The City of Varanasi in Literature

Last updated

Varanasi is a city that the Hindus all over the world consider as a holy city and a place of pilgrimage. [1] The centrality of this city in the Hindu worldview has a direct bearing upon its presence in various forms of literature, either directly upon the city itself, or having the city in a kind of central role. Many literary works mention Varanasi occasionally, but that will not be called city literature. The literary presence of the city of Varanasi or Kashi, as it is invariably called in Sanskrit literature, can be conveniently understood by looking at the city literature divided into three groups, based on its language: Sanskrit, Hindi and English.

Contents

Varanasi in Sanskrit literature

Varanasi or Kashi is present in various Puranas, praised as the holiest of the holy cities. The most notable example of one such purana is Skandmahapuran [2] that has one large book with one hundred chapters on Varanasi. The section is called the Kashi Khanda or section. Kashi Khanda is a long narrative in verse that praises the city and its sacred locations. [3] In addition to the puranas there are various compendiums on places of pilgrimage that keep praising the three tirthas: Kashi, Prayag (Allahabad) and Gaya. [4] Pandit Jagannath's Gangalahari was composed in Sanskrit in Varanasi and praises the holy Ganga that flows through the city. Many of the Jataka Tales begin as,'Long time ago, in the city of Kashi...'. That shows the importance of the city in national life, and explained its presence in literature.

Shiva Samhita chapter 5, verse number 100, reads as The two vessels called the Idã and pingalã are the real "Varana" and "Asi" the space between them is called vârânasi(Benares, the holy city of siva). There it is said that the vishwanâtha (the loard of universe) dwells

Varanasi in Hindi-Urdu literature

From the origin of Hindi literature, or poetry, as prose came later, Varanasi had a role to play in its development. [5] The first great Hindi (in the Awadhi dialect) poet to write in praise of Varanasi was Goswami Tulsidas. He wrote a long panegyric of the city: 'Why won't one praise the city of Kashi where dwell Shiva and his consort?'. [6] Varanasi was the birthplace of modern Hindi literature and language, because Bhartendu Harishchandra, the father of the khadi boli dialect, that was later standardized into Hindi of modern usage, dominated the literary scene throughout his active life span. He wrote beautifully on his city both in prose and verse. A special mention must be made of his play: Premjogini that is not only set in the city, but makes the city its protagonist. After Bhartendu came Munshi Premchand. His stories and many of his novels are set in the city of Varanasi and give it a lot of importance. Shiv Prasad Mishra, Kashi Nath Singh and Shiv Prasaad Singh are the three noteworthy writers who wrote short stories and novels centered on the city of Varanasi.,. [7] [8] Before 1947 there were many writers and poets in Varanasi who used to write in Urdu, e.g. Premchand. With time, the number of Urdu poets and writers went down. Nazeer Banarsi shines among those poets who wrote on Varanasi in Urdu. [9]

Varanasi in English literature

In comparison to literature in the other two languages, English literature has fewer works that give Varanasi the central position. Pankaj Mishra's The Romantics is a novel in which many chapters are set in the city of Varanasi. It succeeds in following the diurnal and seasonal rhythms of the city. Among the popular fiction writers, Amish Tripathi and Chetan Bhagat have used Varanasi in their novels: The Shiva Trilogy (one part) and Revolution 2020.

Mark Twain includes an amusing account of the city in his More Tramps Abroad, chapter 53-56 (Chatto and Windus, 1898). [10]

Letitia Elizabeth Landon's poetical illustration, Benares, (1831), to a picture by W. Turner, represents the very negative view of the English in the early Nineteenth Century towards all the trappings of religious practice found in the city at that time. [11] Elsewhere, Miss Landon is much more open-minded: compare her poetical illustration to Hindoo Temples at Benares, (1832), a painting by Thomas Shotter Boys, in which decay is generalised. [12]

Varanasi in Buddhism

According to the Buddhist narrative found within the Cakkavatti Sīhanāda Sutta, Varanasi will become the legendary domain of Ketumati during Maitreya's days. [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Haridwar</span> City in Uttarakhand, India

Haridwar is a city and municipal corporation in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, India. With a population of 228,832 in 2011, it is the second-largest city in the state and the largest in the district.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tulsidas</span> Hindu saint and poet (c.1511–1623)

Tulsidas was a Ramanandi Vaishnava Hindu saint and poet, renowned for his devotion to the deity Rama. He wrote several popular works in Sanskrit and Awadhi, but is best known as the author of the Hanuman Chalisa and of the epic Ramcharitmanas, a retelling of the Sanskrit Ramayana based on Rama's life in the vernacular Awadhi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bundelkhand</span> Geographical and cultural region in central India

Bundelkhand is a geographical and cultural region and a proposed state and also a mountain range in central & North India. The hilly region is now divided between the states of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, with the larger portion lying in the latter state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kashi Vishwanath Temple</span> Hindu temple in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India

The Kashi Vishwanath Temple is a famous Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is located in Vishwanath Gali of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh in India. The temple stands on the western bank of the holy river Ganga, and is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, the holiest of Shiva temples. The main deity is known by the names Shri Vishwanath and Vishweshwara literally meaning Lord of the Universe. Varanasi was called Kashi ("shining") in ancient times, and hence the temple is popularly called Kashi Vishwanath Temple.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Al Wajh</span> City in Tabuk Province, Saudi Arabia

Al Wajh, also written Al Wejh, is a coastal city in north-western Saudi Arabia, situated on the coast of the Red Sea. The city is located in the Tabuk Province. It is one of the largest cities in Tabuk region, with a population of 50,000 as of 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nakki Lake</span> Lake in Rajasthan, India

Nakki Lake is a lake situated in the Indian hill station of Mount Abu in Aravalli range.

Kahalgaon is a town and a municipality in Bhagalpur district in the state of Bihar, India. It is located close to the Vikramashila, that was once a famous centre of Buddhist learning across the world, along with Nalanda during the Pala dynasty. The Kahalgaon Super Thermal Power Plant (KhSTPP) is located near the town(3 km).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Benares State</span> Indian kingdom and later princely state (1740–1948)

Benares or Banaras State was a kingdom and later princely state in what is today Uttar Pradesh, India. On 15 October 1948, Benares' last ruler signed the accession to the Indian Union.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Treryn Dinas</span> Headland on the south coast of Cornwall, England

Treryn Dinas is a headland near Treen, on the Penwith peninsula between Penberth Cove and Porthcurno in Cornwall, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chhannulal Mishra</span> Hindustani classical singer

Pandit Chhannulal Mishra is a celebrated Hindustani classical singer from Banaras, a noted exponent of the Kirana gharana (school) of the Hindustani classical music and especially the Khayal and the 'Purab Ang' – Thumri.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scindia Ghat</span>

Scindia Ghat is one of the ghats in Varanasi and borders Manikarnika, a place of Hindu cremation, to the north. At this ghat, a tilted Shiva temple can be found lying partially submerged in the Ganges River and it is argued that this ghat collapsed under its own excessive weight. The ghat is named after the Scindias, who built it in 1830. Above the ghat, several of Kashi’s most influential shrines are located within the tight maze of alleys of Siddha Kshetra. According to mythology, Agni, the Hindu God of Fire, was born here. Hindu devotees propitiate at this place to Vireshwara, the Lord of all heroes, for a son.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Pleasant, Liverpool</span> Street in Liverpool, England

Mount Pleasant is a street in Liverpool city centre. It is towards one end of Hope Street, and is the location of the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Shotter Boys</span> English painter

Thomas Shotter Boys (1803–1874) was an English watercolour painter and lithographer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Thomson (engraver)</span> British engraver

James Thomson (1788–1850) was a British engraver, known for his portraits. He completed his apprenticeship in engraving and then established himself independently, following the dot and stipple style. His engravings and paintings featured both leading figures of his day and those of previous periods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Varanasi</span> Metropolis in Uttar Pradesh, India

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 Muslim 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 east of the state capital, Lucknow. It lies 121 kilometres (75 mi) downstream of Allahabad, where the confluence with the Yamuna river is another major Hindu pilgrimage site.

Thomas Alfred Woolnoth (1785–1857) was an English engraver. He was known for his portraits of theatre people. He also painted, and engraved works of Correggio and Van Dyck. Woolnoth was engraver to Queen Victoria. His work was also included in Cadell and Davies Britannia depicta.

Shiv Prasaad Singh was an Indian writer, university professor and scholar of the Hindi language. He is well-known for writing novels, short stories and critiques in Hindi. He was formerly a professor of Hindi literature in Benares Hindu University. He received the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award in 1990 for his novel Neela Chand.

Kharsali is a small village near Yamunotri Temple in Uttarakhand, India, that hosts the idol of Goddess Yamuna during winters, after it is brought down in a ritual ceremony from the temple, some fifteen hundred feet higher, as it becomes inaccessible after being snowed in. The priests of the Yamunotri Temple hail from this village. The idol is brought down from the temple, a four-mile trek away, during the festival of Diwali with great celebration, and returns to the temple in spring.

References

  1. Havell, E. B. (1905). Benares the Sacred City (1 ed.). London: Blackie and Son. pp.  226.
  2. Vyas, Ved (2015). Kashi Khand, Skandmahapuranam (1 ed.). Varanasi: Chaukhambha Press. p. 1012. ISBN   978-81-7080-447-5.
  3. Mishra, Rajnish (2016). "Puranic Narratives of Separation from the City of Kashi". Kruti. 2 (2): 23. ISSN   2349-8358.
  4. Bhatt, Narayan (1915). Tristhalisetu. Shringeri: Anand Ashram. p. 379.
  5. Shukla, Ramchandra (2013). Hindi Sahitya ka Itihas (1 ed.). Varanasi: University Press. p. 22. ISBN   978-81-7124-956-5.
  6. Tulsidas, Goswami (1962). Vinay Patrika. Varanassi: Jnana Mandal. p. 475.
  7. Rudra Kashikey, Shiv Prasad Mishra (2010). Bahti Ganga. New Delhi: Radhakrishn Paperbacks. p. 164. ISBN   978-81-7119-478-0.
  8. Singh, Kashi Nath (2014). Kashi ka Assi. New Delhi: Raj Kamal. p. 172. ISBN   978-81-267-1146-8.
  9. Niyogi, Bhaskar Guha. "Hamne Namazein bhi Padhi Hain Tere Paani se Waju karke". www.vichar.bhadas4media.com/. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  10. Murray's A Handbook for Travellers in India Burma and Ceylon, 1924, page 66.
  11. Landon, Letitia Elizabeth (1831). "poetical illustration". Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1832. Fisher, Son & Co.Landon, Letitia Elizabeth (1831). "picture". Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1832. Fisher, Son & Co.
  12. Landon, Letitia Elizabeth (1832). "picture". Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1833. Fisher, Son & Co.Landon, Letitia Elizabeth (1832). "poetical illustration". Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1833. Fisher, Son & Co.
  13. Singh, Rana (2003). Where the Buddha Walked: A Companion to the Buddhist Places of India. Indica Books. p. 123. ISBN   9788186569368.