Varanasi is one of the most prominent tourist places in India. The city attracts millions of domestic and international tourists. [1] The temples across the city attract pilgrims. The ghats and the Buddhist site Sarnath attract tourists from abroad. Varanasi is one of the oldest cities in the world, which makes it rich with cultural heritage. [2] The city is home to ghats, temples, and museums. [3]
| Types | Picture | Attraction | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temple |  | Kashi Vishwanath Temple | 1780 |
| Temple |  | New Kashi Vishwanath Temple (BHU) | 1966 |
| Temple |  | Bharat Mata Mandir | 1936 |
| Temple |  | Durga Mandir | 18th Century |
| Temple |  | Tulsi Manas Mandir | 1964 |
| Temple |  | Sankat Mochan Mandir | 16th Century |
| Ghat |  | Dashashwamedh Ghat | 1748 |
| Ghat |  | Assi Ghat | 1988 |
| Ghat |  | Manikarnika Ghat | 5th Century |
| Ghat |  | Scindia Ghat | 1830 |
| Ghat |  | Tulsi Ghat | 1941 |
| Fort |  | Ramnagar Fort | 1750 |
| Mosque |  | Alamgir Masjid | 1669 |
| Tomb |  | Tomb of Lal Khan | 1773 [4] |
| Museum |  | Bharat Kala Bhavan | 1920 |
| Museum |  | Man Mahal Observatory | 1737 |
| Park |  | Sant Ravidas Smarak Park | 2008 |
| Fort |  | Chet Singh Fort | 18th Century |
| Cathedral |  | St. Mary's Cathedral | 1970 |
| Church | - | St. Thomas Church [5] | - |
| University |  | Benaras Hindu University (BHU) | 1916 |
| Museum |  | Deendayal Hastkala Sankul | 2017 [6] |
| Archaeological |  | Dhamek Stupa | 500 CE |
| Temple |  | Sarnath Buddhist Temple | 649 CE [7] |
| Temple |  | Thai Temple | 1933 [8] |
| Statue |  | Standing Buddha | 2011 [9] |
| Museum |  | Sarnath Museum | 1910 |
| Archaeological | - | Chaukhandi Stupa | 1589 [10] |
| Temple |  | Japanese Temple [11] | - |
| Temple |  | Chinese Temple [12] | - |
| Monastery |  | Cambodian Monastery [13] | 2014 [13] |
| Temple |  | Tibetan Temple [14] | - |
| Temple |  | Burmese Temple [15] | - |
| Temple |  | Korean Temple [16] | - |
| Temple |  | Sri Lankan Temple [17] | - |
| Temple |  | Shri Digamber Jain Temple [18] | - |
| Temple |  | Golden Temple [19] | - |
| Park/Zoo |  | Sarnath Deer Park | 1956 [20] |
| Park |  | Garden of Spiritual Wisdom [21] | - |
Nalanda was a renowned Buddhist mahavihara in ancient and medieval Magadha, eastern India. Widely considered to be among the greatest centres of learning in the ancient world, and often referred to as "the world's first residential university", it was located near the city of Rajagriha, roughly 90 kilometres (56 mi) southeast of Pataliputra. Operating for almost a thousand years from 427 CE until around 1400 CE, Nalanda played a vital role in promoting the patronage of arts and academics during the 5th and 6th century CE, a period that has since been described as the "Golden Age of India" by scholars.
Lumbinī is a Buddhist pilgrimage site in the Rupandehi District of Lumbini Province in Nepal. According to the sacred texts of the Buddhist Commentaries, Maya Devi gave birth to Siddhartha Gautama in Lumbini in c. 624 BCE. Siddhartha Gautama achieved Enlightenment, and became Shakyamuni Buddha who founded Buddhism. He later passed into parinirvana at the age of 80 years, in c.544 BCE. Lumbini is one of four most sacred pilgrimage sites pivotal in the life of the Buddha.
Sarnath is a town located 8 kilometres northeast of Varanasi, near the confluence of the Ganges and the Varuna rivers in Uttar Pradesh, India. According to the Lalitavistara sutra, the Gautama Buddha chose "Deer Park by the Hill of the Fallen Sages, outside of Varanasi" for the location of his first teachings of Buddhism, known as the Dhammacakkappavattana sutra, after he attained enlightenment at Bodh Gaya. It is one of eight most important pilgrimage sites for Buddhists, and has been nominated to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Bodh Gayā is a religious site and place of pilgrimage associated with the Mahabodhi Temple complex, situated in the Gaya district in the Indian state of Bihar. It is famous for being the place where Gautama Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment under what became known as the Bodhi Tree. Since antiquity, Bodh Gayā has remained the object of pilgrimage and veneration, for both Hindus and Buddhists. In particular, archaeological finds, including sculptures, show that the site was in use by Buddhists since the Mauryan period. Bodh Gayā and the nearby regions were invaded and destroyed in the 12th century CE by Muslim Turk armies, led by Delhi Sultanate's Qutb al-Din Aibak and Bakhtiyar Khilji.
Dhamek Stupa is a massive stupa located in Deer Park at Sarnath in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. One of the eight most important pilgrimage sites for Buddhists, the Dhamek Stupa marks the location where the Buddha gave his first teaching to his first five disciples Kaundinya, Assaji, Bhaddiya, Vappa and Mahanama. All five disciples eventually became fully liberated. According to the Lalitavistara sutra, the Buddha said he chooses "Deer Park by the Hill of the Fallen Sages, outside of Varanasi" for the location of his first teachings of Buddhism.
The most important places in Buddhism are located in the Indo-Gangetic Plain of southern Nepal and northern India. This is the area where Gautama Buddha was born, lived, and taught, and the main sites connected to his life are now important places of pilgrimage for both Buddhists and Hindus. Many countries that are or were predominantly Buddhist have shrines and places which can be visited as a pilgrimage.
Buddhism is an ancient Indian religion, which arose in and around the ancient Kingdom of Magadha. It is based on the teachings of Gautama Buddha, who lived in the 6th or 5th century BCE and was deemed a "Buddha". However, Buddhist doctrine holds that there were other Buddhas before him. Buddhism spread outside of Magadha starting in the Buddha's lifetime.
In religion and spirituality, a pilgrimage is a long journey or search of great moral significance. Sometimes, it is a journey to a sacred place or to a shrine of importance to a person's beliefs and faith. Members of every major religion participate in pilgrimages. A person who makes such a journey is called a pilgrim.
Andhra Pradesh is a state in India. Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) is a state government agency which promotes tourism in Andhra Pradesh, describing the state as the Koh-i-Noor of India. Andhra Pradesh has a variety of tourist attractions including beaches, hills, caves, wildlife, forests and temples.
Yatra, in Indian-origin religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, generally means a pilgrimage to holy places such as confluences of sacred rivers, sacred mountains, places associated with Hindu epics such as the Mahabharata and Ramayana, and other sacred pilgrimage sites. Visiting a sacred place is believed by the pilgrim to purify the self and bring one closer to the divine. The journey itself is as important as the destination, and the hardships of travel serve as an act of devotion in themselves.
The Culture of Uttar Pradesh is an Indian culture which has its roots in Hindi, Bhojpuri and Urdu literature, music, fine arts, drama and cinema. Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, has historical monuments including Bara Imambara and Chhota Imambara, and has preserved the damaged complex of the Oudh-period British Resident's quarters, which are being restored.
Situated in the northern part of India, bordering with the capital of India New Delhi, Uttar Pradesh is one of the most popular and an established tourist destination for both Indians and non-Indians alike in India. The most populous state of India, Uttar Pradesh contains many historical monuments and places of religious significance. Geographically, Uttar Pradesh is very diverse, with Himalayan foothills in the extreme north and the Gangetic Plain in the centre. It is also home of India's most visited sites, Hinduism's holiest city, Varanasi. Kumbh city, Prayagraj. Kathak, one of the eight forms of Indian classical dances, originated from Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh is at the heart of India, hence it is also known as The Heartland of India. Cuisine of Uttar Pradesh like Awadhi cuisine, Mughlai cuisine and Bhojpuri cuisine are very famous not only in India but also many places abroad.
Ghats in Varanasi are riverfront steps leading to the banks of the Ganges river. The city has 84 ghats. Most of the ghats are bathing and puja ceremonial ghats, while two ghats, Manikarnika and Harishchandra, are used exclusively as cremation sites.
The architecture of Uttar Pradesh demonstrates a diverse and eclectic combination of Buddhist, Hindu, Indo-Islamic, and Indo-European architectural styles. Three of its architectural monuments—the Taj Mahal, the Agra Fort, as well as the township of Fatehpur Sikri founded by the Mughal emperor Akbar—are designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The architectural structures in Uttar Pradesh include ancient Buddhist stūpas and vihāras, ancient Buddhist and Hindu monasteries, townships, forts, palaces, temples, mosques, mausoleums, memorials, and other community structures. Uttar Pradesh's architectural structures also include various Hindu temples, Ghats, etc. largely found in ancient cities like Benares (Varanasi), Brindaban (Vrindavan), Mathura, and Prayagraj (Allahabad).
Varanasi is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world. The city has a syncretic tradition of Islamic artisanship that underpins its religious tourism. Located in the middle-Ganges valley in the southeastern part of the state of Uttar Pradesh, Varanasi lies on the left bank of the river. It is 692 kilometres (430 mi) to the southeast of India's capital New Delhi and 320 kilometres (200 mi) to the southeast of the state capital, Lucknow. It lies 121 kilometres (75 mi) downstream of Prayagraj, where the confluence with the Yamuna river is another major Hindu pilgrimage site.
Northeast India consists of eight states: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura. Tourism in this area is based around the unique Himalayan landscape and culture distinct from the rest of India.
Tourism in Himachal Pradesh relates to tourism in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. This is popularly renowned for its Himalayan landscapes and popular hill-stations. Many outdoor activities such as rock climbing, mountain biking, paragliding, ice-skating, trekking, rafting, and heli-skiing are popular tourist attractions in Himachal Pradesh.
Varanasi, also known as Kashi, is considered as the religious capital of Hinduism. In the Hindu faith, it is the holiest of all of its cities; the four dhams in the four cardinal directions of the country – Badrinath in the north, Puri in the east, Dwarka in the west and Rameshwaram in the south – are all represented in the city in "archetypal forms" as the presiding deities at Badrinath Ghat, Assi's Jagannath Temple area, Shankudhara Pokhra, and Mir Ghat respectively. Other Hindu holy places, such as the Kedarnath at Kedar Ghat, Mathura at Bakaruia Kund or Nakhi Ghat, Prayagraj (Allahadbad) at Dashahvamedha Ghat, Kamakhya (Assam) at Kamachha, Kurukshetra at Kurkukshetra Kund near Asi, and Lake Manasarovar at Mansarovar near Shyameshvara are a part of the city's religious and cultural heritage.
Nalanda railway station, station code NLD, is a railway station and under Danapur railway division of East Central Railway. Nalanda is connected to metropolitan areas of India, by the Delhi–Kolkata main line via Mugalsarai–Patna route. Station is located in Nalanda city in Nalanda district in the Indian state of Bihar. Due to its location on the Bakhtiyarpur–Tilaiya main line many Patna and other cities via Express trains coming from Rajgir and Gaya Junction stop here.
Tourism in India is economically significant and projected to continue a pattern of growth. In 2016, the World Travel & Tourism Council calculated that tourism generated ₹14.02 lakh crore (US$160 billion) or 9.6% of the nation's GDP and supported 40.343 million jobs, 9.3% of its total employment. The sector is predicted to grow at an annual rate of 6.8% to ₹28.49 lakh crore (US$330 billion) by 2027.
