Varanasi is a city in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh dating to the 11th century B.C. Regarded as the spiritual capital of India, the city draws Hindu pilgrims who bathe in the Ganges River’s sacred waters and perform funeral rites. Along the city’s winding streets are some 2,000 temples, including Kashi Vishwanath, the “Golden Temple,” dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva.
Area: 82 km²
Elevation: 81 m
Weather: 29 °C, Wind NE at 0 km/h, 86% Humidity
Population: 12.1 lakhs (2011)
Local time: Tuesday, 10:21 pm
Area code: 0542
Metro population: 14,32,280 (List of million-plus urban agglomerations in India)
