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Varanasi, once known as Banaras and Kashi, is a historical city in northern India. Varanasi is situated on the banks of River Ganges, which is believed to have the power of washing away all of one's sins. The city is sacred to Hindus and also one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.
India Day 10 - Varanasi
The view of the TV tower in Varanasi from outside our hotel. The moon can be seen just rising to the left of the tower.
Varanasi
SERIE INDIA
Es una de las ciudades más antiguas del mundo y la más venerada por los hindúes, el lugar en cuyo río, el Ganges, se esparcen las cenizas de aquellos que acaban de morir, en la creencia de que las aguas sagradas de la Diosa Ganga los liberarán del eterno ciclo de la muerte y la reencarnación. Varanasi es, además, el último refugio de los abandonados, de los olvidados por todos, como los miles de viudas que vestidas de blanco recorren silenciosamente sus callejuelas, esperando a que la muerte las libere de su pesada carga.
Los arqueólogos creen que Varanasi, también conocida como Benarés, tiene mas de 4000 años de antigüedad, lo que la pone como una de las ciudades mas antiguas del mundo. Los hinduistas la consideran como una de las principales ciudades de peregrinación. Se le considera como una ciudad santa pues se cree que una de las cuatro cabezas del dios Brahma consiguió descansar al llegar a esta ciudad.
Según la religión hindú, toda persona que muera en Varanasi o a 60 kilómetros a la redonda queda liberado del ciclo de las reencarnaciones. Es por ellos que muchos ancianos y gente desahuciada llega a Varanasi, simplemente, a esperar la muerte. Existen ONGs que tienen casas para albergar a estas personas, pero no se dan abasto.
El hinduismo considera los baños en el río Ganges purificadores de los pecados, es por ello que cada madrugada miles de fieles llegan al pie del Ganges a bañarse en sus aguas sin importar el alto grado de contaminación en el que se encuentran. En Varanasi todo lo echan al Ganges, basura, desagüe, cuerpos cremados y hasta cadáveres enteros; una verdadera locura. Según la tradición todo hinduista debe bañarse en las aguas del Ganges por lo menos una vez en su vida.
Foto realizada por Iñaki de Mier
Edicion : ROKOBILBO
Varanasi
INDIA SERIES
It is one of the oldest cities in the world and the most revered by the Hindus, the place in whose river, the Ganges, sprinkle the ashes of those who have just died, believing that the sacred waters of the Goddess Ganga Free from the eternal cycle of death and reincarnation. Varanasi is also the last refuge of the abandoned, forgotten by all, like the thousands of widows dressed in white silently walk their alleys, waiting for death to release them from their heavy burden.
Archaeologists believe that Varanasi, also known as Varanasi, is more than 4000 years old, which makes it one of the oldest cities in the world. Hinduism is considered one of the principal cities of pilgrimage. It is considered as a holy city because it is believed that one of the four heads of the god Brahma was able to rest when arriving at this city.
According to the Hindu religion, any person who dies in Varanasi or 60 kilometers around is freed from the cycle of reincarnations. It is for them that many old men and evicted people come to Varanasi simply to await death. There are NGOs that have houses to house these people, but they do not give in.
Hinduism considers baths in the Ganges River purifiers of sins, which is why every dawn thousands of faithful come to the foot of the Ganges to bathe in their waters regardless of the high degree of pollution in which they are. In Varanasi everything is thrown into the Ganges, garbage, drainage, cremated bodies and even whole corpses; A real madness. According to tradition every Hindu must bathe in the waters of the Ganges at least once in his life.
Photo taken by Iñaki de Mier
Edition: ROKOBILBO
Varanasi, the holiest of the seven sacred cities in Hinduism and Jainism, has been a cultural centre of northern India for several thousand years, and is closely associated with the Ganges River. Hindus believe that dying here and getting cremated along the banks of the "holy" Ganges river allows one to break the cycle of rebirth and attain salvation, making it a major center for pilgrimage.
The city is known worldwide for its 88 ghats, one of which, the Ahiya Ghat, is shown in this image. Ghats are riverfront steps composed of stone slabs that lead down to the Ganges River bank, where the religious pilgrims perform ritual ablutions (the act of washing oneself). At some of the waterfront ghats, cremations take place.
The Ahilya Ghat is named after Ahilya Bai Holkar, also known as the Philosopher Queen. She ruled the Malwa kingdom of India from 1767-1795).
(Source: Wikipedia)
VARANASI - Colours of INDIA
Mark Twain once said, Varanasi is "older than history, older than tradition, older than legend, looks twice as old as all of them put together."
Varanasi also commonly known as Banaras is a city situated on the banks of the River Ganga (Ganges) in Uttar Pradesh, India. It is regarded as a holy city by Hindus, Buddhists and Jains. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and probably the oldest in India. The culture of Varanasi is closely associated with the River Ganga and the river's religious importance.
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