THE DEAD, THE DOCTOR AND GHOST

( Part - XXIII )

Doctor Vishal’s Varanasi Pilgrim Visit:

Through these Pancha Yagnas performance, Doctor Vishal has self-advocated and changed his mind and started living. Lot of change has foreseen in Doctor Vishal’s attitudes. To keep Vishal’s parents happy, for the first tie DoctorVishal chalked-out a programme, to have darshan of Lord Shiva and other Deities in and around Varanasi. The entire family of Doctor left for Varanasi Pilgrim visit. Doctor Vishal family and parents for few days left for Varanasi, visited prayed all the Deities. Doctor Vishal explained the importance of “Varanasi Vaibhav” to their family members and Parents.

Satisfaction and Peace to Atmas – Varanasi Vaibhav:

Do you know why dead person’s relatives visit Varanasi?

What is Varanasi? Treveni Sangam importance?

Do people visit these places to perform ‘karma’ or pray ‘Deities’ and ‘Gods’ for dead person’s Atmas?

What are the Ghats at Varanasi?

Why Ganga Aarati will be given to “Ganga River” each day at 7.00 PM?

Why people should visit Kalabhairava Temple compulsory.

What are the importance of Village Deities situated in and around Varanasi?

Why Goddess Varahi Devi go round each night to safeguard Varanasi?

Why people who visits Varanasi, also to visit Varahi Devi Temple to pray the Goddess?

Varanasi Vaibhav explained as follows:

Varanasi, one of the world's oldest living cities, is rightly called the religious capital of India. Also known as Banaras or Benaras, this holy city is located in the south-eastern part of the state of Uttar Pradesh in northern India. It rests on the left bank of the. Every devout Hindu hopes to visit the city at least once in a lifetime, take a holy dip at the Ghats of the Ganga (the famous steps leading down to the water), walk the pious Panchakosi road that bounds the city, and, if God wills, die here in old age.

Varanasi for Visitors:

Both Hindus and non-Hindus from around the world visit Varanasi for different reasons. Popularly called the city of Shiva and Ganga, Varanasi is simultaneously the city of temples, the city of Ghats, the city of music, and the center for moksha, or nirvana.

A Place of Spiritual Luminance:

The former name of the city, "Kashi," signifies that Varanasi is a "site of spiritual luminance." And indeed it is. Not only is Varanasi a place for pilgrimage, it is also a great center of learning and a place known for its heritage in music, literature, art, and craft.

Varanasi is a cherished name in the art of silk weaving. The Banaras silk sarees and brocades produced here are prized all over the world.

The classical musical styles, or gharanas, are woven into the lifestyle of the people and are accompanied by musical instruments that are manufactured in Varanasi.

Many religious texts and theosophical treatises have been written here. It is also the seat of one of India's biggest universities, the Banaras Hindu University.

What Makes Varanasi Holy?

To the Hindus, the Ganges is a sacred river, and any town or city on its bank is believed to be auspicious. But Varanasi has a special sanctity for legend has it that this is where Lord Shiva and his consort Parvathi stood when time started ticking for the first time.

The place also has an intimate connection with a host of legendary figures and mythical characters, who are said to have actually lived here. Varanasi has found a place in the Buddhist scriptures, as well as the great Hindu epic of Mahabharata. The holy epic poem Shri Ramcharitmanas by Goswami Tulsidas was also written here. All this makes Varanasi a significantly holy place.

Varanasi is a veritable paradise for the pilgrims who throng the Ghats of the Ganges for spiritual reward—deliverance from sin and attainment of nirvana. The Hindus believe that to die here on the banks of the Ganges is an assurance of heavenly bliss and emancipation from the eternal cycle of birth and death. So, many Hindus travel to Varanasi at the twilight hour of their life.

The City of Temples:

Varanasi is also famous for its antique temples. The renowned Kashi Vishwanath Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva has a lingam—the phallic icon of Shiva—that goes back to the time of the great epics. Skanda Purana by Kasikanda mentions this temple of Varanasi as Shiva's abode, and it has withstood the onslaught of various invasions by Muslim rulers.

In addition the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, there are other famous temples in Varanasi.

The 8th century Durga Temple, situated on the Ramnagar Pandav road, is home to hundreds of monkeys that reside in the nearby trees.

Another popular temple is the Sankatmochan Temple, dedicated to the simian-god Hanuman.

Varanasi's Bharat Mata Temple is probably the only temple in India that is dedicated to the 'Mother India.' Inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi in 1936, it has a big relief map of India carved in marble.

Another relatively new temple is the Tulsi Manas Temple built in honour of Lord Rama in 1964 at the place where Tulsidas composed the Ramacharitmanas, the vernacular version of the epic of Ramayana The walls of this temple adorn the scenes and verses depicting the exploits of Lord Rama.

Kasyam maranam mukti (death in Kashi is Liberation of souls), thus goes the much proclaimed proverb in Sanskrit. Death in Kashi or Varanasi is a blessing for a devout. The Ghats in Varanasi symbolically represents the five diverse elements or Pancha Tattwa that constitute the human body. The Ghats in Varanasi are the doorsteps of heaven by visiting these Ghats. Showing the divine cosmic roads, the Ghats in Varanasi India have been constructed in transcendental dimension measuring 12th Zodiacs x 7 chakras of body thus 98.

Varanasi or Kashi is also called the Abode of Lord Shiva. According to the Hindu Mythology, the first ray of light after the creation of this Universe fell at Kashi, thus sanctifying the land. The Ghats in Varanasi Uttar Pradesh are the perfect spots where divinity can be sighted face to face.

As thousands of Sadhus along the Ghats raise their sacred vessels or Kailash, to offer prayers to the newly risen sun, the foremost spark of the morning sun also seem to pour his blessings for the entire humanity. The Ghats are the Centers of a whole lot of religious activities. Pilgrims gather in large numbers to take a dip in the sacred river, offer their prayers and seek the blessings of the sadhus and sanyasis.

The River Ganga flows beside the Ghats and it is from the middle of the Ganga that one can get the best view of the Ghats while enjoying boat rides. Thus stands the Ghats in Varanasi, older than traditions and impressive beyond imagination, inspiring humanity down the ages.

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(Contd.... Part....XXIV)