The oldest continually inhabited
city in the world.
Varanasi is situated on the left (west) bank of the River Ganga & is generally believed
to be about 3,000 years old. It is regarded as holy by Hindus, Buddhists and Jains.
The culture of Varanasi is closely associated with the River Ganges and the river's
religious importance. The city has been a cultural and religious center in northern
India for several thousand years. Many prominent Indian philosophers, poets, writers,
and musicians resided or reside in Varanasi, which includes Kabir, Ravi Das, Munshi
Premchand, Jaishankar Prasad, Pandit Ravi Shankar, Hariprasad Chaurasia, and Ustad
Bismillah Khan. Tulsidas wrote his Ramacharitamanas here, and Gautama Buddha
gave his first sermon at Sarnath.
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