SACRED HERITAGE
Meet the saints, spiritual teachers and religious founders associated with Kashi. Find the ghats, temples, ashrams and shrines that keep their stories alive.
27 figures
Bhakti
The poet-saint is remembered for dohas that question empty ritual and speak of devotion and the unity of human beings. Kabir’s followers preserve his memory at several sites in Banaras.
Sant Kabir Road, Kabir Chaura
Start at the Kabir Panth monastery, then explore the neighbourhood’s lanes on foot.
Lahartara
This memorial by Lahartara Talab marks the place where Kabir is said in local tradition to have appeared.
Bhakti
Ravidas was a Bhakti poet and teacher whose hymns speak of devotion, dignity and equality. Seer Govardhanpur is revered by his followers as his birthplace.
Seer Govardhanpur
The birthplace shrine is a major pilgrimage stop, especially around Ravidas Jayanti.
Bhakti
Tulsidas retold Rama’s story in the Awadhi Ramcharitmanas. Banaras remembers him in its riverfront shrines, literary tradition and worship of Hanuman.
Assi riverfront
The ghat is associated with his residence and devotional work. Ask locally about access to the smaller shrines above the steps.
Sankat Mochan Road
Temple tradition connects its foundation with Tulsidas’s vision of Hanuman.
Durgakund Road
Read verses of the Ramcharitmanas inscribed on the temple walls.
Buddhist
Buddhist tradition places the Buddha’s first sermon after enlightenment at the Deer Park in Sarnath. This teaching is known as turning the Wheel of Dharma.
Sarnath archaeological site
Visit the stupa and excavated monasteries associated with the first sermon. Plan Sarnath as a road trip from the old city.
Sikh
The founder of Sikhism travelled widely to share his teachings. Local Sikh tradition commemorates his visit to Kashi at the gurudwara in Gurubagh.
Gurubagh, Varanasi
Ask for Gurudwara Guru Ka Bagh. Cover your head and follow the gurudwara’s directions when entering.
Sikh
The ninth Sikh Guru’s visit to Kashi is commemorated in the old city at Nichibagh. Sikh tradition associates the site with his stay.
Nichibagh, near Bulanala
Ask for the Nichibagh gurudwara dedicated to Guru Tegh Bahadur and follow its visitor customs.
Bhakti
Ramananda is remembered as an influential teacher of Rama devotion in North India. Shree Math preserves his lineage at Panchganga Ghat.
Panchganga Ghat
Ask for Ramanandacharya’s Shree Math in the lanes above the ghat and check access before entering.
Hindu teachers
Shankara is associated with Advaita Vedanta and with teaching in Kashi. The Sringeri lineage maintains a math at Kedar Ghat.
Kedar Ghat, Sonarpura side
Visit the present-day Sringeri institution to explore the lineage’s connection with Kashi. Ask locally for the lane entrance.
Bhakti
The Bengali devotional teacher spread congregational chanting and devotion to Krishna. The Caitanya-caritamrita describes his stay and teachings in Varanasi.
Panchganga Ghat, Ghasi Tola
The devotional text describes Chaitanya visiting Bindu Madhava at Panchanada. The present shrine continues that worship above the ghat.
Bhakti
Vallabhacharya founded Pushtimarg, a Krishna devotional tradition. Its baithaks commemorate places associated with his visits and teachings.
Hanuman Ghat precinct
Ask locally for Mahaprabhuji’s baithak at Hanuman Ghat, since the pilgrimage directory also lists a separate Manikarnika stop.
Hindu teachers
Baba Kinaram is a central figure in the Aghor lineage. The ashram’s tradition says he established the Krim Kund centre after receiving darshan of Dattatreya.
B 3/335, Shivala
Visit the living ashram and sacred tank. Ask which parts of the precinct are open to visitors.
Hindu teachers
The ascetic and yogi is remembered for his long association with the ghats of Kashi. His followers preserve his memory at a small math above Panchganga.
Panchganga Ghat
Ask for Telang Swami Math in the upper ghat lanes. Confirm entry locally before taking the steps.
Hindu teachers
Shyama Charan Lahiri lived and taught in Banaras. He is remembered for teaching Kriya Yoga while living as a householder.
Hathi Phatak, Bengali Tola
The family lineage holds observances at this shrine. Confirm access in advance, since visitor arrangements follow the family’s schedule.
Varanasi
This is a present-day centre for the Kriya Yoga lineage. Check the centre’s location and arrangements for attending a session.
Hindu teachers
The Bengali mystic visited Kashi on pilgrimage. The Ramakrishna Order’s account recalls a vision he associated with Manikarnika Ghat.
Old city riverfront
This is the riverfront site named in the Order’s account. View from public areas and respect the privacy of funeral rites.
Hindu teachers
Known in the Ramakrishna tradition as the Holy Mother, Sarada Devi visited Varanasi several times. The local Ramakrishna institutions preserve accounts of her stays.
Luxa, near the Ramakrishna institutions
The Mission identifies this house with her 1912 stay. Ask at the Mission about the house and current visitor access.
Hindu teachers
Vivekananda visited Varanasi more than once, including in 1902. His encouragement led to the founding of a local centre for Advaita Vedanta that year.
D 45/6, Luxa
Swami Shivananda started the centre in 1902 at Vivekananda’s request. Ask at the ashram about visiting the shrine.
Hindu teachers
The twentieth-century spiritual teacher is remembered in Banaras through her ashram and the riverfront ghat that bears her name.
Bhadaini
Use the Sangha’s ashram listing to confirm the approach and visiting arrangements.
Hindu teachers
The Sanskrit scholar and renunciant taught in Kashi and founded the Dharm Sangh. His Kedar Ghat institution preserves his connection to the city.
Kedar Ghat
Ask for Karpatri Dham or the Karpatri ashram in the Kedar lanes, and confirm visitor arrangements with the institution.
Hindu teachers
The founder of the Arya Samaj took part in the 1869 Kashi Shastrarth, a formal debate with Banaras scholars about Vedic authority and worship.
Near Durga Kund, Bhelupur
The garden is remembered as the setting of the debate. Use Durga Kund as the landmark and check access locally.
Hindu teachers
The nineteenth-century ascetic settled at Anand Bagh in Kashi. The Ramakrishna Order records that Vivekananda met him during a visit to Banaras.
Anand Bagh, near Durga Kund
Ask near Durga Kund for the samadhi shrine in the garden precinct and confirm access before entering.
Jain
The 23rd Jain Tirthankara is traditionally said to have been born in Varanasi. Bhelupur is the centre of pilgrimage associated with his birth.
Bhelupur
Ask for the birth shrine and specify the Digambara or Shwetambara temple if you have a particular one in mind.
Jain
Jain tradition connects the seventh Tirthankara with Bhadaini. The Jain shrines beside the river commemorate milestones in his life.
Bhadaini, Jain Ghat
The Digambara and Shwetambara shrines house marble images. Ask about the upper-lane approach if the steps are difficult.
Jain
The 11th Jain Tirthankara is traditionally associated with Singhpur near Sarnath, where his birthplace is commemorated.
Singhpur, Sarnath
Ask for the Shreyansnath shrine near the Sarnath archaeological site. It is a separate place of worship from the Buddhist enclosure.
Jain
The eighth Jain Tirthankara is traditionally associated with Chandravati on the Ganga near Varanasi.
Chandravati village, outside central Varanasi
Plan a separate road stop and confirm the temple approach before setting out.
Sufi
The Banaras shrine survey records Chandan Shahid as a disciple of the Chishti teacher Maqdum Shah Tayyab. His tomb is an established pilgrimage site near the river confluence.
Rajghat, near Adi Keshava and the Varuna–Ganga confluence
Use the confluence area as your landmark and ask locally for the dargah’s entrance.
Sufi
The Chishti teacher lived in Manduadih and in the Rajghat area. The city’s shrine survey records his local following and the gatherings held in his memory.
Manduadih, Varanasi
Ask for Maqdum Shah Tayyab by his full name in Manduadih and confirm the entrance with the shrine keeper.
Sufi
The Banaras shrine survey remembers Yakub Shahid alongside Chandan Shahid. His mazar in Nagwa has its own history of devotional gatherings.
Nagwa, southern Varanasi
Ask for the mazar in Nagwa near the Assi drain. Confirm the approach and entry at the shrine.