Varanasi Darshan (9th May - 11th May 2022)
Varanasi also known as Kashi or Banaras, is a city that resonates with spirituality, culture, and history. Nestled on the banks of the holy river Ganges, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India, this ancient city has been a center of learning and pilgrimage for millennia. The enthusiastic students supported by Ek Pahal Shiksha Samiti, accompanied by their young teachers and the founder of Samiti, explored Varanasi city. In this blog, we will recount their experiences, lessons learned, and the profound impact the city had on their young minds.
Day 1: KASHI VISHWANATH TEMPLE AND GHATS and AARTI
The journey began with a visit to the famous lord Shiva temple called BABA KASHI VISWANATH Temple. The students visited all the ghats and witnessed the magical spectacle of pilgrims performing rituals and prayers performing near the ghats. Vivek Sir explained the significance of these rituals. In the evening they attended the Ganga Aarti at Assi Ghat. After that, they saw the birthplace of the Rani of Jhansi, Rani Laxmibai.
Day 2: BANARAS HINDU UNIVERSITY AND TEMPLES
One of the significant takeaways from the trip was the Hindu religious temples in Varanasi. On this day, students visited the campus of Banaras Hindu University which is one of the most prestigious educational institutes in India, and the temple of lord Shiva is situated at the center of the campus. Here they learned about the rich history of the university and its contribution to academia in the nation. Students took baths in the holy river Ganga and explored the Sankatmochan, the Tridev, and the Tulsi Manas temples followed by the Mani and the Durga Devi temples.
Day 3: SARNATH
The day was dedicated to the visit to several places in Sarnath. First, they visited, a zoo followed by a visit to the famous temple of lord Gautam Buddha, the Dhamek Stupa, and the museum.
Acknowledgment:
We would like to thank our respected Chacha Ji, who managed for food and lodging for students and teachers during this visit.
