There are many interesting places on Earth that travelers seek for various reasons. They go to some cities because of their beauty, to others because of delicious food or museums. And tourists go to the city of the dead Varanasi (India) to be horrified. Many terrible stories are told about him, but the flow of visitors here only increases. Why? Let’s talk about why Varanasi, the city of the dead in India, is so popular among tourists that the stories about this place are true, and what is fiction.
Geographical position
Varanasi, the so-called city of the dead, is located in India, on the west bank of the Ganges River. This river is already surprising in that, unlike all the rivers of the Northern hemisphere of the Earth, it flows not from north to south, but rather, from south to north. Maybe that's why the Indians consider it sacred. The Ganges is one of the 20 largest waterways of the world, and its basin is the most densely populated in the world. The river irrigates the fields, gives water to 400 million people, the Indians rafting along it, wash it with water, etc. The city is located in the north-east of the country, almost 800 km from the state capital - Delhi. It is most convenient to get here by plane, although the city is connected with other regions by rail and road.
Title
The name of the city of Varanasi, according to experts, comes from the names of two rivers: Assi and Varuna. Both rivers flow into the Ganges - one above, the other downstream. But this settlement has a few more names. Locals call it Benares (ancient name), Avimuktaka ("a city that cannot be abandoned"), Anandakanan, Mahasmasana, Surandhana, Brahma Vardha, Sudarshan, Ramya and Kashi ("shining city"). Hindus believe that he was created by Shiva, and sometimes turn to the deity as the Supreme Lord of the Shining City. Locals most often call it Kashi. And they believe that Varanasi is the center of space and time, it stands on the trident of Shiva and is located between heaven and earth.
History
Varanasi appeared in ancient times, like many ancient cities of India. The hill of the dead, on which the city grew, was inhabited at least 5 thousand years ago. The exact date of the foundation of the settlement is unknown. But in the Vedas of the second millennium BC. e. the city is mentioned as the place where the world began, as the center of the universe. It has long been a center of Hinduism, a holy city. In addition, Varanasi was a center of commerce, a major religious and educational center. The city flourished, although it was repeatedly attacked by Muslims and more than once destroyed almost to the ground. But it is not in vain that they consider him eternal, because he has risen again and again.
But in the 11th century, Muslim raids led the city to decline, which intensified from the 13th to the 17th century, when Varanasi was ruled by the Delhi Sultanate and then the Mongol Empire. In the 17th century, the strengthening of the Maratha empire and the gradual revival of the city began. It becomes the capital of the independent state of Kashi. At the end of the 18th century, this country went under the control of the British East India Company. British rule lasted until the mid-20th century. This time was quite prosperous for Varanasi. A railroad, electricity were built here, many trade and industrial enterprises were opened, a university and several institutes appeared here. At the same time, the city remained the center of Hinduism and culture. In the era of independence, Varanasi strengthens its position as the educational and economic center of the region. At the end of the 20th century, several religious conflicts occurred here, but gradually everything was settled. Today, the city has churches of several religions, tourism is actively developing, industrial production is growing, new cultural and educational institutions are opening. But for the whole world, nevertheless, the city remains the most important center of Hinduism.
Holy city
Which city is the same age as Babylon, what place is considered one of the most contagious on Earth, where do people come to die? It's all about Varanasi, the city of the dead in India. Photos from the streets and embankments of this city are not recommended for the faint of heart to see, only locals can drink water from the river, and tourists should better not touch anything at all. All this is due to the fact that in Hinduism, Varanasi is the city in which it is best to die. According to local legend, Kashi is the city of Shiva. Therefore, if you only want to come here, and the sins of three lives will be written off from your karma, if a person went to Varanasi, then he is destined for a good rebirth, and if he has already come to Kashi, then he is practically guaranteed moksha. One who dies in Varanasi is forever freed from the pangs of rebirth. Even if a person died somewhere else, but was cremated in Kashi, this will positively affect his karma. Therefore, any true Indian wants to be buried here. To cremate a person, you need about 400 kilograms of firewood and 4 hours of time. Therefore, people have to languish for a long time in a queue next to the corpses.
And here, Indians rush here, who dream of parting with life in the Holy City. So they are sitting on the banks of the Ganges or wandering around the city and waiting for death. But, besides burial, they also go to Varanasi to take a bath in the sacred waters of the Ganges River.
Places of worship
Any sacred place in the world is usually known for its churches and places of worship, but there are no places known for its crematoriums anywhere. Nowhere except Varanasi is the most unique city in India. They burn the dead in special temples called ghats, but here they also perform ritual ablutions. There are 84 such establishments in the city. Burning bodies today is possible only at two sites: in the most famous ghat - Manikarnika, in which bonfires have not been extinguished for several thousand years, and in Harishchandra. There are huge queues of people who brought their loved ones for burial. At each site from 400 to 600 bodies are burned daily. But besides ghats, there are several Hindu temples in Varanasi where people meditate and pray. The most famous of them is Kashi Viswanath, the temple of the Lord of Existence, or Shiva. Every Hindu wants to visit this temple at least once, since this visit, together with bathing in the Ganges, will give moksha. There are several Buddhist temples in the city and the famous Dhamek stupa.
Rituals and rituals
Many people know that Varanasi is a city in India where the dead are burned. But cremation is still a relatively harmless rite. After all, there is still a tradition of simply letting go of corpses along the Ganges River. Hindus also travel to Varanasi to take bath in the Ganges. These three main rituals attract a huge number of pilgrims to the city. And turn this place into something like chaos. Each rite has a strict sequence of actions, its own prayers, but they are all performed in the same places - on the river bank. Therefore, here you can see dead bodies floating on the river or half-decomposed corpses nailed to the shore, ash next to the bodies, in which you can see burnt hands, legs, heads. And nearby, in the same river, with a happy expression on their faces, people wash themselves ... The sight is really for people with strong nerves.
Myths and Truth about the City of the Dead
Varanasi (India) has grown over its unique life with various legends and rumors. If you believe all these stories, the city appears to be the most terrible place on Earth. But in reality, everything does not quite correspond to stereotypical ideas. We will deal with the main ones.
It is believed that corpses are burned everywhere in Varanasi, and the dead are everywhere. This is not entirely true. The bodies are harnessed only in two places on the embankment; in the rest of the city, the dead are not visible.
It is believed that the Ganges is the dirtiest river in the world, because corpses float on it. And indeed it is. Corpses float along the river, sink to the bottom, lie along the shore. According to experts, at the bottom of the Ganges annually there are about 45 thousand non-cremated bodies. In addition, ashes from burnt people are also washed away into the river. So in the Ganges water you can detect any infections, and therefore it is better to stay away from it. Although the Indians themselves in it not only wash themselves, but even drink this water and live quietly on.
Still people think that in Varanasi there is nothing more to watch, except for the rites of cremation. It's not like that at all. The city is full of various cultural and sporting events, there are restaurants, discos, shops. Everything, as in any major city.
sights
Varanasi is the city of the dead in India, but not only. It is also a large city in which, in addition to religious rites, life is boiling, including cultural. Tourists, in addition to ghats, are advised to look at the university building - this is a wonderful example of colonial architecture. It is worth seeing the red temple of the goddess Durga. Flocks of monkeys live in it, so sometimes it is called the Monkey Temple. Another attraction is the Bharat Mata Temple, which hosted the inauguration ceremony of M. Gandhi. There are also several museums and exhibition halls in the city where you can familiarize yourself with local history and culture.
City life
The city of the dead Varanasi (India) is a large settlement, it is home to more than 1.5 million people, the population density is almost 1000 people per square kilometer. In addition, there are many pilgrims and tourists, so the streets are very noisy and crowded. The transport is usually crowded, drivers drive according to the rules that only follow them. So this city does not allow you to relax and rest.
Varanasi is a major economic center, so there are many shops and markets. The main industry is associated with the manufacture of Benares silk, the best in India. Luxurious sarees are sewed from it, which are very expensive, but these outfits look like real works of art. Also in Varanasi there are many craft workshops: bone and wood carvers, potters, tanners, blacksmiths. Their products are great souvenirs.
Instructions for use
There are special rules that must be observed when arriving in the city of the dead in India. Photos of people and ceremonies in Varanasi can only be done for money. If a tourist begins to photograph cremation or people on the shore, then they immediately demand money or permission from him, which can also be bought. If the tourist refuses to pay, they can take the camera or phone from him and even beat him. Another danger is monkeys. There are a lot of them, and they drag everything that they see. Therefore, the doors and windows in the hotel must be closed, nowhere to leave anything unattended. Getting around the city is better by taxi and with a local guide. Since single tourists are immediately surrounded by a crowd of beggars and scammers.
Tourists reviews
Travelers who visited the city of the dead in India, without exception, note that they received some of the most powerful experiences in life. Tourists recommend using the services of guides and not wandering around the city alone, and it is better for women unaccompanied to not appear on the street at all. Still, all travelers in the stories note that Varanasi is becoming one of the most expensive cities in India, but still, compared to Europe, everything is cheap there. Experienced people do not advise eating local food, especially street food, and you need to drink water only from the factory packaging.