Chapter 50
What Makes Varanasi Holy?
To the Hindus, the Ganges is a sacred river, and any town or city on its bank is believed to be auspicious. But Varanasi has a special sanctity for legend has it that this is where Lord Shiva and his consort Parvathi stood when time started ticking for the first time.
The place also has an intimate connection with a host of legendary figures and mythical characters, who are said to have actually lived here. Varanasi has found a place in the Buddhist scriptures, as well as the great Hindu epic of Mahabharata. The holy epic poem Shri Ramcharitmanas by Goswami Tulsidas was also written here. All this makes Varanasi a significantly holy place.