A city of many names, each whispering a different truth. To the traveller, this can be confusing. Is it Varanasi? Is it Banaras? Or is it Kashi? The answer, of course, is all three. But to understand their meanings is to understand the layers of this ancient city, where time folds upon itself and history breathes through every narrow alley and sacred ghat.
Varanasi: The Geographical Place
Varanasi is the mapmaker’s name. The one that situates the city between the Varuna and Assi rivers, the one recognised by governments and travellers alike. It is the name you see on train tickets and official documents, the modern identifier of a place whose roots stretch far beyond recorded history.
To say you have been to Varanasi is to speak of roads and bridges, bustling marketplaces and the sweep of the Ganges. It is the tangible, physical city that rises each morning with the sun and echoes with the calls of boatmen and temple bells.
Banaras: The Cultural Soul
Banaras is the name spoken with nostalgia, with affection. It is the India of poets and musicians, weavers and storytellers. It is the Banarasi saree, the lingering notes of a sitar, the fragrance of chai brewed strong and sweet on street corners.
Banaras is not just a city; it is a way of life. It is the unhurried grace of old traditions, the laughter in the chaos, the deep-seated pride of those who call it home. To say you have been to Banaras is to say you have tasted its rhythm, let its culture seep into your bones.
Kashi: The Spiritual Light
And then there is Kashi, the city of light, the eternal flame. Kashi is what the sages whisper, what the scriptures proclaim. It is the city where Shiva himself is said to reside, where death is not an end but a passage, a liberation.
To say you have been to Kashi is to say you have walked through the veil of the material and glimpsed something beyond. It is to have felt the weight of centuries of devotion, to have watched the sacred fire burn at Manikarnika Ghat and understood, even if just for a moment, why people come here to leave this world.
One City, Three Names
So which is it? Varanasi, Banaras, or Kashi?
It depends on who you ask, and what you seek.
If you are looking for a place, it is Varanasi. If you are looking for culture, it is Banaras. And if you are looking for something beyond, something unseen yet deeply felt, it is Kashi.
But in the end, they are all the same. Just as this city, in all its chaos and divinity, remains one.