Essay On Varanasi

894 Words2 Pages

Varanasi, India, is one of the oldest cities in the world. It is considered a holy city by the Hindus in India. And it also holds some significance to Buddhists, Buddhism was actually founded in Varanasi. (Goldman). Due to these reasons Varanasi receives millions of traveling pilgrims from around the world and in this day and age, traveling is easier than it's ever been, both old and young are traveling more than ever. But for anyone interested in religion or philosophy, they may want to visit Varanasi, instead of Paris, Rome or Prague. Varanasi is one of the most important cities in the history of the world, and has helped shape much of the society we live in today.
The traditional Hindu view on how Varanasi was founded, was that the city
Varanasi has over 1500 temples and shrines, most temples in Varanasi were destroyed in the 17th century due to the Muslim conquests of India. (Goldman). The Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi, is one of the most famous in the entire world, and receives thousands of visitors and pilgrims every day. It is even mentioned in the Puranas, which are collections of Hindu legends that hold religious significance to the Hindus in India. Many Hindu saints have visited the city as well, such as Adi Shankara. Varanasi has contributed to not just Indian culture, but the entire world. Many important philosophies came out of Varanasi that have a huge following even today. Such as Buddhism and many core tenets of Hinduism. (Garfinkel). Although Varanasi has contributed so much to world history and theology, it is not well known outside of India. There are many unique cultural differences in Varanasi as well, such as the cuisine. A popular dish in Varanasi is ¨Bhang¨, prepared by grounding leaves of cannabis into a paste, and made into food or drink. In Varanasi they have used this for thousands of years, for spiritual reasons. It is also completely legal.
Many great minds and musicians have come out of Varanasi and because of this, Varanasi has a lasting cultural impact in India and abroad. Many popular religious philosophies come out of Varanasi, including Buddhism, and Varanasi has made huge contributions to Hinduism. (Goldman). Varanasi is a great place for someone to visit, if they are interested in religion. Some have even compared Varanasi to Jerusalem and Mecca. Varanasi has made it's mark on the world, and hopefully will continue to do

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