he Ramnagar Fort, near the eastern bank of the Ganges, was built in the 18th century in

the Mughal style of architecture, featuring carved balconies, open courtyards, and scenic pavilions.
Among the estimated 23,000 temples in Varanasi are Kashi Vishwanath Temple of Shiva,
the Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple, and the Durga Temple. The Kashi Naresh (Maharaja of
Kashi) is the chief cultural patron of Varanasi, and an essential part of all religious celebrations. The
city has long been an educational and musical centre: many prominent Indian philosophers, poets,
writers, and musicians live or have lived in the city, and it was the place where the Benares
gharana form of Hindustani classical music was developed. One of Asia's largest residential
universities is Banaras Hindu University (BHU).

Contents

 1Etymology
 2History
o 2.1Hindu mythology
o 2.2Archaeological evidence
o 2.3Ancient period
o 2.4Medieval period
o 2.5Early Modern to Modern periods (1500–1949)
 3Geography and climate
o 3.1Geography
o 3.2Climate
 4Administration and politics
o 4.1Administration
 4.1.1General Administration
 4.1.2Police Administration
 4.1.3Infrastructure and Civic Administration
o 4.2Politics
o 4.3Healthcare
o 4.4Public maintenance
 5Demographics
o 5.1Religion in Varanasi
 6Economy
o 6.1Tourism in Varanasi
 7Notable landmarks
o 7.1Jantar Mantar
o 7.2Ramnagar Fort
o 7.3Ghats
o 7.4Temples
o 7.5Mosques
o 7.6Shri Guru Ravidass Janam Asthan
o 7.7Sarnath
 8Culture
o 8.1Literature
o 8.2Art
o 8.3Music
o 8.4Festivals
 9Education
 10Media
 11Sport
 12Transport
o 12.1Air transport
o 12.2Railways
o 12.3Roads
o 12.4Inland Waterways
 13Projects
o 13.1Road
o 13.2Railways
o 13.3Airport
o 13.4Varanasi Metro
o 13.5Commercial
 14Sister cities
 15See also
 16References
 17Further reading
 18External links

Etymology
Traditional etymology links "Varanasi" to the names of two Ganges tributaries forming the city's
borders: Varuna, still flowing in northern Varanasi, and Assi, today a small stream in the southern
part of the city, near Assi Ghat. The old city is located on the north shores of the Ganges, bounded
by Varuna and Assi.[13]
In the Rigveda, an ancient Indian sacred collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns, the city is referred to as
Kāśī (काशी: Kashi) from the Sanskrit verbal root kaś- "to shine", making Varanasi known as "City of
Light",[14] the "luminous city as an eminent seat of learning".[15] The name was also used by pilgrims
dating from Buddha's days.
Hindu religious texts use many epithets to refer to Varanasi, such as Kāśikā (काशशका: Sanskrit: "the
shining one"), Avimukta (अशिमु क्त: Sanskrit: "never forsaken" by Shiva), Ānandavana
(आनंदिना: Sanskrit: "the forest of bliss"), and Rudravāsa (रुद्रिासा: Sanskrit: "the place where
Rudra/Śiva resides").[1]