VARANASI & LUCKNOW
On 22nd October 2012, we, myself, my wife and my son started for our annual vacation tour. This time we decided to visit two places, namely, VARANASI - the religiously famous place and the another one is LUCKNOW- famous as a multicultural city and flourished as a cultural and artistic capital of North India in the 18th and 19th centuries.
So on 22nd October we boarded the train Jodhpur Express from Howrah at 11-00 pm and it departed at 11-30 pm. On the very next day at 9-35 am we got down at Mughalsarai Station. There are also some other trains to be there and some of the trains directly reaches Varansi too. While we were walking out the station arena a middle aged man approached and offered an auto-rickshaw service to Varanasi at Rs.250/-, instantly we agreed as we were eager to reach to the city early. Varanasi is about 20 kms from Mughalsarai Station and only 30 minutes ride is enough to reach there.
We reached the Godowlia Chouraha (Road Crossing) and walked a few metres to reach our Guest House. We had a booking at BAGLA GUEST HOUSE, Godowlia Road, near Kanhaiya Chitra Mandir Mall, Varanasi. (Contact person- Mr.
Shyam Sharma, 09935566137). The rooms are well equipped with modern amenities and electrical equipments like lifts for going up-stories, air conditioners and water geezers etc., at a very nominal rates, the double bedded accomodations are available for Rs.950/- per day and four bedded rooms are for Rs.1,900/-. The famous SRI KASHI VISHWANATH TEMPLE is within 4 minutes walk and the famous Dasaswamedh Ghat is within 8 minutes walk from the Guest House, these are the added advantages of boarding here. One more thing you can also taste the typical Marwari Thali at JAYPURIYA GUEST HOUSE, Godowlia Road, Varanasi, each Veg-Thali costs Rs.110/-, only thing you will have to remember that you will have to obtain coupon for your lunch within 12 to 2 pm and for dinner the timing is 7.30 to 8.30 pm.
Some of the moments captured by me during our stay at the famous Holy city are given below.
THE SACRED RIVER GANGES AT VARANASI, UTTAR PRADESH.
THE DASASWAMEDH GHAT AT VARANASI.
THE DASASWAMEDH GHAT AT VARANASI.
IMMERSION OF DEBI DURGA IDOL AT DASASWAMEDH GHAT, VARANASI.
BRIHASPATI TEMPLE AT VARANASI.
THE KASI BISWANATH TEMPLE AT BENARAS HINDU UNIVERSITY CAMPUS, VARANASI.
THE KASI BISWANATH TEMPLE AT BENARAS HINDU UNIVERSITY CAMPUS, VARANASI.
STATUTE OF THE FOUNDER OF BENARAS HINDU UNIVERSITY, VARANASI.
THE KASI BISWANATH TEMPLE AT BENARAS HINDU UNIVERSITY CAMPUS, VARANASI.
BENARAS HINDU UNIVERSITY CAMPUS, VARANASI.
BENARAS HINDU UNIVERSITY CAMPUS, VARANASI.
SANDHYA AARTI AT DASASWAMEDH GHAT, VARANASI.
SANDHYA AARTI AT DASASWAMEDH GHAT, VARANASI.
SANDHYA AARTI AT DASASWAMEDH GHAT, VARANASI.
SANDHYA AARTI AT DASASWAMEDH GHAT, VARANASI.
SANDHYA AARTI AT DASASWAMEDH GHAT, VARANASI.
SANDHYA AARTI AT DASASWAMEDH GHAT, VARANASI.
SANDHYA AARTI AT DASASWAMEDH GHAT, VARANASI.
SANDHYA AARTI AT DASASWAMEDH GHAT, VARANASI.
SANDHYA AARTI AT DASASWAMEDH GHAT, VARANASI.
SANDHYA AARTI AT DASASWAMEDH GHAT, VARANASI.
SANDHYA AARTI AT DASASWAMEDH GHAT, VARANASI.
On 23.10. 2012 We started for SARNATH, a Buddhist pilgrimage. The Guest House Manager advised us to hire an auto-rickshaw. Sarnath is only 10kms away from the Holy city Varanasi.
Sarnath is a place of ruins. The Emperor Ashoka who spread the Lord Buddha's message of Love through-out his vast empirevisited Sarnathin 234 B.C., and errected a Stupa here. Several other Buddhist structures were also errected at Sarnath between the 3rd Century B.C. and the 11th century A.D., and today it presents the most expensive ruins among places on the Buddhist trails. The Temple, museum and Stupas are all within the walking distance. Given below are some of the pictures taken during the visit.
Sarnath is a place of ruins. The Emperor Ashoka who spread the Lord Buddha's message of Love through-out his vast empirevisited Sarnathin 234 B.C., and errected a Stupa here. Several other Buddhist structures were also errected at Sarnath between the 3rd Century B.C. and the 11th century A.D., and today it presents the most expensive ruins among places on the Buddhist trails. The Temple, museum and Stupas are all within the walking distance. Given below are some of the pictures taken during the visit.
MULAGANDHAKTI VIHARA, BUDDHIST TEMPLE, SARNATH.
MULAGANDHAKTI VIHARA, BUDDHIST TEMPLE, SARNATH.
MULAGANDHAKTI VIHARA, BUDDHIST TEMPLE, SARNATH.
DHAMEK STUPA, SARNATH.
DEER PARK, SARNATH.
DEER PARK, SARNATH.
DEER PARK, HERE LORD BUDDHA DELIVERED HIS FIRST SERMON SET IN MOTION THE WHEEL OF LAW (MAHA- DHARMACHAKKA PRAVARTAN SUTTA).
DEER PARK, SARNATH.
DEER PARK, SARNATH.
DEER PARK, SARNATH.
DEER PARK, SARNATH.
DEER PARK, SARNATH.
DEER PARK, SARNATH.
BUDDHA IDOLS DEER PARK, SARNATH.
BUDDHA IDOLS DEER PARK, SARNATH.
DEER PARK, SARNATH.
MULAGANDHAKTI VIHARA, BUDDHIST TEMPLE, SARNATH.
LORD BUDDHA IDOL AT MULAGANDHAKTI VIHARA, BUDDHIST TEMPLE, SARNATH.
LORD BUDDHA IDOL AT MULAGANDHAKTI VIHARA, BUDDHIST TEMPLE, SARNATH.
MURALS BY JAPANESE ARTIST KOSETSU NOSU AT MULAGANDHAKTI VIHARA, BUDDHIST TEMPLE, SARNATH.
MURALS BY JAPANESE ARTIST KOSETSU NOSU AT MULAGANDHAKTI VIHARA, BUDDHIST TEMPLE, SARNATH.
MULAGANDHAKTI VIHARA, BUDDHIST TEMPLE, SARNATH.
The Dhamek Stupa is an impressive 128 feet high and 93 feet in diameter. Constructed by King Ashoka in 249 BC to commemorate his pilgrimage to the Deer Park. It is one of the few pre- Ashokan Stupas remaining, although only the foundations remain. Dhamekh Stupa. It is
believed that the Stupa marks the exact spot where the Buddha taught the five
ascetics the Four Noble Truths, his first teaching after attaining
enlightenment.
DHAMEK STUPA, SARNATH.
BRAHMI INSCRIPTURES AT DHAMEK STUPA, SARNATH.
MURALS BY JAPANESE ARTIST KOSETSU NOSU AT MULAGANDHAKTI VIHARA, BUDDHIST TEMPLE, SARNATH.
My next destination was LUCKNOW, famous as a multicultural city and flourished as a cultural and artistic capital of North India in the 18th and 19th centuries. The city is on the
northwestern shore of GOMTI river, which flows through it. he city's
design was heavily influenced by the several emperors and incorporates significant
areas of natural imperial that have earned Lucknow the title of the CITY OF NAWABS. Nawab Asaf-Ud-Daula, the son of
Shuja-Ud-Daula, moved the then capital from Faizabad to Lucknow in 1775 and
made Lucknow one of the glittering cities in India.
Lucknow is about 302 kms away from Varanasi and it takes only 5 hours journey by train to reach Lucknow NR Station at Charbagh. The Station has an impressing building built in 1923.
Our accommodation in the City of Nawabs was at booked the Hotel Charans International, 16, Bidhan Sabha Marg, opposite to the BAPU HOUSE, the State Secretariat, Lucknow-226001, Uttar Pradesh. Phone Number- 0522-2627219.
...........to be continued.
