Varanasi and Shri Kashi Vishwanath
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Ancient city of ghats on the Ganga and home of Shri Kashi Vishwanath, one of the twelve jyotirlingas of Bhagwan Shiva.
Pilgrimage siteVaranasi districtBest time to visit: October to March; Dev Deepawali on Kartik Purnima
Highlights
- Evening Ganga aarti at Dashashwamedh ghat
- Boat ride at sunrise past the ghats
- Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham corridor linking the temple to the river (opened December 2021)
- Dev Deepawali, when the ghats are lit with lamps
- Banarasi silk, music gharanas and street food
Significance
Varanasi, also called Kashi and Banaras, has been a centre of learning, music and pilgrimage for thousands of years. Hindus believe that dying in Kashi brings moksha.