Varanasi, also known as Benaras and Kashi, is a major city in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Situated on the banks of the holy river Ganga, the city has great religious significance for the Hindus. Varanasi is home to Kashi Vishwanath Temple, which is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It enshrines one of the twelve Jyotirlingams of Shiva. It is said that this temple was rebuilt several times. The latest structure standing here dates back to the 18th century. Thousands of Pilgrims converge here to perform an abhishekam to the sacred Jyotirlingam, with water from the Ganga.
Beside its religious significance, the temple is also an architectural marvel. The magnificent edifice offers a breathtaking view to the onlooker. It is said that once Lord Shiva came in the dream of Rani Ahalya Bai Holkar of Indore. She, being a devotee of Lord Shiva, got the current temple built in 1777.
Vishwanath Khanda, also referred to as the Old City is located at the heart of Varanasi, between Dashashwamedha Ghat and Godaulia to the south and west and Manikarnika Ghat on the river to the north. The whole area rewards exploration, with numerous shrines and lingams tucked into every corner, and is buzzing with the activity of pilgrims, pandas and stalls selling offerings to the devotees.
Approached through a maze of narrow alleys and the Vishwanath Gali (or Lane), the temple complex of Vishwanath or Visheshwara, the "Lord of All", is popularly known as the Golden Temple, due to the massive gold plating on its shikhara (spire). Inside the compound, which is hidden behind a wall, and entered through an unassuming doorway, is one of India's most important shivalingams, made of smooth black stone and seated in a solid silver plinth. The shrines of the wrathful protectors Mahakala and Dandapani, and the lingam of Avimukteshvara are also situated within the temple complex.
Pilgrims offer their sankalpa or statement of intent here, before commencing the Panchatirthi Yatra. Slightly north, across the main road, the thirteenth-century Razia's Mosque stands atop the ruins of a still earlier Vishwanatha temple.
Ramnagar Fort
The most notable monument of Varanasi is the Ramnagar Fort which reflects the blend of both Hindu and Muslim forms of architecture. In the town ample influences of Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism and British styles can be witnessed amidst its architectural piece of work. The Ramnagar Fort in Varanasi is made of red sandstone and depicts a wonderful confluence of Hindu and Islamic Architecture. The temple which is located within the Ramnagar Fort is so beautiful in its architectural magnificence that it holds a prominent place among the monuments of Varanasi. Ramnagar Fort also houses a museum. Here one can see the magnificent treasure of the Royal family. The Durbar Hall of the Ramnagar Palace is sumptuously decorated. The throne is made of sandalwood. Furniture made of gold and silver brocades, tiger skins, inlaid ivory, carpets and crystal chandeliers create a vision of great opulence. Outside the Durbar Hall is a splendid marble balcony and verandah, from which there are fine views across the river.
St Mary's Church
St Mary's Church is a typical cantonment church of Upper India with a low tower and spire and projecting portico. In the church there are louvered doors to the sides, in lieu of windows, and the hooded ventilation slots beneath the cornice. The Churchyard is a pleasant, shaded compound containing a number of tombs and memorials removed from the old city cemetery at Chaitganj. The large column, crowned by an urn, commemorates officers massacred at Sewaleh on 16th of August 1781. A pavilion marks the remains of twelve bodies and was removed here by James Princep in 1829. Above each doorway is a rectangular fanlight protected from the glare of the sun by a plain timber canopy-a simple device, which has a major architectural impact. The Churchyard with its serene atmosphere has many tombs and memorials.
Madho Rai Ki Masjid
The Smaller Mosque of Aurangzeb is also called the Madho Rai Ki Masjid or Minarets. The mosque occupies the site of an earlier temple of Lord Vishnu, which accounts for its mixture of Hindu and Muslim details. The minarets were dismantled and reconstructed by James Princep in the early 19th century. There is a magnificent view of the entire city from the top. The Buddhist stupas at Sarnath can be seen at a distance.
Aurungzeb's Mosque
Aurangzeb's Mosque is situated on the north-west side of the famous Gyan Bapi kund or Well of Knowledge. The mosque was built by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb on the foundations of old Vireswar temple. It is a remarkable piece of masonry construction. The columns in the front of the mosque were taken from the old temple, the remains of which can still be discerned at the rear. It has two colossal octagonal minarets towering 70-7 m above the river
Raj Ghat Fort
The fort is presently in a dismantled state. Within the confines of the fort on the south corner of the plateau is the Tomb of Lal Khan, the minister of a former raja. The tomb is enriched with tiles and mosaics. It is one of the few original Muslim buildings of any great beauty in the city. To the north-west of the tomb is the Palang Shahid which is a small Muslim cemetery.
Chaukhandi Stupa
Chaukhandi Stupa is a mound like structure that contains the remains of Gautama Buddha. According to the history Chaukhandi Stupa, has been built during the Gupta period between the 4th and 6th Century. In 1567, Emperor Akbar of the Mughal Dynasty raised an octagonal tower above the stupa to commemorate the visit of his father Humayun in 1532 here.
Dhamekh Stupa
Dhamek Stupa was built in 500 CE. It was built to replace an earlier structure that was commissioned by the great Mauryan king Ashoka in 249 BCE. This stupa is a circular mound that is encircled by large stones. The Dhamek Stupa has a deer park (Rishipattana) where Lord Buddha gave the first sermon to his five disciples
