New Delhi: India has many holy places like Varanasi, Haridwar, Ujjain, Kancheepuram, Somnath, Puri, Badrinath and Kedarnath, but among them Varanasi is considered the Eternal City, older than Rome. Varanasi is said to be the cradle of Hinduism, the centrepiece of Hindu religion and civilisation.Situated on the banks of holy river Ganga, it is considered the most sacred pilgrimage city by all Hindus. Varanasi is known for the numerous ghats where millions of Hindus perform the last rites of their near and dear ones.The Ghats are the most interesting feature of this city. These are the stairways which are located along the banks of river Ganga. Hindus perform the last rites of their relatives here as it is believed that after the ashes of the dead are immersed in river Ganga, the sins of a lifetime will be washed away. There are at least 84 Ghats.Not only the ghats, Varanasi is also home to many temples. These temples date back to the 18th century. Some famous temples include: The Kashi Vishwanath Temple of Shiva; the Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple; and the Durga Temple known for the band of monkeys that reside in the large trees nearby. Kashi Vishwanath temple is the most important temple for Hindus as it is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is believed that a single darshan of Vishwanath Jyotirlinga is worth more than that of other jyotirlingas. The Sankat Mochan temple is the temple of Lord Hanuman.It is located along the banks of Assi River within the country's premier institution's campus: Banaras Hindu University. The temple was revamped in 1900s by educationist and freedom fighter, Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya, the founder of Banaras Hindu University.Many pilgrims flock to the temple on Tuesdays and Saturdays. The Durga Temple is also notable, as the local legend is that the image of the goddess Durga was not added by the builders, but appeared on the façade on its own. Durga Kund is also a temple of Goddess Durga.Thousands of Hindu devotees visit Durga Kund during Navratri to worship the goddess Durga. The temple, built in Nagara architectural style, has multi-tiered spires and is stained red with ochre, representing the red colour of Durga. The building has a rectangular tank of water called the Durga Kund ("Kund" meaning a pond or pool). Every year on the occasion of Nag Panchami, the act of depicting the god Vishnu reclining on the serpent Shesha is recreated in the Kund. Annapurna Temple is dedicated to the goddess of food. Kalabhairav Temple, an ancient temple located near the Head Post Office at Visheshar Ganj, is dedicated to Kala-Bhairava, the guardian (Kotwal) of Varanasi. Kaal Bhairava is the mightiest manifestation of Lord Shiva. The temple is sacred to Hindus, Budhhists and Jains. Mrithyunjay Mahadev Temple is also a Shiva temple. ocated in the vicinity of Kaleshwar, the temple is famous for Kalodak Koop (well) water which is capable of curing all diseases.
