VARANASI

“It is a strange city where you can feel like a dweller and an Alien at the same time; It is ancient modern progressive and regressive all at once” Picturesquely situated on the crescent shaped left bank of the holy Ganga, Varanasi, one of the ancient seats of learning in India, is said to be a compound of the names of two streams, the Varuna and Assi which still flow in the north and south of the city respectively. Varanasi is probably one of the most ancient living cities in India. From time immemorial it has been a great religious center for Hindus and one of their most sacred places of pilgrimage, being visited by millions of people every year.

Varanasi or Banaras is a Mecca of Spirituality, Yoga, Ashrams, Meditation in India. It is one of the ancient cities in the world. It is a 3000 BC old city as per the archeological survey. It is one of the sacred & most visited pilgrimages in Hindu religion. Ashram Located on the banks of the Ganges, is a living testimony to the great values and extraordinary hospitality of the bygone era. Varanasi may have changed over the years but the atmosphere of tranquility and serenity still remains inside the Sri Yoga Mandir. Immerse yourself into an environment of blissful silence accompanied by nearby melodies of Lord Shiva’s chants that emerge from the temple nearby. At dawn-the ghats are abuzz with activity of the devotees performing their ablutions in the river or offering prayers to the rising sun and performing other religious rituals. A boat ride from the Dasaswamedh ghat along the ghats gives you vantage views of these activities. The walk The old market and to famous Ghats of Varanasi. Visit of Sarnath - Sarnath, about 10 km from the holy city of Varanasi, is the place where Buddha chose to deliver his first sermon. The celebrated Mantra, 'Buddham Sharanam Gachhami', owes its origin to Sarnath. On the day before his death Buddha included Sarnath along with Lumbini, Bodh Gaya and Kushinagar as the four places he thought to be sacred to his followers. It makes Sarnath one of the most venerated Buddhist places. Besides Buddhism, Sarnath is also connected with Jainism. Evening witness live Aarti Ceremony on bank of River Ganges; The Aarti Ceremony can be defined to be a Hindu ritual in which light or fire, which is lit with the help of wicks, soaked in ghee or clarified butter is offered as a means of worship to the deities. Almost all the Hindu rituals of worship involve the ceremony of Aarti. Perhaps the earliest mention of the Ceremony of Aarti in India can be found in Rig Veda, which is considered to be the earliest scripture of Hinduism. According to the Rig Veda, the use of Aarti can be said to be derived from the Vedic concepts of elaborate sacrificial fires or Homa. The word Aarti can be itself said to be derived from a conjunction of the two words of "Aa", meaning "towards", and "Rati", which in turn means "the highest love for God" in Sanskrit. Thus, the word Aarti in actuality means the "highest love for God." “WHERE BIRTH; MEETS DEATH”