Varanasi is among the oldest living cities in the world, it is also the holiest a 'Hindu pilgrimages. Thousands come daily to Varanasi to take a ritual dip in the river Ganga, to cleanse their souls of sins and to worship tit its, many temples.

Varanasi is so old that it is a part of Indian mythology and finds mention in the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. Through the ages Varanasi was also known variously as Avimuktaka, Anandakanana, Mahasmasana, Surandhana, Brahma Vardha, Sudarsana, Ramya and Kasi - the city of light. Its present identity is derived from the two tributaries of the Ganga, Varuna and Asi that join the river along the northern and southern periphery of the city. Today Varanasi is ‘Kasi', the ultimate pilgrimage for thousands of devotees around the country, while to urban India it continues to be the popular 'Benaras'.

Nearly 5000 years ago, Kasikanda described the glory of the city in 15, 000 verses in the Skanda Purana. In it Lord Shiva says, 'the three worlds form one city of mine and Kasi is my royal palace therein'. As Shiva’s abode Varanasi has always been venerated. It is believed that the jyoti linga in its Kasi Vishwanath Temple goes back to the time of the epics. The temple itself is of more recent origin. Successive invasions starting with the destruction of the city in 1193 by Mohammed Ghori and ending with the plunder of Benaras by Warren Hastings nearly 600 years later; saw the temple being built and rebuilt a number of times. The present temple was constructed by Rani Ahalya Bai Holkar, the ruler of Indore, in 1776. A few years later in 1835, at the instance of the Sikh ruler of Lahore, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the temple shikara was gilded with gold leaf.

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