#FactSync 1 : Varanasi : Oldest City Of The World - वाराणसी: दुनिया का सबसे प्राचीन शहर

"Varanasi" the name comes from two tributaries of river Ganga forming the borders of the city, Varuna, flowing in northern Varanasi, and Assi, a small stream in the southern part of the city, near Assi Ghat.

Assi Ghat of Varanasi

According to Padma Purana,

वाराणसीति विख्यातां तन्मान निगदामि व: दक्षिणोत्तरयोर्नघोर्वरणासिश्च पूर्वत।

जाऋवी पश्चिमेऽत्रापि पाशपाणिर्गणेश्वर:।।

That means - That is, Varuna and Assi river in the south-north, Jahnavi in ​​the east and Pashpaniganesh in the west.

The old city is located on the north shores of the river Ganga, bounded by Varuna and Assi.

According to the Rigveda, the city is referred to as Kashi.  According to Sanskrit, verbal root kaś- "to shine", making Varanasi known as "City of Light", the "luminous city as an eminent seat of learning".

According to mythology, the city of Kashi was founded by the Hindu Lord Shiva about 5000 years ago, due to which it is an important pilgrimage site today.

The city of Varanasi is generally considered to be around 3000 years old, but according to Hindu traditions, Kashi is considered to be much more ancient than this.

Varanasi is a cultural centre of Indian state Uttar Pradesh for several thousand years, and is closely associated with the Ganga. According to Hindus dying here and getting cremated along the banks of the "holy" Ganga river allows them to break the cycle of rebirth and attain salvation, making it a major center for pilgrimage. 

The city is famous in world for its many ghats, steps are made of stone slabs along the river bank where pilgrims perform ritual ablutions. The Dashashwamedh Ghat, Assi Ghat are world famous for its evening Ganga Arti.

The Shitla Mata temple built near the Dashashwamedh Ghat in Varanasi was built by the Arkavanshi Kshatriyas.