Varanasi on the Ganges Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India

Varanasi on the Ganges Varanasi, Uttar  

Pradesh, India

People have referred to Varanasi as "the city of temples", "the holy city of India", "the religious capital of India", "the city of lights", "the city of learning" and "the oldest living city on earth." The city's culture is closely associated with the Ganges and it has been a cultural center of North India for several thousand years. It has more history than most of the major world religions. The Benares Gharana, a form of Hindustani classical music, developed in Varanasi.  Scholarly books like the Ramcharitmanas of Tulsidasand have been written there. Many prominent Indian philosophers, poets, writers, and musicians live or have lived in Varanasi. And Gautama Buddha gave his first sermon at Sarnath located nearby.