VARANASI IN INDIA I The oldest city in the world: where death celebrates life

The world-famous thanksgiving ceremony, the Varansi Ganga Aarti, performed by young priests on the banks of the river. ^{_{Photo: stock.adobe.com/Rahul Banarasi}}

From our editorial team

A place beyond time: Varanasi in India is the oldest city in the world - and challenges everything you think you know about life.

As the first pale pink glimmer of dawn creeps across the Ganges, a place that stubbornly defies the laws of modern times awakens. Varanasi, once described by Mark Twain as „older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend“, is no ordinary holiday destination. It is a state. Here, in the spiritual heart of India, the boundaries between this world and the hereafter merge.

A living museum of humanity

The history of this city goes back well over 3,000 years. This makes Varanasi the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. If you wander through the „galies“, the gossamer-thin, labyrinthine alleyways of the old town, you can feel the weight of the eras.

The architecture is a melting pot: massive stone houses from the 18th century stand on foundations that date back to ancient times. It is a dense network of over 2,000 temples, including the famous Kashi Vishwanath Temple, whose gilded domes are dedicated to the god Shiva, the patron saint of the city.

These alleyways also harbour a legend: Banarasi silk. For centuries, the city has been known for its fine, hand-woven fabrics with real gold and silver threads - a craft that was mentioned in the ancient Buddhist Jataka tales more than 2,000 years ago - and still enjoys a worldwide reputation today.

The sacred shore: where time stands still

Life in Varanasi is centred around the 84 ghats - the stone steps that lead for kilometres into the holy river Ganges. In the early morning, the picture is one of unrivalled power: pilgrims plunge into the waters to ritually cleanse themselves of their sins, while sadhus in orange robes, the holy men of Hinduism, remain motionless in meditation. Colours and sounds, accompanied by the ringing of temple bells and the distant chanting of Sanskrit prayers. The Ganges here is „Ma Ganga“, a living goddess who bestows purity and redemption.

Death as part of the whole

The most striking feature of the city is its open approach to transience. At the cremation ghats, especially the Manikarnika Ghat, the ritual fires have been burning continuously for centuries. For believers, it is not a place of mourning, but of hope.

According to Hindu belief, anyone who dies in Varanasi or is cremated within the sacred city limits achieves „moksha“ - final liberation from the cycle of rebirths. The fact that the end of life takes place so close to children playing and colourful rituals gives the city an unparalleled spiritual depth. Death is not hidden here; it is celebrated as a solemn transition.

The magic of darkness: Ganga Aarti

As soon as the sun sinks behind the palaces, the bank at Dashashwamedh Ghat is transformed into a stage of light. During the evening „Ganga Aarti“ ceremony, priests wave huge, burning oil lamps to the rhythm of cymbals. Thousands of small candles on flower boats are placed on the river, transforming the Ganges into a glittering sea of light. It is the moment when the transcendent energy of this city becomes most tangible.

Varanasi leaves no visitor untouched. It is a place that raises questions and provides answers at the same time.