DO YOU KNOW VARANASI?

Varanasi in terms of traditional perception is an orthogenetic city and as such is the sanctum Sanctorum of Indian culture and identity. Some scholars of urban studies have classified the cities of Asia mainly in two types, viz., generative cities and parasitic cities. Varanasi is one of the former ones and has the perennial existence from times immemorial. The oldest testaments of history especially the Atharva Ved Samhita, Mahabharat, Padma Purana and Skand Purana have references of Kashi and Varanasi. The historical survey reveals that Kashi refers to the political and territorial entity and Varanasi to its capital city. Dr. A.S. Altekar has denoted territorial limits of Kashi upto Ballia in the east, Kanpur in the west, Vindhyan range in the south and Gorakhpur in the North.

The traditional territory of kashi has dwindled for a long time between the state of Koshal (Awadh) and the state of Magadh. The references of Mahabharat indicate that Varanasi alludes to the area between river Varuna and the rivulet of Assi. Varanasi became victim of foreign invasions for more than five and six times starting before Gazanavi to the times of Aurangzeb. But these invasions and settlements of Muslim populations ultimately gave birth to a specific bond of social reciprocity between Hindus and Muslims whose instances are rare in the cities of Asia. The Ancient configuration of the city of Varanasi can be traced from 3000 B.C. to 700 A.D. according archaeological exploration of Rajghat plateau. It denotes the existence of large and small households, narrow streets and founded temples bedecked with gardens, playgrounds, ponds, wells and public amenities. The historians like Greaves, Hawell and Sherring all have described Varanasi as a sacred city, a city illustrious, a city of light and cradle of Indian culture and civilization.

The specific features of civil and urban life style, art, handicraft, silk work, embroidery, cut work, patch work, etc. what I mean to say that age old traditional features of human dexterity can be seen in the Pucca Mohal and its narrow streets. These streets and narrow lanes still continue to spread the smell of curd, ghee, cream on one hand and the perfumes and scents of flowers on the other. These streets inside the Pucca Mohal create fascination and attract the visitors. The Vishwanath temple situated in the heartland of the city and the morning scenario with crack of dawn at Dashashwamedh Ghat present a celestial pleasure with all sublimity beyond imagination. In addition to above, Durga Kund Temple, Sankat Mochan Temple and Manas Mandir are the most celebrated religious places. Sarnath in the north as a place of first sermon by Buddha attracts thousands of pilgrims from Thailand, Japan, Myanmar and China. Varanasi is situated on the left side of the river Ganga and its overall structure manifests a feature of crescent or that of a counch.

The religiographic structure of the city indicates that it has been an eminent centre of almost all religions of the world. Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism all have flourished and added to the glory of the city. The prayers, hymns and recitation of mantras in temples, mosques, churches and gurudwaras every morning and evening create an atmosphere as if heaven has descended on earth with its celestial bliss. The origin and immigration of the great saints, ascetics, yogis, sanyasis, astrologists, palmists, philosophers, social reformers, scientists, magicians, thinkers, statesmen, patriots and nation builders are a beggar's description. Mention may be made of a few personalities as rare species of humanity. They are Adi Shankaracharya, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Swami Ramanand, Kabirdas, Tulsidas, Ravidas, Ramkrishna, Vivekanand, Tailang Swami, Gopinath kaviraj and numerous others. Among the Political statesmen, Sheo Prasad Gupta, Sampurnanand, Bhagwandas, Pt. Kamlapati and several others of the equal stature added to the glory of Varanasi. The sacred character of the water of Ganga and its perennial flow has been synonymous with the perenniality of Varanasi, a city situated on the trindent of lord Shiva. The Manikarnika and Harishchandra Ghats as cremation grounds attract the Hindu sentiments as emancipation grounds. Manikarnika as Maha Shmashan is a place where from lord Shiva himself started the creation. The modern city of Varanasi embodies the elements of tradition and modernity in a peculiar fashion. On one hand, one can witness the age old traditional localities, markets, shops and commercial social transaction centers in the heartland while on the outskirt and on the fringe the new establishments, multi-storied complexes, plaza, markets, insurance & banking companies along with new colonies and extended settlements with towers, malls, ever growing buildings, hotels, government offices, hospitals, schools & colleges are the additional features in the process of urbanization of the city.

Banaras Hindu University, M.G. Kashi Vidyapeeth and Sampurnanand Sanskrit University are the major institutions of higher learning and researches. In addition to that, the Central Tibetan Institute, Gandhian Institute of Studies, Arabic University are also here. Nearly a dozen degree colleges and more than two dozens higher secondary schools and Intermediate colleges are actively engaged in enhancing the cause of education.

The traditional localities in the city are occupied by Bengali, Punjabi, Gujarati, Sindhi and South Indian population. On the open areas and the outskirt of the city regional migrants from neighbouring states and districts have emerged. It is because of the ever growing economy, cultural, educational and health facilities in the city. The traditional food articles of the refreshment as Kachauri Jalebi, Thandai (Cold milk with dry fruits) along with Pan Shops and Bhang shops sometimes attract the natives, the visitors and outsiders. On the other hand, the tea stalls, toast-butter, fast food restaurants, cold drinks, Chinese and Manchurian dishes add to the taste of modernity.

The Social morphology of the city manifests a peculiar scenario. While moving in the city one comes across the boiling cauldrons of milk along with curd and cream at every furlong of the city in all directions.

The traditional costumes, dresses and linguistic expressions denote a peculiar continuity of tradition with modern western dresses and dietary manners. All these have made Varanasi a peculiar city on the world map and attract lacs of visitors from south and south-east Asian countries. Europe and America are no more exceptions as thousands of visitors, scholars, diplomats and artists from France, Germany, Italy, U.K. and U.S.A. visit Varanasi every year. As such Varanasi has emerged as one of the most attractive centre of tourism, indeed a cultural capital of India. It is really a peculiar blend, a melting pot of races and cultures, a specific seat of synthesis of orient and occident, ascription and achievement, particularism and universalism, orthogeneity and heterogeneity, reason and rationalization, spiritualism and materialism and is a lively embodiment of tradition and modernity in attitudes, habits and expressions, style of life, customs and manners. The native personality of Varanasi can be characterized not with aggressiveness and burst of emotions but with persistence of attitude, perseverance of will and forbearance of mind.

In my assessment, Mahamana Pandit Mandan Mohan Malaviya Ji by establishing Banaras Hindu University in 1916 emerged as a real architect, of course a crusader of intellectual revolution, who has given a wider coverage of modernity to the city of Varanasi and to the whole nation as a greatest center of higher learning and researches in Asia in the areas of Arts, Literature, Philosophy, Humanities, Science, Technology, Social Sciences, Law, Business Management, Fine Arts, Visual and Performing Arts, Agriculture, Medicine and Surgery and a number of allied disciplines that have produced ever rich galaxy of scientists, technologists, social scientists, medical scientists along with political statesmen, politicians, parliamentarians, business tycoons and entrepreneurs of national and international repute who are indeed the intellectual ornaments of the city and the county.

No doubt, during the last four decades the enormous growth of population has shattered the economic and commercial nerve centres of the city and the unprecedented migration of population from the neighbouring states and the settlements in Varanasi have caused serious problems of overcrowding in the city resulting in the degradation of quality of life, decline in the health and hygiene status of the city and producing a bazar of the unemployed, unwanted and surplus labour force.

The overcrowded crossroads, congestion and jams on the roads creating regular traffic problems, the huddling together of people in the market and ever growing rush, the short supply of electricity, insufficient supply of water and the broken conditions of roads and encroachments altogether present a sick picture of the city. The government, Varanasi Development Authority and corporation have to work a lot to provide alternative measures such as restructuring and renovation along with fly over in and outside the city to solve the problems. Most of the urban problems are the outcome of the laxity of bureaucracy as it is with other cities and metropolis of India. As a social scientist, I am unable to check my emotions and would like to utter a parody that Varanasi! with all thy faults I love thee still, because there is no city in the world, neither the city of London in UK nor Chicago, New York, Washington in USA, nor Venice, Rome or Vatican in France and Italy, nor Athens and Sparta in Greece, nor Shanghai or Beijing in China, nor Sydney or Perth in Australia and not even Tokyo in Japan which have such a rich heritage of the past that still glorifies and adds lustre to the city of Varanasi placing it today as a peculiar blend of tradition and modernity par excellence.