Quick Facts

detailed factual overview

GENERAL OVERVIEW

• City Name: Varanasi (also known as Kashi or Benares)
• State: Uttar Pradesh
• District: Varanasi
• Division: Varanasi Division
• Known As: “Spiritual Capital of India”
• Historical Significance: One of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world
• Founded By: Mythologically by Lord Shiva; historically over 3,000 years ago

 GEOGRAPHY

• Location: Southeastern Uttar Pradesh, on the banks of River Ganga (Ganges)
• Coordinates: 25.3176° N, 82.9739° E
• Elevation: ~80.71 meters (265 feet) above sea level
• Area: ~112.10 km² (municipal limits)
• Climate:
  • Type: Humid subtropical
  • Summer Temp: 30–45°C
  • Winter Temp: 5–20°C
  • Monsoon: June to September; ~1,000 mm rainfall annually

 DEMOGRAPHICS

• Population (2023 est.): ~1.5 million (city), ~1.9 million (urban agglomeration)
• Literacy Rate: ~81%
• Sex Ratio: ~913 females per 1,000 males
• Languages:
  • Official: Hindi
  • Additional Official: Urdu
  • Spoken: Bhojpuri, Hindi, English, Sanskrit

 ADMINISTRATION

• Municipal Body: Varanasi Nagar Nigam (Municipal Corporation)
• District Collector (DM): Appointed by the Government of Uttar Pradesh
• Police: Varanasi Police Commissionerate
• Lok Sabha Constituency: Varanasi (PM Narendra Modi is the current MP)
• Wards: Over 100

 ECONOMY

• Major Sectors:
  • Tourism: A global religious tourism hub (Hindus, Buddhists, and others)
  • Textiles: Famous for Banarasi sarees, silk weaving, and brocades
  • Handicrafts: Wooden toys, brassware, perfumes, carpets
  • Education & Research: Strong academic economy due to BHU and Sanskrit centers
  • Trade: Spices, betel leaves (Banarasi paan), and river-based trade
  • IT & Startups: Gaining pace due to Smart City investments
• Smart City Status: Part of India’s Smart City Mission

 TRANSPORT & CONNECTIVITY

 Air:

• Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport (VNS):
  • Located ~26 km from city center
  • International flights to Middle East & Southeast Asia
  • Domestic flights to Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, etc.

 Rail:

• Main Railway Stations:
  • Varanasi Junction (BSB)
  • Manduwadih (now renamed as Banaras Railway Station)
  • Kashi Station, Mughalsarai (Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction)

 Road:

• Highways: NH-19, NH-31, NH-7
• Expressways: Connected to Purvanchal Expressway
• Buses: UPSRTC and private services to all major cities

 Waterways:

• NW-1 (National Waterway 1): From Varanasi to Haldia (Kolkata) via Ganga
  • Used for inland cargo and tourist cruise services

 EDUCATION

• Major Institutions:
  • Banaras Hindu University (BHU) – One of India’s largest residential universities
  • IIT (BHU) Varanasi – Premier engineering institute
  • Sampurnanand Sanskrit University – Renowned for Sanskrit learning
  • Central Hindu School, DAV PG College, Sunbeam Schools
  • Several theological and Ayurveda institutions

 HEALTHCARE

• Major Hospitals:
  • Sir Sunderlal Hospital (BHU)
  • Heritage Hospital
  • Galaxy Hospital
  • IMS-BHU
  • Many Ayurvedic and traditional medicine centers

 CULTURE & RELIGION

 Religion:

• Hinduism: Most prominent; Varanasi is sacred to Lord Shiva
• Buddhism: Nearby Sarnath is where Buddha gave his first sermon
• Jainism: Several Jain Tirthankaras born here
• Islam: A significant population and cultural influence