Kashi: Holy City For Hindus

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Kashi is popularly called the city of Gods. This city ranks highest among the holy cities of Hinduism. Benaras yatra is a part of the Hindu dictum of pilgrimages. There is something about the holy city of Kashi that makes it so special. There is a famous saying that even if you commit a thousand sins, if you die in Kashi and your last rites are conducted on the ghats of Kashi, you will go to heaven.

Maybe it is the purging capacity of the holy city of Kashi that makes it so scared for Hindus. Here are some possible reasons on why Hindus consider Kashi to be a holy city.

The Holy Ganges

Any city through which the holy Ganga river flows is considered to be special by Hindus. Other examples would be Haridwar and Rishikesh. The Ganga river flows through the centre of Kashi and it has several ghats. In fact, the local people use boats to travel from one place to another. In Kashi, few famour ghats are Manikarnika Ghat, Dashashwamedh Ghat, Panchganga Ghat etc. The Manikarnika ghat is where all the last rites of the dead are done.

Hindus believe that the waters of the river Ganga have purging powers. So if you bathe in the Ganges at Kashi, you will wash away all your sins. There are temples dedicated to the Goddess Ganga herself in Kashi.

City of Temples

Kashi is often referred to as the city of temples. It is one of the oldest cities in the world that have been constantly inhabited. The royal family of Kashi always took interest in art and architecture and as a result several temples sprung up in the city. In 12th century, an invader named Mohammad Ghauri raised many temples to the ground. But even today, we have many ancient temples in Benaras.

Kashi is the location of the famous Vishwanath temple which in one among the 12 Jyotirlingas of Shiva.

Sapta Puri

Benaras yatra is a part of the Sapta puri or 7 holy cities that can provide salvation to your soul.

Kashi also has a Shakti Peeth. The temple of Vishalakshi on the Manikarnika ghat is built in honour of Devi Sati who was Lord Shiva's consort. It is believed that the earrings of Sati fell at this spot in Kashi.

These are some of the reasons why Hindus consider Kashi to be a holy city. Have you gone for a Benaras yatra? What was the essence of this holy city for you.