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Ghats and wooden boats in the morning mist on the Ganges

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City guide · वाराणसी Varanasi · Kashi

Varanasi

The holy city on the Ganges: ghats, evening rites, life and death

Photo: Schwiki · CC BY-SA 4.0

Varanasi, once called Kashi, is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and the holiest city of Hinduism. Along several kilometres of ghats on the west bank of the Ganges, people bathe and pray at dawn, the Ganga Aarti is held at night, and the fires of the cremation ghats never go out.

History

How the city came to be

Varanasi, once called Kashi, was the centre of a kingdom of the same name in the first millennium BC. In the 5th century BC the Buddha gave his first sermon at nearby Sarnath, where the lion capital raised by Ashoka is now India's national emblem. In the 8th century Adi Shankara established Varanasi as a centre of Shiva worship, and the Kashi Vishwanath Temple is still one of the most important Shiva temples. Hindus believe that dying here and having one's ashes scattered in the Ganges brings release from the cycle of rebirth.

  1. 1st millennium BCCentre of the Kingdom of Kashi
  2. 5th century BCThe Buddha gave his first sermon at Sarnath
  3. 8th centuryAdi Shankara established the worship of Shiva

Must see

Places you shouldn’t miss

Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat

Classic landmarkVaranasi, Uttar Pradesh, India

The Ganges at Varanasi

Life, death and rebirth on the Ganges, the holiest city of Hinduism.

Before you go

Rules to know in Varanasi

All etiquette & taboos →

Red lineEveryday mannersIndia

India: some states ban alcohol completely

  • Before visiting Bihar, Gujarat, Mizoram, Nagaland or Lakshadweep, learn the alcohol rules
  • Drinking or carrying alcohol in a dry area
  • Drinking in parks and other public places

Drinking or possessing alcohol in a dry state can lead to arrest without bail and 5 to 10 years in prison.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: India travel advice

Red lineEntryIndia

India: e-cigarettes are banned

  • Leave your e-cigarette at home
  • Bringing an e-cigarette into India or buying one there

E-cigarettes and related products are banned in India.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: India travel advice

Red lineEntryIndia

India: no satellite phones or GPS devices without a permit

  • Before you leave, check whether your equipment needs a permit
  • Carrying a satellite phone or satellite navigation device without a permit (even in transit)

Illegal; you can be fined or arrested and the device confiscated. British tourists have been arrested for this.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: India travel advice

Sources