By virtue of its ancient culture and tradition,
Varanasi forms a great hub of travel and tourist attractions.
Being
the oldest city of the world and an important Hindu pilgrimage center,
Varanasi attracts a large number of people from all over the world. For
centuries, Varanasi is famous for spiritualism, mysticism, Indian
philosophy and Hinduism. All these are reflected in numerous sects,
temples, Ashrams and Ghats. Varanasi is associated not only with
Hinduism but also with Buddhism and Jainism. Besides numerous temples,
Varanasi also boasts of Buddhist Stupas and Jain temples. Varanasi is
also a mirror of the age-old Indian civilization. The archaeological
museum at Sarnath houses numerous remains of the past, including the
National emblem of India, the Ashoka pillar.
Since Varanasi is mainly associated with Hinduism, temples form the
main attraction. The Ganga Ghats (river fronts) are the main center of
religious activities and rituals and also form one of the main
attractions of Varanasi. The Alamgir Mosque, blend of the Hindu and
Mughal styles of the architecture, is another important attraction of
Varanasi. Some of the most important temples of Varanasi are Durga
temple, Vishwanath temple, Sankat Mochan temple, Tulsi Manas temple and
the Bharat Mata temple. The Bharat Mata Temple houses a huge relief map
of the whole of Indian subcontinent and Tibetan plateau. Other
attractions of Varanasi are the Benaras Hindu University (BHU), the
Archaeological Museum, Sarnath, Bharat Kala Bhavan and the Buddhist
Stupas and temples at Sarnath.
