LIFESTYLE
India : Varanasi the city of Gods,
Temples and Ghats
By Srimal Fernando - Asia Life Style Editor
A dawn rowing boat ride along the Ganges to view
the Ghats is the most perfect Varanasi experience for
a tourist. Ghats of the river of faith a symbol of purity
and virtue for millions are perhaps the holiest spots
where pilgrims flock to take a holy dip in Ganges.
Varanasi situated on the banks of the sacred Ganges river is one of the oldest living cities . Varanasi often referred to as Benares is the city of Gods, temples
and Ghats(river fronts)
The holy city with over 20,000 temples is a world
renowned symbolic cultural centre of millions of
worshipers . Kashi Vishwanat h Temple ,the Sankat
Mochan Hanuman Temple and the Durga Temple
are some of the most famous temples in one of
the continuously oldest inhabitant cities in the world.
page 44 | Issue #59
Ghats in Varanasi are very picturesque with small
temples built in to their sides and temples, forts and
palaces are towering above. The best way to enjoy
the beauty of the Ghats is from the water. The devotees believes a dip in the holy waters of Ganges
to absolve one from all sins . In Hindu mythology
teaches that the Gahts is especially scared and
that one who dies and is cremated at this sacred
city gets an instant gate way to liberation from the
cycle of birth and re birth
Varanasi Ganga Aarti is a spectacular devotional
Hindu ritual for thousands of years on the banks of
holy Ganges uses fire as an offering. Every evening, facing the river the Hindu Priest light lamps
and circled around in a clockwise manner, accompanied by chanting or songs in praise of Mother
Ganga . After the ritual is complete, devotees will