The antiquity of Varanasi is veiled in immortal time. An ‘eternal’ city, it abounds with a rich and vibrant past. Varanasi is another holy dot on the life giving Mother Ganges. Varanasi, as the legend goes was created by Shiva, the cosmic lord. It has an endearing universal mystique which has to be experienced to be understood. Varanasi’s original name Kashi, is said to have been derived from the word ‘Kashi’. meaning bright which defines its significance as the ‘city of light’ or its spiritual luminance. Certainly light is a powerful presence here. It makes Varanassi's cramped streets magical with mystery. Indeed, she comes into her own with the first rays of the sun, transforming her deteriorating self into a vortex of energy. The present name is believed to be a combination of Varuna and Assi, the two rivers on its northern and southern periphery. Banaras, as it is popularly known, is only a corruption of the name by an ever changing culture.
The wealth of Varanasi and its religious significance were also its better-noir. Its past is replete with hoary tales of plunder and destruction by conquerors and religious zealots. Still, these affairs were only a momentary gleam in Varanasi's eye, soon to be lulled to rest by the throb of her Hindu heart, which beats in unison with the magic myths of gods rather than the surge of empires. She is a patient city, willing to wait until the mighty Buddhist center became ruins and the mosques were surrounded by more temples than ever.
Varanasi has been a center of learning and civilisation for over 2000 years. It was at Sarnath only 10 km away that the Buddha first preached his message of enlightenment, 25 centuries ago. Varanasi has become a symbol of the Hindu renaissance and has a special role in the development of Hindi - the national language of India. The well - known novelist Prem Chand and the literary figure Bharatendu Harischand have played their parts in this development. Tulsi Das, the famous poet who wrote the Hindi version of the Ramayana known as the Ram Charit Manas, also lived in this city for many years.
On the banks of this sacred river all seems possible. Myth and everyday life fuse easily in Varanasi. Humans can leap to the heavens in a moment of enlightenment and the gods descend to the world of man.
Like good old buddies, my modern doubts and Varanasi's traditions walk side-by-side here, where opposites comfortably converge. Life and death meet in Varanasi, along with release and entrapment, history and timelessness, decay and renewal. In its spaghetti-thin streets the reverent ramble with rogues, and the wretched confront the wise in a kind of topsy-turvy harmony that is Varanasi's own.
India's oldest city still lives up to its reputation as both wondrous and bizarre with all its glory. Where else can you find jeans clad young techies with paan strained red teeth? Come to Varanasi, touch the timeless soul of India.
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