HAND- BOOK B E N A R E S E . ARTH! R PARKER R V , LON DON K I SSI ONAR Y SOCIETY . W M AP OF THE Y ITH A CIT . d d iti S eco nd and Rev i se E o n . E r i b a n b r u m : PRINT ED AT Ti l l-I TRAVANCORE GOVERNMENT 1901. HAND- BOOK B E N A R E S , B Y THE RE V . ARTH! R PAR KER , LON DON M I I ON ARY O I SS S C E TY . WI MAP OF THE CI Y TH A T . Se n d a n d ev i s d co R e Ed iti o n . fi r i h a u h r u m ; PRINT ED AT THE TRAVANCORE GOVERNMENT PRESS, 7 8 ! b i b ! HARVARD COLLE GE LIB RARY FRO M THE LIB RARY OF HORACE FLETCHER THE GIFT OF WI LLIAM DANA ORC! TT ! m a - n v 1 1 | 9 2i P EF E R A C . In th i s secon d edition of th e Handbook to Benares n s a there ar e several im porta t alterations. The Hi toric l sketch h as been to a great extent r e- written an d a num ber of correction s made here an d there i n other parts of th e i n a es a se an d i t book, while the ti er ri h ve been revi d , i s e . hoped, improv d It i s grievou s to a lover of the grey old city to hear of so m an y visitors who se anticipation s have b een es ar e u s a gr eater far than their realizati on . Th e not u lly e an a s e e a n to s e a s p ople of rti tic t mp r me t, for uch B n re , B u i ts n e h u n t i s a a . t with wo d rful river , mine of we lth to os m a e an d w i tl1 th e who co e from Agr , D lhi Lucknow their gorgeous an d massive specimens of M uh ammadan a t u x e n to e s a e s rchi ect re, e p cti g find h re imil r vidence of n ar t a a sa n e i s n a e . I n Hi du , gre t di ppoi tm nt i evit bl tru th the distin gu ishing featu re of Ben ares i s n either architectu ral m agn ificen ce nor artistic beauty i n any or m an d a ss ss s e es i s u f , wh t it po e e of eith r of th e p rely ac n a as o an d s n of th e u s cide t l, but the h me hri e religio faith which sways the Hindu n ation s it i s u ni qu e an d u n i a n u an d as n a n a en awe r v lled . Wo derf l f ci ting, y ev n s n n a s u i s b u t sh e s n ot h e1 i piri g, Be re tr ly , doe yield se r as e- o can r e a c et e ily . A guid b ok do little mo th n poi n t ou t th e beaten tracks an d i n dicate where the r easu s a i s th e a i n s t re lie hid . H ppy tr veller who br g with him the wise an d discern in g eye an d the sym path e m . a s a n a ai d tic ind H ppier till if, in dditio , he h ve the — — of a livin g gu ide b e he In dian or Eu ropean who wi ll gen tly dr aw aside the veil which hides from the vu lgar ’ an d hasty the secrets of the city s past glory an d presen t o S u v s r u n a n m et p wer . ho ld the i itor be fo t te e ough to e su ch an on e then this little book m u st be con ten t to drop i n to a s n a a and SCI VO i n aftei a s a eco d ry pl ce, d y to rec ll th e ou t- line an d retai n th e m ai n featu 1 es of a ci ty of w on ders. Tr i van dr r r u m , T a va nco e, r h 01 Ma c , 19 . C O N T E N T S PREEACE . I In t o ti on CHAPTER . r duc A H t r i a Ske ch CHAPTER II . is o c l t T R II Pr sen t- da B en a es CHAP E I . e y r T A h ab eti ca i t of P aces an d CHAP ER IV . lp l l s l Object of CHAPTER V Hin ts to Tr av ellers In dex Rates of Hire of Hackn ey Car r i ages A F B E RE To f e M A S ce T t a . P O N . a i le p g CHAP TE R I . I n t r o d u c t i o n . The traveller who approaches Benares by railway f rom Calcutta m ay obtain from the ca rriage window i s f ss As o n e of the finest v ew o the city po ible . the trai n nears the gr eat b ridge which spans th e broad b s Ga s s e1 1 11 o om of the nge , the buildincg on the n the s s an d a a r ide come lowly into view, gr du lly g ow on th e s s r a ight till, t etched long the top of the lofty b a an d n a s th e nk looking down i to the rippling w ter , c i s s s a ity een itting like queen on her throne, with h er spi 1 es an d minarets standing clear out agai nst th e a as sk an d s n brilli nt blue of the e tern y , the to e stairways of the ghats running out below into th e sa r s a s s s an d c ed tre m, urely one of the mo t impo ing i r ess s s i n all a mp ive ight Indi . The Du fier i n Bridge which car i i es the Du de an d R oh i lkh an d r ailway over the Ganges i s a very fin e s d a s i an . i s tructure, triumph of engineering k ll It c s ste s h n on tructed of el girder , rivetted toget er u der h a ss an d s s a ss e s ydr ulic pre ure, re t on fifteen m ive pi r o f a a m sonry . The tot l length of the bridge i s an d i t R s r 5 s . o o e 7 a feet, co t per foot v r l cs f s all e ar a to as o rupee in . Vehicl s e llowed p s over th e br idge during the in terv al s of railway traffi c an d a a i s ea s for ass e s p th provided on ch ide foot p eng r . i s str n y at ei t e en d ass 1 11 er s It o ogl fortified h r by m i e to , c l oo - h an d tu r r etted an d t i t i s p oled fi ted w h ron door , s o a t a 1 er s a r e 11 o b e a e to e en th y m ll fo c uld bl d f d it . I t o1 e1 se1 e11 ea1 s i 1a 1 i n took 1 in bu lding, l g be en c omm en ced i n Ju n e 1880 a n d b eing f0 r 1n al l 1 on en ed ’ b or u fl l m i n Ot tob l 1887 y L d D e e . 2 Benares i s the capital of a province which bear s th e same n ame an d which includes the districts o f B a s M a Jau n u r G a u an d a a an d en re , irz pur, p , h zip r B lli c a ns a a n m i s Th ont i popul tion of early five llion soul . e c i s s a a an d h ity the e t of the loc l Government as a.