My Train To Varanasi Just Left Allahabad Junction’s Platform 🙂
Beautiful and serene Ganges 🙂
And Arrives Varanasi-The City Of Lord Shiva 🙂
The City Close To My Heart 🙂
Varanasi : One of the oldest living cities in the world 🙂
The Square (read crossing) always enjoys a heavy traffic in Varanasi 🙂
You will not find streets empty in Varanasi 😛
Mall Culture Also Prevails In Varanasi 🙂
Photogenic Kids Playing In One Of The Lanes In Varanasi 😛
Varanasi Breathes In Lanes 🙂
Every time I Visit Varanasi I Always Notice Streets In Making 😛
Benaras Hindu University Hospital
Roads Spread On The Campus Of Benaras Hindu University Were Not Only Clean But Also Empty!
A Beautiful Road Leading To New Vishwanath Shiva Temple Situated On The Campus Of Benaras Hindu University 🙂
Benaras Hindu University Has A Huge Campus 🙂
New Vishwanath Shiva Temple 🙂
Myself Outside The Temple 🙂
My Brother-in-Law Who Works At BHU Hospital Happily Played The Role Of Lensman For Images Which Feature Myself 😛 The Statue Behind Him Belongs To Sri Madan Mohan Malviya Ji Who Was The Founder Of This Great Benaras Hindu University (BHU)
Beautiful View Of New Vishwanath Temple 🙂
Inside The Temple 🙂
Extremely Beautiful Ceiling 🙂
Beautifully Built Temple 🙂
The Temple’s Walls Are Full Of Inscriptions Carved On It Over Marble Slabs 🙂
Sri Nandi The Bull : Vehicle Of Lord Shiva 😛
Greenery Is In Abundance 🙂
Sri Nandi The Bull Also Acts As Transmitter 😛 Devotees Of Shiva Believe That Whatever One Speaks Into The Ears Of This Bull Reaches Straight To Lord Shiva 🙂 My Brother-in-Law Did Not Miss The Opportunity 😛
For Me It Was Enough That I Came To Have The Company Of Nandi Maharaj 😛
On The Stairs Leading To Lord Shiva 🙂
Happy Divine Moments 🙂
Enveloped in divinity 🙂
The Simple Structure Behind Brother-in-Law Is Used By The Devotees To Engage In Chanting Mantras 🙂
Rose Garden 🙂
Extremely Beautiful View Of Temple 🙂
Evening Arrives 🙂
It’s A Two Storey Temple 🙂
Glad To Notice Sri Adi Sankara’s Bhaja Govindam Strotam 🙂
Lord Shiva’s Statue On First Floor 🙂 Jai Shiva 🙂
That’s The Statue Of Lord Shiva Situated On The First Floor 🙂 Om Namah Shivay 🙂
Beautiful Ceiling That I Noticed On First Floor 🙂
Also Noticed Sri Laxmi- Narayana Ji’s Statues 🙂 Salutations To Both Of Them 🙂
Complete Srimad Bhagavad Gita Inscribed On One Single Marble Slab 🙂 Jai Sri Krishna 🙂
Also Noticed Sri Gautam Buddha In A Shiva Temple 🙂
One Feels Great Peace Of Mind At This Place 🙂
Goddess Durgaji’s Statue Inside The Temple 🙂 My Pranama To The Mother Of Cosmos 🙂
Brother-in-Law Sitting In Meditative Mudra Under Ashoka Tree 🙂 That’s The Same Tree Under Which Sri Sitaji Sat When She Was Held Captive At Lanka. It’s Believed That This Tree Has The Power To Make You Rise Above All Worries 🙂
Kanha My Cute Cousin Really Taken Aback On Seeing Me Leaving Varanasi. He Came To Bid Me Goodbye 🙂 Relax! I will Come Again And Again 😛 😛 😛
Hope Lord Shiva’s Blessings Always Keep Me In State Of Bliss 🙂
Mother Ganges At Mirzapur Which I Noticed While Going To My Village From Varanasi 🙂
P.S. :- The copyright of these images rests with the author of this post. Anybody making use of them without prior permission of the author, or without giving due credit to the author, could be penalized as per legal norms.
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Indowaves's Blog 
The Die is cast
With only 41 seats of Lok Sabha remaining to be voted upon tomorrow , the die is cast
Outcome of those 41 seats is unlikely to make much of a difference to who will form the next Government at the Centre
If BJP falls short of 272 seats , ” Aya Ram , Gaya Ram ” horse-trading will settle the issue
But what will send a loud and clear message across India is ,
” Who wins in Varanasi ? ”
It is no more a question of Congress vs BJP
Or , a question of David vs Goliath
It is no more a question of choosing between , lesser of the two evils
Even if AAP has made a few honest mistakes and occasionally , compromised on lofty principles , for the first time , people of Varanasi have a choice
To choose between the least of the THREE EVILS !
There are no ABSOLUTE standards by which to judge political parties
There are only RELATIVE standards – and , even these keep shifting
If you think , some of the AAP members – and even , some of its leaders – are susceptible to making immoral compromises , you are entitled to your opinion – which is your right
And Arvind Kejriwal would be the first person to defend your right
Let us ask ourselves ,
” Who is the Least Corrupt of the three ?
Who do I deserve ?
Who is likely to resign if he cannot fulfill his poll-promises ? ”
BJP came into power in Gujarat on 26 Dec 2012 , by promising :
” If voted to power , we will construct 50 lakh houses for the poor in next 5 years ”
In the 500 days since BJP came to power , Gujarat Government should have built , and distributed , 13,69,863 homes
To find the truth , file a RTI application – without expecting any answer !
Of course , by 20th May , expect NaMo to resign as Gujarat CM
Not for having failed to fulfill his promise to people of Gujarat
But , to fulfill his poll-promise to people of India , that , if voted to power , BJP will construct 100 Mega-Cities in next 5 years
That is one Chandigarh or Gandhi-Nagar , every 18 days !
Hopefully , P C Sorkar ( jr ) will help out with a Mirage !
* hemen parekh ( 11 May 2014 / Mumbai )
I would not like to enter into any debate over the facts stated in your comment since there is nothing political about my post..So please see the post via the eyes of traveler and not like a political analyst…
I was confused with your post. I was wondering from where this HC Parekh’s blog arrived on Indowaves blog. Only on seeing the reply of Arvind Kumar, I came to know that your’s was a comment on his blog. But it is very misleading. There is no relevancy of your comment on this post. So kindly do not post irrelevant comments and messages on not connected posts and articles.
Really pleased Mr. Vnktchari that you gave such a fitting response to Mr. Parekh..I was also taken back by his gesture of posting a comment bearing little relevance to issue at hand…I did not trash his comment since that would not have allowed others too anticipate his wayward gesture..And that was the reason the his comment stayed on my post but not without my own strong observations against it…
Shubhranshu Pandey, Advocate, Allahabad High Court, Allahabad, Uttar Prades, said:
बनारस को घाटों के शहर से जाना और पहचाना जाता है. अगर बनारस की बात आयेगी तो गंगा और घाट के आस पास सिमट कर रह जाती है…लेकिन ये फ़ीचर जिसमें बनारस की शान और शिक्षा का केन्द्र BHU के कैम्पस को समेटा है बहुत सुन्दर है..कैम्पस भी नहीं बल्कि वहां के विश्वनाथ मंदिर को जिस तरीके से समेता है वो नयनाभीराम है… i was vicariously there..
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Author’s Response:
तस्वीरो से एहसास हो गया होगा कि थोड़ी देर हो गयी पब्लिश करने में लेकिन राजनैतिक परिदृश्य मे हलचल होने की वजह से इतर चीज़ो मे सलंग्न हो गया था। भोले बाबा की मस्ती से भरी नगरी मे तो अच्छे दृश्यों की भरमार थी। ये समझ नहीं आता कि किसे कैमरे मे बन्द करूं और किसे ना करूं . घाटो पे तो नहीं जा पाया पर नये विश्वनाथ जी बाबा के यहा जाने का संयोग बना और अल्प समय मे जो भी समझ में आया वो कैमरे मे समा गया। और जैसा कि हर मेहनत से रचे पोस्ट को गँभीर पाठको की दरकार होती है लिहाज़ा तुम्हारा अवतरण पोस्ट की सार्थकता को नये आयाम दे जाता है। फोटो फीचर वैसे भी बहुत समय माँगते है एकाग्रता सहित लिहाज़ा इनकी एक्सेप्टन्स ख़ुशी प्रदान करती है।
Author’s words for Sucheta Singhal, USA:
भोले बाबा की नगरी को दूर से निहारने के लिये धन्यवाद 🙂
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Author’s words For Prasssoon Suryadas, USA:
Many thanks that you showed such a deep interest in this travelogue…Kashi resides in my heart, it constitutes my spirit…
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Author’s words for Vishal Sabharwal, Ludhiana, Punjab:
Jai Sri Krishna 🙂 Hope you noticed Bhaja Govindam inside Vishwanath Temple 🙂
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Author’s Response For Nikhil Garg, Noida, Uttar Pradesh:
Jai Shiva 🙂 I had the images with me but the photo feature got delayed due to unavoidable circumstances…I was bit disappointed but now too happy to find that readers have struck such an intimate chord with this post..Stats of this post make me jubilant…
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Author’s words for Sudhir Gawandalkar, Bangalore, Karnataka:
For me images mean a lot…
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Author’s words for Vaibhav Mani Tripathi, Sub Registrar, Ranchi, Jharkhand:
May be timing of publication has coincided with heated political contest in Varanasi but this post is entirely devoted to glory of Lord Shiva 😛 Thanks for being part of it 🙂
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Author’s words for Sajid Siddiqui, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh:
Thanks for appreciating the pics..Have a look at the related travelogue..You would find more good images..
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Author’s words for Manish Tripath, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh:
Thanks for identifying with it….Hope you enjoyed the post in its entirety having a look at all the images…Om Namah Shivay…
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Author’s words for Chandrapal S. Bhasker, United Kingdom:
That’s my take on Varanasi- a land devoted to Lord Shiva and Buddha…A land immersed in total bliss 🙂
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Author’s words for Urmila Harit, Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), New Delhi:
Om Namah Shivay 🙂 I hope you found enough time to see all the images in the post…That would let you realize that at a time when political battle is at its peak, I dared to be different by focusing on cultural insights 😛 😛 😛
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Author’s words for Ravi Hooda, Canada:
Indian cities are so beautiful but we come to ignore them and love to travel distant foreign lands..At least, we should first try to see our own beauty in all its totality…
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Author’s words for Baijnath Pandey, Buxar, Bihar:
Satyam Shivam Sundaram 😛 A feeling that refuses to go away once you arrive in Kashi 🙂
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Author’s words for Amartya Taluqdar, Howarah, West Bengal:
So finally your city arrives to the fore 🙂 Images must have made you nostalgic 🙂
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Author’s words for Radiodost, Jharkhand; Natwar Baba Nirmohi ji and Gopinathan :
Om Namah Shivay to all of you…Thanks for finding few moments to have glimpse of a city resting on “Glory of Lord Shiva” 🙂
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Many thanks to the readers who arrived very soon on this post:
Pragati Dubey; Biswaksen Tripathy, Sambalpur, Orissa; Himanshu B. Pandey, Siwan, Bihar; Daneshwar Pandey, Mumbai; Kripa Shankar Pandey, Mumbai; Anirudh, Mumbai, Maharashtra; Akhilesh Pandey, Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh; Anurag Sharma, Pittsburgh, USA; Dipak Sareen, New Delhi; Mayank Mishra, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh; Dayanidhi Vats, Bareily, Uttar Pradesh; Shishir Tewari,Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh; Rekha Pandey, Mumbai; Vidhya Bhushan Pandey, Special Prosecution Officer, High Court, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh; Akhilesh pandey, Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh; Manju Pandey, Calcutta, West Bengal; PN Subramanian, Mumbai; Bhuvnesh Sharma; Men’s Rights, Bangalore, Karnataka; Shahabuddin Mohammed, Ernakulam, Kerala, and Ashvini Kumar, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh;
Ashvini Kumar, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, said:
हर हर महादेव पाण्डेय जी…
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Author’s Response:
हर हर महादेव जी 🙂
Rajendra Tiwari, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, said:
Namo namo…..
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Author’s Response:
Rajendra ji…
I think Har Har Mahadeva suits better 🙂 I wish to keep my post 100% apolitical 🙂
Ian Shalpata, Windsor, Ontario, Canada, said:
Some very nice photos Arvind ji. A nice tribute to an important place…
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Author’s Response:
Although I do not have a high definition camera, I try my best to get a perfect shot…Yes, Varanasi is an important city on the world’s map..It’s importance could be gauged from the fact that it’s always full of foreign visitors from various parts of the world who enjoy a lot in this city…Right now it’s politically hot since Narendra Modi, most likely to be new PM of India, is contesting election from this city!
Anurag Sharma, Pittsburg, USA, said:
हर हर महादेव! घर बैठे काशी यात्रा हो गई, आभार!
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Author’s Response:
चलिए आपकी इस बात ने ना मेरी पोस्ट क़ो “holy” 😛 अर्थात शिवमय बना दिया वरन इसकी सार्थकता को भीं कईं गुना बढा दिया 🙂
Namastey Arvind Ji,
Beautiful pics and description of the city of Varansi. Thanks for sharing.
Regards,
Ravi Hooda
Har Har Mahadev Ravi Ji 🙂 Really glad that my distance friends found it engrossing…Although I do not employ a good modern camera, owing to financial limitations, I am still pretty satisfied in terms of output…And the way readers come to associate with images in an intimate way…Thanks a lot for being part of it….For being part of all my posts 🙂
Anup K Chakravarty, Gujarat, said:
Liked your blog on Allahabad and Varanasi. Came to know about Dehati ka Rasgulla from your blog.
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Author’s Response:
Thanks a lot Anup ji..One of the reasons why travelogues are such an important part of literature is that they allow you to visualize any place without actually visiting it..Of course, they to create such an effect they must be well- written along with good images..
Daneshwar Pandey, Mumbai, said:
Jai Baba Vishwanath ki….
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Author’s Response:
Har Har Mahadeva 🙂
Yogesh Pandey, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, said:
Later will also be known as namo city 🙂
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Author’s Response:
Om Namah Shivay 🙂 Well, I will always see it as land belonging to most innocent people on earth always engaged in fun-filled ways 🙂
As I went throuh your clicks, I was more and more convinced that Kashi was a mosaic of old and new temples; the people over there, colorful and vivid, represent a culture that has grown and prospered through centuries. May the people of this ancient city understand it’s worth, and protect it’s divinity from being diluted by caste and religion based politics.
And yep, I accept your authority over the images. They are copyrighted…. 🙂
@ Baijnath ji…
Your scholarly response makes me feel that if there are good writers then at the same time there is no dearth of very intelligent readers like you…That I have to say because you know well that on social media sites we often meet dull readers and that’s pretty disappointing….
Coming back to my post, I need to say that I feel displeased about the fact that I did not get much chance to visit many other places..In fact, a complete photo feature on Varanasi ( a near impossible task since Varanasi has so many beautiful temples at every nook and corner besides being full of so many vibrant happenings every other second 😛 ) would be in many parts the way Allahabad one got covered in many parts.
Anyway, whatever I did was done with a focused mind..Although other problem I face is that I do not have a high definition camera…However, I am still so glad that ultimate presentation of photo features on my part is always appealing and charming for the readers…Thanks to Lord Shiva that He never allows my efforts to go in vain 🙂
And yes, I am not against the fact that people use my images but then at least they should have the courtesy to attribute the image to its right owner 🙂 You must have seen that to prevent illegal use almost all professional photographers and institutions have their names printed upon the images preceded by C in a circle 😛
A very good post. You have brilliantly described Varanasi with your photo shoot. I appreciate you very much for this.
Thanks Mr Vnktchari for your kind words …..I did a lot of hard work in making of this post..This city that belongs to Lord Shiva needs to be highlighted so that others can have a perfect perspective of it…
Urmila Harit, Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), New Delhi:
Lagta hai aap bhi namo me gote laga rahe hai!!
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Author’s Response:
No..Not at all…Once you are involved deeply with Lord Shiva, the scope to get involved in human worshiping becomes zero 😛 In fact, this post is ample proof that Shiva and not NaMo lives inside me 🙂
Mani Shankar Pandey, Siddharth Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, said:
HAR-HAR GANGE OM NAMAH SHIVAY..
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Author’s Response:
Om Namah Shivay ji..
Dilakashi Businger, Switzerland, said:
Oh my dear, its again a very great photo feature you presented and shared with me. Thank you so much for this.
Now then, here it is, I’m going to describe my travel with you….. 🙂
After I wondered, why that you wonder for all the tourists, who bear all the scents of Varanasi, for only to be in that special city … I just said to myself; Oh Arvind, that’s but logical after all its the city of light and people get drawn to it from all around the world. And even more, its the axis, the universe, from all were ruled and spreads from.
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Author’s Response:
Your words always get me trapped in meditative zone 🙂 …Keep confessing right from the bottom of the soul 🙂