TEMPLES

Ghats | Seat Of Learning | Ramnagar Fort | Sarnath-( Deer Park)

GHATS

The most distinguished ghat of Banaras is the Dashash-Wamedh Ghat. This is one of the five holy bathing ghats and was constructed by Peshwa Balaji Baji Rao. It is believed that in the second century A.D after the defeat of the Kushans, the Bhavashiva kings made a sacrifice of ten (dash) horses (ashwas) which gives the ghat its name. At the southern end is the Assi Ghat which leads to a series of ghats, ending in the Adikeshva ghat in the north. It is said that after striking down demon Shumbha and nishumbha, Durga's sword fell and created a curved ditch, which later became the Assi Channel. Nearby is the Tulsi Ghat, where Goswami Tulsidas lived till his death in 1623A.D. Adjacent to the Dashash Wamedh ghat is the Man Mandir ghat built by Sawai Raja Jai Singh of Jaipur in 1637A.D. To the north is the Jalasayi ghat which is the main cremation ghat of Banaras. The other important cremation ghat is the Hirishchandra ghat, named after the king Harishchandra who worked as a dom at the cremation grounds. Another ancient cremation ghat is Manikarnika ghat. It is believed that cremation at Manikarnika ghat ensures a safe place in Heaven, as the doms of this ghat have the patronage of Shiva. Their chief is called the 'Dom Raja' (chief cremator). 

Burning pyres, people getting their hair shaved off, the chanting of sacred slokas, giving of alms to Brahmins and whispering holy words into the ears of the cows before being gifted away to Brahmins are the common sight at these ghats.

SEAT OF LEARNING

Banaras has been a seat of learning since the ancient days. Foreign visitors have admired the zeal of Brahmin teachers who sacrificed worldly comforts at the altar of learning. Sanskrit education came to decline by the end of 12^th century. Revival came in early 16^th century. The present Samparnanand Sanskrit University is the old Sanskrit Pathshala and it has about 150,000 rare ancient manuscripts. The most important education centre is the Banaras Hindu University (B.H.U) founded by Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya in 1917A.D. At the entrance, there is the grand statue of its founder and the Vishwanath temple in its centre. It is the largest residential University in India. In the cool and calm surroundings of B.H.U is the Bharat Kala Bhavan which has established in 1920A.D and has a vast collection of paintings, sculptures and other materials of archeological studies. In the main hall of the Bhawan, there is a figure of a man standing on one leg and one hand on his hip and lifting a mass of stone above his head, with one hand. The figure is said to be of Lord Krishna lifting Govardana. In the halls of the Bharat Kala Bhawan, there are many rare images that testify to the existence of Krishna cult in Kashi in 15^th and 16^th century Gupta period. 

RAMNAGAR

Ramnagar Fort which was built in 1750A.D by the Maharaja of Banaras, is on the right bank of River Ganga. Built of red stones, it provides strength and stability to the city. The strong river current is smoothly diverted away from causing any mishap. Because of the Fort's giant solid wall, the city has escaped the sand deposits on its banks. The palace is an astronomical and astrological wonder. Inside the giant walls of the palace, there is a big clock. Besides showing year, month, week and day, it baffles the onlooker with astronomy of the sun, moon and constellation of stars. This wonder clock or Dharam Ghari was made by the court astronomer of Banaras in 1852A.D. The palace has a temple dedicated to Ved Vyas and a museum set up by the last Maharaja of Banaras, Vibhuti Narain Singh. The museum has a collection of brocade costumes, palanquins, weapons and has expensive coaches made of ivory. The palace is decorated majestically and it vibrates with colour and life, during Dussehra festival. The celebrations comes to an end on Vijayadashmi, when the huge effigies of demon king Ravana and his kinsmen are sent up in flames, signifying the victory of good over evil.

SARNATH

Buddha preached his companions his first sermon, explaining the Four Noble Truths and eight Fold Noble Path in a park called the "Deer Park" which later came to be known as 'Sarnath'. Sarnath which is about 9kms away from the Banaras city has become a premier centre for Buddhism. Emperor Ashoka after famous Kalinga war was touched by the misery of the people and he got converted to Buddhism. He built two stupas - the Dhameka (or Dharma Chakra) and the Dharmajajika at Sarnath. The famous Ashoka Pillar with the lion capital at the top has become the national emblem of India. It is now kept inside the Sarnath Museum. Inside the museum various poses of Buddha, carved beautifully, stare at the onlooker. The most famous one is of the Buddha, sitting cross-legged, with his hands in a teaching pose, eyes downcast, half shut in meditation. Below the seat, on which he sits is the wheel (chakra) and the six kneeling figures. Sarnath has a very big Buddha temple, built in 1931A.D, by the Indian Maha Bodhi society. Built on the ruins of the monasteries, it is popularly called Mulagandhakuti Vihara and is the main shrine at Sarnath. It has a very large image of Buddha, along with some sacred relics. Besides these, there is a series of exquisite wall paintings, depicting the birth of Buddha.

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