 43 Degree C. Winter- 5 Degree C. to 15 Degree C. Season- October- March , Clothing; summer- Cottons, Winters-Woolens, Rainfall- 111 cms (annually), Language; Hindi, English, Bhojpuri.
STD Code- 0542
DOs and DONTs
DOs
- Take the information from authentic and reliable sources only i.e. Tourist information Centres and Govt Tourist Offices.
- Hire approved and licensed Guides only.
- Use public transports/ Auto Rickshaws/ Rickshaws and Cabs only.
- Keep the emergency and other helpline numbers with yourself.
- Stay away from touts, fakers etc..
- Follow general rules at any religious place or shrine.
- Keep your goods in your custody.
DONTs
- Do not share your personal details with strangers.
- Don’t purchase travel tickets through strangers or unauthorized travel agents or tour operators.
- Don’t exchange money except with an authorized money changer.
- Do not seek lift from any unknown Vehicle.
- Do not go alone on streets and lanes in late hours.
- Do not take pictures of people taking bath or changing clothes at ghats.
- Do not let anyone trespass your body for any reason like body massage, yoga etc. unlesss they are authentic.
VARANASI ACADEMIA
Central Tibetan Studies University
An Institute of its kind in the world gives education in the Tibetan language ,it was founded by the Dalai Lama in 1971. Presently situated at Sarnath, the institute has a rare collection of Tibetan manuscripts, Buddhist and other journals.
It was founded in 1916 by Nationalist Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya. Today it has developed into one of the biggest Universities of India.
Dr. Sampoornanand Sanskrit University
During the British Rule in India, Jonathan Duncan of East India Compony planned the establishment of a Sanskrit college for the development and conservation of Sanskrit to rule in 1791.
Kashi Vidyapeeth
It was set up in 1920 by Babu Shiv Prasad Gupta to provide alternate education arrangement. It soon became a centre of national education with Hindi as the medium of instruction.
