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The Administration Palace in Benares
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According to legend, God Shiva founded the city of Varanasi, thereby making it an important site of pilgrimage in India
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The history of Varanasi, also called Benares, can be traced back to the time of Gautama Buddha (circa 563 BCE to 483 BCE) when it was the capital of Kashi. The city at that time was a center of educational, religious and artistic activities. It was also a commercial center that was renowned for its muslin, perfumes, silk fabrics, sculptures and ivory works.
Varanasi faced several invasions by outsiders, starting with Mahmud of Ghazni (1033 CE) and followed by Mohammed Ghori (1193 CE). These invaders plundered and destroyed many Hindu temples and took materials from these temples to build mosques. Though Mughal Emperor Akbar stopped the destruction of temples during the beginning of the 17th century, it was not long before Aurangzeb (1618-1707) destroyed another temple and renamed Varanasi as Mohammadabad. Alamgir Mosque, also called Aurangzeb's Mosque, which was built where the Vishnu Temple existed earlier, is one of the famous attractions of the city at present.
In the 18th century, the city became an independent kingdom. Later under the British rule, it continued being a center of commercial and religious activities. In 1910, Varanasi was made a new Indian state and had its headquarters at Ramanagar. However, it had no jurisdiction over the city of Varanasi. At present, the Maharaja of Kashi, also known as Kashi Naresh, resides in the fort at Ramanagar. |
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© imagesofasia 2007-08 |
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