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  • 01Aqua world water park

    Aqua world water park

    Aside from showcasing family-friendly ghats and temples, Varanasi is also home to fun activity areas like water parks. If you want to beat the heat with water, then a water park is the best place. If it is hot weather and you desire to disconnect from a boring daily life, the water mixed with the thrill of slipping down the slides is one of the best activities in the world. 

    Situated on the Varanasi- Allahabad highway, Aqua World is one of Varanasi's most visited water parks. This theme park is a perfect weekend getaway with fun rides and slides galore. The whole family will find something for them here. Fun lovers can enjoy the dance party. The little ones and those seeking quieter fun can spend time enjoying a splash inside the shallow water.

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  • 02Khirkiya Ghat or Namo Ghat

    Khirkiya Ghat or Namo Ghat

    The Ghats of Varanasi has always been attracting tourists of all ages for years and beautifing the city. The ghats decorated in a crescent shape entice people from across the world. In the strings of the ghats, Varanasi's brand new Namo Ghat, dedicated to a form of yoga called Surya Namaskar, is now adding a feather in the cap.

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  • 03Sankat Mochan

    Sankat Mochan

    Sankat Mochan Temple, one of the holy temples in India, is dedicated to Lord Hanuman. Firmly established in the southern part of Varanasi, on the way to the Durga Mandir and New Vishwanath temple BHU, this temple addresses the religious and cultural sentiments of all the devotees.

    Sankatmochan is another name for Hanuman Ji that means destroyer of all troubles (Sankat means problem and Mochan means relief giver), and devotees believe that Lord Hanuman always takes away all the sufferings of the devotees while proving his name.

    Two days of the week (Tuesday and Saturday) is considered the best day to offer pooja to Lord Hanuman. Hundreds of devotees gather in the temple every Tuesday and Saturday to proffer their prayers to Lord Hanuman and chant Hanuman Chalisa and Sundarkand. According to Vedic Astrology, Worshipping Lord Hanuman is considered the most effective way of appeasing the Shani Ji (planet Saturn).

    The devotees offer Besan Ladoos (sweet made of pure ghee and gram floor) and Sindoor to Lord Hanuman and pray. They also decorate the idol of the Lord with a garland of flowers and tulsi (basil) leaves. To make lord hanuman please, his statue is well placed just in front of Lord Rama( to whom lord hanuman is always devoted). This temple is also called the Monkey temple because of the presence of many monkeys on the premises.

    The Hanuman Jayanti (birth anniversary of Lord Hanuman) is celebrated every year by organizing a beautiful Shobha Yatra (a parade) from the Durga temple (Durga Kund) to the Sankat Mochan Temple.

     

     

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  • 04Varanasi Fun City Water Park

    Varanasi Fun City Water Park

    Whether you want to roll in excitement before plunging into the water, enjoying an adventurous raft ride, or splashing away your daily routine on a water coaster, there’s Fun City Water park in Pandeypur Varanasi that’s just perfect for you.

    An excellent amusement water park, with a big pool for people of all age groups and many more attractions, is a great place to have fun. A separate area has been made for men and women to enjoy the rain dance. This place has a Bhoot Bangla with all the entertainment and horrent experience for thrill-seekers who appreciate horror movies and spooky setups. Kids and family can have fun and take a ride on the thrilling and high-speed water slides at this amusement park. There are many slides with different lengths and designs like the Spiral slides, High-speed slides, and Body slides that add pleasure and joy to your memories. Small-sized slides are also available for toddlers.

     

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  • 05New Vishwanath Temple

    Conceived by Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, who also founded the Banaras Hindu University, the New Vishwanath Temple is dedicated to God Shiva. The foundation stone of the 252-feet-tall shrine was laid in March 1931, and it took over three decades to complete.

    The temple is built with white marble and is an exact copy of the original Vishwanath Temple in Kanshi which was destroyed by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb Alamgir.

    The New Vishwanath Temple is a huge complex. It comprises seven temples dedicated to various gods and goddesses. While the temple dedicated to God Shiva is housed in the ground floor, the temples of Lakshmi Narayan and Durga are located on the first floor.

    A unique trait of the new temple is the tall shikhara, made of white marble. The sanctum sanctorum of the temple has a Shivalingam. The inner walls are inscribed with important texts from Gita and other scriptures along with vivid illustrations.

    The temple is open to people of all castes and religions in line with the liberal and progressive outlook of the Pt Madan Mohan Malviya.

     

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  • 06Panchganga Ghat

    Panchganga Ghat

    Panchganga Ghat is called so because it is built on the confluence of five holy rivers—Ganga, Saraswati, Dhupapapa, Yamuna and Kirna. Out of these five only Ganga remains visible while the other four are believed to have disappeared in earth. The location of Gangaghat, therefore, explains why it is regarded as one of the most sacred ghats in Varanasi.

    Apart from its unique and sacred location, Panchganga Ghat is also famous for three historical reasons.

    1. Sant Tulsidas, the creator of Ramayana, produced his famous literary work, "Vinay-Patrika", here while he stayed at this place.

    2. It was here that the great teacher and scholar of Vedas, Swami Ramanand, taught his disciples.

    3. Mughal Aurangzeb destroyed a revered Vishnu temple built by a Maratha chieftain, Beni Madhavrao Scindia, and built the Alamgir Mosque here instead.

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  • 07Manikarnika Ghat

    One of the oldest ghats in Varanasi, Manikarnika Ghat has several mythological legends associated with it. According to one legend, Lord Shiva spent a great amount of his time visiting his devotees leaving his consort Parvati alone. The goddess pretended to have lost her earring on the bank of river Ganga and requested Shiva to find it. The idea was to keep him home locating the ornament forever. Whenever a person from the mortal dies and is cremated here, it is said that Lord Shiva asks him if he has seen the said manikarnika.

    There is also a tank known as Manikarnika, which is believed to have been dug by Lord Shiva while he was searching for the lost earring.

    Manikarnika Ghat is the scene of what can be termed as "death tourism" in Varanasi. Several visitors come here to see the funeral pyres being lit in the open.

    Close to it is the temple of Lord Ganesh and a stone slab called Charanpaduka bearing the footprints of Lord Vishnu. The wealthy and the VIPs are cremated on this slab.

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  • 08Dasaswamedh Ghat

    Dasaswamedh Ghat is probably the most ancient and magnificent of all the ghats located on the banks of river Ganga in Varanasi. Its history dates back to thousands of years.

    Dasaswamedh means “sacrifice of ten horses”. Legend has it that Lord Brahma conducted a yagya here to call back Lord Shiva from his exile. It is not clear whether the ten horses were sacrificed as an act of penance during the yagna or to celebrate the return of Lord Shiva. According to legend, in the 2nd century, the same sacrificial ceremony was performed by Bhara Shiva Naga rulers.

    Given its historic importance, it is considered to be the main ghat in Varanasi. It is also the largest and the most visited and venerated of all the ghats in the town. Aarti is performed by the priests every morning and evening. The sight is all the more mesmerising in the evenings when the Ganga aarti is performed with choreographed pyrotechnics and devotees light small lamps and float them on the water.

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  • 09Banaras Hindu University

    Banaras Hindu University, popularly known as the BHU, owes its origin to the dedicated efforts of Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya, a prominent patriot, social reformer, educationist and political activist of India.

    The foundation stone of the university was laid on 4th February, 1916 by Lord Hardinge, the then viceroy of India. With more than twenty thousand students on its rolls and above sixty hostels, it is considered to be the largest residential university in Asia. In fact, it was once known as the Oxford of the East.

    The main campus measures more than 1300 acres. The land was donated by the ruler of Varanasi. The university has another campus located about 60 km from the city at a place called Barkachha in Mirzapur district. This campus is known as Rajiv Gandhi South Campus. The university has four main institutes comprising 14 teaching faculties and 140 departments. It attracts students from more than 34 countries across the world.

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  • 10Ramnagar Fort And Museum

    Located on the right banks of river Ganga, the Ramnagar Fort and the museum was the residential complex of Raja Balwant Singh, who built the fort in the 17th century.

    Ramanagar was where rishi Ved Vyas of Mahabharata meditated. In fact, the place was originally named after him as Vyas Kashi. Ramnagar is very famous for the 31-day-long ramleela that is performed during the months of September and October.

    The museum boasts of several beautifully carved balconies, magnificent pavilions and an open courtyard. The Vidya Mandir of the museum brilliantly represents the court as it existed during the time of the rulers. The museum has an interesting collection of items related to royalty, including antique clocks, old armory, swords, old guns, vintage cars and ivory work. You can also see medieval costumes, jewellery, and furniture belonging to the royal families.

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  • 11Assi Ghat

    Located at the southernmost area on river Ganga, Assi Ghat is a favourite destination for foreign tourists and researchers, especially the Israelis who often visit it after retirement from the mandatory military services.

    Assi Ghat is located at the confluence of the rivers Assi and Ganga. According to a legend, Goddess Durga threw away her sword here after assassinating Shumbha-Nishumbha, a fearful demon. The point where the mighty sword fell created a river that came to be known as river Assi.

    The ghat is also reverentially mentioned in several important Hindu Puranas, such as Matsya Puran, Agni Puran, Kashi Khand and Padma Puran. It houses a Shivalinga under a peepal tree and the temple of Lord Asisangameshwara, the ruling deity of the confluence of the two rivers. There is also an ancient tank, Lolark Kund, which is situated 15 metres below the ground level.

    Assi Ghat attracts huge crowds of pilgrims during the festive months of Chaitya (March-April) and Magh (January and February).

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  • 12Darbhanga Ghat

    Located between the Dashaswamedh Ghat and the Rana Mahal Ghat, Darbhanga Ghat was named after the royal family from Darbhanga. Apart from the ghat, the family also built a magnificent palace in 1900s near the bank of the river from where they could watch the rituals and other activities.

    Popular Hindu belief has it that dying or being cremated on the ghats of Varanasi is a path to salvation. Like most ghats, Darbhanga Ghat also serves as an open crematorium. The ghat is a bit steep and narrow but becomes wide near Babua Pandey Ghat. This ghat also has a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva.

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  • 13Varanasi Ghats

    The ghats are actually long, stepping stones leading to the waters of the river Ganga. These ghats are dotted with several temples and are the focal point of all pilgrimage activities.

    Varanasi is one of the most sacred places of the Hindus. Deeply rooted in Hindu mythology and beliefs, it is believed that a dip in the purifying waters of the river Ganga at these ghats can absolve all sins. Visit Varanasi anytime of the year and you will be able to see people taking a dip in the waters and more so during special religious festivals.

    Manikarnika Ghat is the most famous ghats of Varanasi. It is believed that dying in Varanasi or being cremated at Manikarnika Ghat can lead to moksha or freedom from the cycle of births and deaths.

    A morning and evening aarti is performed on the ghats, daily. The evening aarti is especially mesmerising when devotees light diyas and set them afloat on the water of the Ganges.

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  • 14Hanuman Ghat

    Hanuman Ghat

    Hanuman Ghat is situated near Juna Akhara, a famous religious sect in Varanasi. It was earlier known as Rameshwaram Ghat as it is believed that it was built by Lord Rama himself to honour his faithful devotee Lord Hanuman.

    Lord Hanuman is a god of physical strength; so, the ghat is a favourite destination for bodybuilders and wrestlers. Incidentally, the word akhara also means a court or a special ground, where the wrestlers and bodybuilders perform their exercises and hold competitions.

    Hanuman Ghat was also the abode of the renowned saint of Vaishnava sect, Vallabhacharya, a great devotee of Lord Krishna.

    The ghat houses a temple founded by saint-poet Tulsidas, who wrote the world-famous epic of Ramayana. The ghat also boasts of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam of Sri Shankaracharya Matha at Varanasi. The Sri Kamakoteeswar Mandir is a grand temple where devotional services are regularly held.

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  • 15Man Mandir Ghat

    Man Mandir Ghat

    Built in 1585 and named after its builder, Sawai Raja Man Singh of Amber, now Ajmer, Man Mandir Ghat was earlier known as Someshwar Ghat. An observatory was also set-up here by Maharaja Jai Singh in the 1730s. He was the same raja who built the famous Jantar Mantar at Delhi and Jaipur.

    The observatory is fitted with excellent window castings. It has four astronomical instruments, which are still in good shape and throw a great light on the state of the knowledge of astronomy in those days. The observatory was renovated in 1850 and again in 1912 by the Rajput rulers of Jaipur

    Man Mandir Ghat boasts of several important temples, such as Sthuladanta Vinayaka, Rameshwara and Someshwara temples. The latter has a Someswara lingam which is a replica of its counterpart in Somnath Temple in Gujarat. It is believed to be one of the nine famous Jyotirlingams in India.

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