Author 'Mark Twain' wrote in 1897"Benaras is older than history,older than tradition,older even than legend & looks twice as old as all of them put together".
KASHI,the spiritual capital of India',is a city on the banks of Ganges in the Uttar Pradesh state of North India.Varanasi has been a cultural center of North India for several thousand years.Traditional etymology links 'Varanasi' to the names of two Ganges tributaries forming the city's borders :Varuna- still flowing in northern Varanasi & Assi,today a small stream in the southern part of the city,near Assi Ghat.
In the Rigveda[an ancient Indian sacred collection of vedic sanskrit hymns],the city is referred to as Kashi,from the sanskrit verbal root"KASHIYA" which means Light,the city got its name Kashi:The city of Lights! "the luminous city as an eminent seat of learning".
Varanasi grew as an important industrial center,famous for its Muslin & Silk fabrics,perfumes,ivory works & sculpture.
Silk weaving is the dominant industry in Varanasi and is known throughout India for its production of very fine silk & Banarasi sarees,brocades with gold & silver thread work,which are often used for weddings & special occasions.Other major commodities manufactured & traded in Varanasi include-hand knotted Mirzapur carpets,rugs,dhurries, brassware,copperware, wooden & clay toys,handicrafts gold jewellery & musical instruments.
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