Varanasi, also known asBenares，hinduismHoly land, famous historic city.Located in the southeast of Uttar Pradesh, IndiaGangesMid stream crescentMeanderDuan Zuo'an, with a population of 1 million, has more than 1500 temples of all kinds.
The main places of interest in Varanasi are:Dasawamadh Ghat 、Indian Golden Temple、Durga Temple、Mother Temple of India、Lama King Temple、Banaras Hindu University , New India Golden Temple, Linnagarpurg.In the streets and alleys near the river bank, there are pillars symbolizing Shiva (called "Linga", or male genitals), which are worshipped by Hindus.In addition,Fagafaga MuniPreroticsarnath Just near Varanasi, two chiefs of Jainism were born nearby, so the city has become a Hindu, BuddhistJainismAn important holy place.
Varanasi was formerly known as“Benares”In history, it is also called "Kasi" (meaning the place where the divine light shines), because the city is located in Varana
Varanasi
The name between the river and the Asi River was changed to the current name in 1957, which is a combination of the names of the two rivers.Varanasi enjoys the title of "Light of India" and is the largest historical city along the Ganges River in India. It is said that it was founded 6000 years ago byBrahmanismAnd one of the Hindu godsShiva Built.As early as the 4th to 6th century BC, it has become the academic center of India.In the 5th century BC,Shakya Muni BuddhaOnce came here, 10 kilometers northwest of the citysarnath First preaching and preaching.In the 7th century, eminent monks in the Tang DynastyXuanzangHe made a pilgrimage hereThe Western Regions of the Tang DynastyIt gives a detailed description of the city's ancient buildings, residents' life, prosperity, religious conditions and customs.In the 12th century, the ancient dynasties of India established their capital here.Today, although Varanasi belongs to aMedium-sized cityBut it is famous as a Hindu holy land.
Urban history
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Varanasi
Varanasi is ancientKashi Capital.Jiashi means "City of Light".It is said that it was built 5000 years ago.It was once an academic center in the 4th and 6th centuries;In the 12th century, it was the capital of the ancient dynasty.Records of the Western Regions of the Tang Dynasty: "We traveled more than 500 miles in the Fudalin to the state of Borneo (formerly known as the state of Borneo, the territory of Central India). Borneo is more than 1000 miles on Thursday. The Jiahe River to the west of the capital city is eighteen nine miles long and five or six miles wide. Lu Yan Zhuibi, who lives in Yin Sheng, has a huge family, and houses are rich in strange goods. People are gentle and respectful, vulgar and strong in learning, more believe in the outside world, and less respect Buddhism.The qi sequence is harmonious, the grain is abundant, the fruit trees are luxuriant, and the grass is luxuriant.There are more than 30 places in Jialan, more than 3000 monks and disciples, and they learn the HinayanaOrthometric partLawThe Brahmaputra River runs more than ten miles northeast toDeer wild gamma blueThe district boundary is divided into eight parts. The walls are blocked around the walls, and the pavilion is heavy with layers. The rules are beautiful and poor.There are 1500 monks and disciples, and they learn the Mahayana positive measurement method. "
Hindus generally believe that dying in Varanasi can escape the fate of life and death, but they believe that after bathing in the Ganges River in Varanasi, you can wash the dirty soul;In addition, cremation on the Ganges River in Varanasi and sprinkling ashes into the river can also overcome the pain of life.Due to the continuous bathing and cremation of Hindus in Varanasi, serious pollution and infectious diseases occurred in the Ganges River.
City Introduction
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Varanasi
VaranasiSanskrit(name) is one of the famous holy places in India, and is considered to be the oldest and holiest city in India. Varanasi is located on a solid rock bank composed of steep rocks on the left bank of the Ganges River. Her important strategic position has been recognized as early as 1000 BCAryan People's attention.stayShakya MuniAt that time, this region belonged to one of the most powerful ancient countries in IndiaMagadha KingdomLuye Garden near her is the first turning of Buddha Sakyamuni after becoming a Taoistthe Wheel of the LawIt is the most famous holy place in the history of Buddhism.Varanasi is located on the left bank of the Ganges River, 780km southeast of New Delhi. Today, it has nearly 1 million people and more than 2000 temples. It has two parts, the new city and the old city. Although it has gone through many vicissitudes, it still maintains its strong tradition.
Religious Origins
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Varanasi
In India, most Hindu believers have four great pleasures throughout their lives: worship Shiva (one of the three major Hindu gods), take a bath in the Ganges River and drink the Ganges River holy water, make friends with saints and live in the holy city of Varanasi.Ganges River originates fromthe himalayasThe southern foot, with a total length of 2580km, is the longest and most extensive river in South Asia. After flowing into India from the southwestDevplaagNear andArakenanda RiverThe confluence is called Ganges River.Indians regard the Ganges River as a holy river, and the Ganges River as the incarnation of a goddess. They revere the Ganges River piously, which is said to originate from a legend.In ancient times, the Ganges River was fast flowing and turbulent, often overrun, destroying fertile fields and killing people. In order to wash away the sins of his ancestors, a king asked the goddess in heaven to help tame the Ganges River for the benefit of mankind.Shiva comesHimalayanAt the foot of the mountain, spread your hair and let the turbulent river flow slowly from your head to irrigate the fields on both sides, so that the residents on both sides will live and work in peace and contentment.Since then, Hinduism has regarded the Ganges River as a god, worshipping Shiva and bathing in holy water as the two major religious activities of Hindus.
Every morning, thousands of Hindus, male or female, old or young, both local people and foreigners, come to the Ganges River. With a pious mood, they walk into the Ganges River and take a bath, in order to wash away their own filth or sins with holy water, so as to achieve the desire to transcend the world of life and live in heaven forever after death.In this way, Hindus reverently regard it as a great comfort and honor to "wash their mistakes" with the Ganges River.On both sides of the crescent shaped river bend in Varanasi City, successive dynasties have built 64 stepped wharves of different sizes for people to batheweekUse.
Varanasi
Up to now, Varanasi has retained more than 2000 temples built in different dynasties, some of which are magnificent and resplendent, some are small and unique, and some are finely carved, with different architectural styles and shapes, showing a strong religious color.Among the numerous temples and pavilions, most of them are buildings related to Hinduism, among which the famous ones are those built inMughal DynastyOfAlulangzeb Mosque, Some are dedicated to ShivaVishwanatjin TempleAnd a large number of habitatsmonkeyOfDurga TempleEtc.
On the corners of many temples, there are exquisitely made stone Buddha niches and gilded roofs, leaving people ancientOriental CivilizationColor impression.There are more than 400 religious festivals in Varanasi every year, sometimes twice a day. Almost all these religious festivals are held in these temples.
About believers
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Varanasi is in India, and Varanasi is likeJerusalemSimilarly, it is a holy place in the heart of Hindus. Their four major pleasures of life - "living in Varanasi, making friends with saints, drinking the Ganges River, and worshiping God Shiva" must be realized in Varanasi.Xuanzang, a famous monk of the Tang Dynasty in China, went through a lot of hardships in those years, and the ultimate Blissful West refers to Varanasi.
The holy city doesn't obey the rules of the world
The reporter's first impression of Varanasi is that,Holy CityProbably don't attach importance to human rules.When pilgrims approached here, they seemed to lose their memory gradually. They didn't know whether to obey human rules or God's metaphor.Fortunately, pilgrims have strong endurance and adaptability. They soon mastered the skill of crossing the sea with eight immortals in the chaotic streets, but suffered from the atheist journalist.The garbage around is smelly, and the buildings on both sides of the street seem to collapse, making people breathless.Varanasi is like a huge beehive, which is poked into the mud by an invisible hand. All the worker bees become aimless and more busy because of the sudden move of the beehive.
Varanasi is an ancient holy city in the middle reaches of the Ganges River, whose history can be traced back to 6000 years ago.When Xuanzang, a famous Chinese monk, visited here, he saw that there were "more than 100 temples in heaven and more than 10000 foreigners".Strangely, the ancient city with such a long history has not retained any historic sites, and even buildings with a history of more than 200 years are hard to find.The temples in front of us are all piled up with cement and red bricks. At most, they are only 180 years old, so American writersMark TwainWhen I came here to teach, I humorously said that this city is "older than history, more ancient than tradition, even older than legend. It looks more than twice as old as all these things combined".
Self cleaning Ganges River
Varanasi's decline stems from religious conflicts and wars.In the 16th century AD, the Mughal dynasty was the founding emperorBabelFrom Central Asia to India, it destroyedGanges River BasinThe Hindu temple of.
Although several later Muslim emperors took a tolerant attitude towards different religions, the last Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb, was an extreme Islamist.He ordered the demolition of a large number of Hindu temples and used their materials to transform them into mosques.The ancient temple of Varanasi has disappeared since then, while Hindu mythology and the Ganges River still convey their spirit to this holy city. The city is like a stiff old man who is held by a spirit god and shines with both eyes.Although decayed, there was no sign of falling down.
Varanasi, located in Uttar Pradesh, India, is the oldest city in India. It is said that it was built by Shiva, the great god in charge of life and death in Hinduism. Hindu people believe that Shiva often patrols the Ganges River here. Anyone who dies and cremates here can avoid the pain of reincarnation and directly ascend to heaven,So every day thousands of believers arrive in Varanasi from all directions.Fortune tellers on both sides of the road are always checking your fate, and you have to watch out for thieves and various cheats.The scenes in the Ganges River are not easy.There are not only believers praying in the river, but also buffaloes bathing, incense sticks for sacrifice, and a grand crematorium beside the river.The unburned bodies were thrown into the river, and various kinds of filth appeared and disappeared in the river.From a common sense point of view, Ganges River is hardly sanitary, but this does not affect Ganges River's position in the minds of Hindus, on the contrary, it strengthens their belief.Looking at the curling green smoke of burning corpses nearby, it is inevitable to leave a sigh of disillusionment in life when I think that I will also turn into such an invisible thing.This makes them more pious. They hope to wash away their worldly sins and let their souls enter the cycle of life safely.
Hindus believe that the Ganges River can clean itself, and that only the Ganges River in the world can not breed infectious bacteria, so they can safely drink the Ganges River here, and use containers to bring water home so that they can spray it on themselves on some grand days.As the whole attention is focused on the afterlife, so much so that the surrounding environment of the present world is ignored, Varanasi looks a bit like a sacred, but not so gorgeous, shabby cassock to reporters.
Birth of the first batch of Buddhists
All the temples in Varanasi are concentrated on the west side of the Ganges River, while there are no buildings on the east side.When the sun rises from the horizon, the whole river is orange, and the sunrise of the Ganges River becomes a great sight here.Standing by the river, the vast Ganges River can really give people room to think.Xuanzang praised the Ganges River for its "vast and beautiful waters".Some strict ascetic saints meditate here for months or even years, hoping to realize the true meaning of life.Of course, the reporter received education that there is only one truth in the world, but looking at these people who are pondering hard, they can't help but feel that this realm of giving up material desires and pursuing spiritual life really makes people have a spiritual shock.Didn't Sakyamuni meditate in this way?When Sakyamuni came here, the bathing landscape by the river should not be too different from what it is now. He meditated and came up with a new way of thinking, so he began to turn around in the Deer Field in the western suburbs of Varanasi.After all, the river left him a deep impression, so he always compared the nirvana, the realm of freedom from ignorance, to crossing the river, sailing or reaching the other side.
Because of Luye Garden, Varanasi is also a holy place for Buddhist disciples.In fact, the first group of believers in Buddhist history also appeared in Varanasi.When the Buddha lived in Luye Garden, Yasa, a son of a wealthy family who was tired of luxury life, came here. He introduced the Buddha's views to his relatives and friends, persuaded them to return to Buddhism, and the first batch of Buddhist believers appeared in the world.Although Buddhism was supported by Indian emperors such as Asoka, it never took root among Indian people.On the contrary, for more than 3000 years, Hinduism has been wandering on the bank of the Ganges River, as if a melancholy thinker had been standing on the bank of the river without any signs of aging.
Economic culture
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Varanasi
In 1882, after the first bridge was built on the Ganges River, the industrial and commercial development of Varanasi City was promoted, and various stores were like rainSpring bamboo shootsIt generally appears on both sides of the narrow and crowded streets in the urban area, with abundant goods, especially famous for silk, embroidery, carpets, bronze ware and metal processing, and has developed cotton textiles, rice milling, oil pressing, leather and machinery, motors, chemicalscement、Internal combustion engineAnd other modern industrial sectors.Varanasi is the transportation hub of railways, roads and rivers in northern India. It has an airport, which provides convenient water, land and air transportation.Varanasi is also a famousCultural cityIt has a long history of establishing education and has been the cultural center of India since ancient timesUniversity of India、Sanskrit University 、University of CanadaAnd other famous institutions of higher learning.With more than 100 departments and about 20000 students, Indian University is the highest institution in India.It can be seen that Varanasi, an ancient religious holy city, is not only the epitome of ancient Indian culture, but also the center of modern Indian culture, which has great attraction for tourists from all over the world.
Urban characteristics
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Varanasi
In Varanasi, in addition to people coming and going in the city, there are many animals living in the city. Should we say that this kind of ecology is coexistence of people and animals, or a mixture of people and animals?In the crowd, goats roamed around, dogs were kicked when they failed to steal food from roadside stalls, chickens were drilled under human wheels, and a monkey jumped off the roof unexpectedly.When people walk on the road, they are either knocked down by walking pigs, or blocked by slow and methodical holy cows, with elephants behind them urging them.It seems that the animals here live together equally with human beings.Many animals are related to Hinduism.For example, apes have a monkey god called "Hanuman", which is worshipped everywhere in many villages and towns.Epic《Ramayana》The master oframa The prince and the devilLopnaDuring the battle, he was assisted by the monkey army at a critical moment, so he won the final victory.Since then, monkeys have been included in the gods and worshipped by people.However, the most "sacred" of all animals is cattle.
Varanasi
There are several explanations for the reason why cattle are regarded as "holy cows" and become the objects of religious worship."The cow is the ride of Shiva God, and also under his command. At the same time, the cow is also the god of reproduction called 'Nandi'." "The cow is based on Vishnu, the god of creation. Vishnu is different from the fierce Shiva God, and has a mild temper. In addition, when encountering disasters in the world, it will incarnate into the world's creatures to save lives. It is said that there are 10 incarnations of Vishnu.Its eighth incarnation, the Dark God, has the supernatural power to be good at flute playing and has the charm to confuse women;When I was young, I was a shepherd boy, and it was cattle who watched the herd. "At the same time, cattle are of great importance to Indian life.This relationship has not changed much since ancient times.First of all, cattle are very helpful to human beings in terms of farming or transportation, and they are extremely important labor providers.Moreover, cows provide milk, which can not only be drunk directly, but also be made into cream. Cream is one of the indispensable oils in cooking, and is an important fuel for the "holy fire" in the ceremony.Even the excrement from cattle is valuable.It can be used as fuel after being collected and kneaded into cakes and dried.Not only do the rural areas use cow dung as fuel, but also the urban classes who cannot afford gas and electricity use it as fuel.In India, cattle seem to know their "holy cow" status well, and their attitude is very arrogant.Often, people walk on the busy road or walk into an alley only 1m wide, which makes people have to return to their original place and wait for it to pass before entering.A cow slowly walked into the small shop and ate the food.Obasant in the shop wanted to push it out when he found it, but he couldn't move it at all.Everyone present expressed their hope to pull the cow out of the store. It seems that people may not regard the cow as a "holy cow".(I don't know whether this is a contradiction between the outside and the inside?) Someone also said, "Recently, the religious concept of 'holy cow' seems to be getting weaker and weaker." It is said that India has more than 200 million cows.Although many of them are skinny, if this number is close to the fact, the number of cattle will be one half of the population of India."Can't Hinduism eat cattle no matter how hungry people are?" Such words can't be said.That night, I ordered a steak in the restaurant of the hotel.In fact, you can eat beef in restaurants and high-end restaurants.There are also many shops selling exquisite cowhide bags or shoes on the street.It is said that in India's export goods, cowhide products account for a considerable proportion.In other words, India raised and slaughtered quite a number of cattle.The next summer after India's "ban on the slaughter of holy cattle" movement, Chakhjeffen Lam, the minister of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, clearly pointed out that "the Hindu doctrine today is too narrow; in ancient times, Indians ate beef. The Vedas also have records in the holy scripture. Therefore, it is not appropriate to legalize the" ban on the slaughter of cattle ".The result has caused a lot of commotion and heated debate both inside and outside the Congress. "
Recommended tourist attractions
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ancient city
Clothes shop in the ancient city of Varanasi[1]
The ancient city of Varanasi is located on the west side of the Ganges River. The crisscross alleys are the biggest feature of this ancient city.The alleys are crowded with various shops, hotels and temples.Every evening, the streets leading to the ancient city are crowded with tourists flocking to the Ganges River to enjoy the night festival, which is also the best time for local vendors to sell Indian jewelry and clothes.
Jinmiao
This golden temple is dedicated to Hindu god Shiva. It is located in the street north of the Ganges River Bathing Beach and was built in 1776.The top of the temple is in the shape of a round arch, shining with gold under the sun.Visitors who are not Hindus are not allowed to enter, but they can watch the crowded scene of believers entering the temple from the second floor of the building opposite the Golden Temple, or peek into the interior from the wall cave of the path behind the temple.The reason why the temple is called the Golden Temple is that it has a golden minaret and is said to use 880kg of gold, which is the highest among the many temples in Varanasi.
Ganges
Indians bathing in the Ganges River in the morning[1]
Mother River of India,GangesThe most sacred part of her flows through the ancient city of Varanasi.Numerous Hindus came to Varanasi from a long distance to bathe in the river.They are convinced that the holy water of the Ganges River can wash away the sins and ailments committed in life, so that the soul will be pure and ascend to heaven.Some people who knew they had only a few days left came here to wait for death.There are also family members who willremainsIt was transported here for cremation, and the ashes were scattered into the river, so that the soul could become a true fruit and be reborn from then on.
The life of Varanasi people is inseparable from the Ghats (stone steps) along the Ganges River. There are more than 80 Ghats in the city, each with its own name and function.The most famous Dasaswamedh Ghat holds Ganges River Night Festival every evening.
sarnath
Luye Garden is the first place where Sakyamuni preached after enlightenment.There are Archaeological Museum, Damek Pagoda, China Temple, Myanmar Temple, Tibetan Buddhist Temple, etc. in Luye Garden.People from all over the world come to worship there all the year round.Practitioners all have a pious heart, hoping to be enlightened in the Holy Land where Buddha preaches.The Archaeological Museum also has Ashoka's Pillar, various stone sculptures, etc., which is a place worth appreciating slowly.
tourist guide
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visa
Indian Embassy in China (BeijingRitan RoadNo. 1) Accept tourist visa applications.The visa fee is 340 yuan.
voyage
Varanasi
You can fly directly to India from Hong Kong or Shanghai.
traffic
Trains are the first choice for transportation between Indian cities, and long-distance buses can be used in places without trains.The foundation of the railway network is good.There are many levels of tickets. In principle, "Passenger" should be avoided as far as possible. The 2nd Class Chair (hard seat) is a default level.The train ticket office is divided into ticket office and booking office. Some large stations (such as New Delhi) have foreign ticket offices, and some hotels provide the business of purchasing train tickets on behalf of others;Indian trains are often late. You should always take care of your luggage on the train.
season
October to March is the best season for traveling.
delicious food
Most Indians are vegetarians, but their vegetarian dishes are not as tasteless as the clear soup they imagined, but they are especially delicious."Tandoori" is an Indian style baking;Lassi is Indian yogurt."Dal" is one of the main vegetarian dishes.
get accommodation
Hotels or inns frequented by foreign backpackers are the first choice. You may as well "shop around".
time difference
It is 2 hours and 30 minutes slower than that in China.
currency
The currency of India is rupee.One dollar is about 45-50 rupees.
Varanasi
specialty
Indian silk, wool, artworks, gold ornaments, peacock feather products, etc. are local specialties and worth buying.Purchase of gold, precious stones andpeacockFeather products will be restricted.
Tip
India is a country where tipping is popular.Usually, people are asked to carry luggage, take a taxi, go to the toilet, arrange hotel rooms, and even take photos in scenic spots.Generally between 10 and 50 rupees.
Biryani is just like fried rice, which can contain vegetables, mutton, chicken and so on. It's not greasy all the time.recommendFried Rice with MuttonThe mutton is quite large, a bit like Xinjiang roast mutton. It tastes delicious and is delicious.TandooriChicken (roast chicken), looks not very good, like wipingSudan red。The meat is drowned. It tastes good when sprinkled with seasoning.Dosa also has a variety of flavors. It is a big cake fried with rice flour, which is somewhat similar to Chinese pancakes. It is crispy.The middle is mixed with vegetables and so on. It tastes good with the sauce.
All kinds of vegetable soups in India are not ideal. It seems that there is no oil, but a lot of starch is put into the soup, which is not as fragrant as western thick soup.The soup in many restaurants is almost the same.There is a kind of cold drink called Lassi everywhere. It has many tastes and seems thicker than Chinese yogurt. Local people have the habit of yogurt after meals.There are also Shakes with various fruit flavors, similar to those in Southeast Asia.These two kinds are often drunk.The most popular hot drink is Indian milk tea, which is called Chai by local people.The production process of Chai is to boil tap water, add MasalaTea, mash ginger, put it into boiling water and boil it, then add milk and sugar.A cup of 4INR. The cup is a small jar made of clay, which is also disposable.As for Masala, it is a comprehensive spice of India, with many dishes and snacks, even Pizzahut'slemonThey are all in the drinks.When you first taste it, you may not be used to it, because many flavors are mixed together, and you can't tell what it looks like.That should be the taste of India, complex and incredible.
