There is a reason why Varanasi holds so many tales and other stories. Being one of the oldest cities in the world, it sure does amaze the human mind. With sustaining itself for around 3,500 years, Varanasi also called Baneras, is a world in its own.
Mark Twain had once said, “Baneras is older than tradition, older even than the legend and twin as old as both of them out together.”
Let’s start with a tale which the true example of triumph of good over evil. Approximately 300,000 people from all across the world attended the blissful festival of Dev Diwali held at Varanasi. Every year at full moon the festival is celebrated, because it is the time when Lord Shiva defeats all the demons (asuras). Dev Diwali isn’t celebrated just about normally in Varanasi, it holds the Guinness Book of World Records in lighting more than 900,000 diyas. Those diyas spread over 84 ghats of Varanasi, each containing its own story.
During this festival, lakhs of people gather around for the historic Ganga Aarti, with learned priests reciting the chants, everyone seems to dwell into the chorus and enjoy the festival of lights.
“Kadam to rakho Kashi mein, tar jaoge Kashi mein.”
One such very famous ghat of Baneras is the Harishchandra Ghat. This Ghat is particularly famous for not being the most beautiful one, or the biggest one in the world, but because of the ode to death. It is said that there would be no point of time where there is something which isn’t burning over there. It is also said that people wish to die in Varanasi, as it goes them a chance to attain salvation without any sort of doubt.
Varanasi is a place where one would find everything so peaceful that they wouldn’t just want to leave. A place that gives them a sense of belonging, questions which one wants the answers to or maybe just a place to wash off our sins. Varanasi truly is a world in its own.
