Guides from Hotel Vinayak Plaza
Varanasi Travel Guide
This page is the starting point for the Varanasi guides on the Hotel Vinayak Plaza website. Kashi, Banaras and Varanasi are names of the same city, as the section below explains. Pick a section and follow the link to the guide that answers your question; each guide carries its own details.
Kashi, Banaras and Varanasi: names of the city
Kashi, Banaras and Varanasi are names of the same city. The Varanasi district administration’s history page names it as Varanasi, βor Benaras, (also known as Kashi)β.
What the names mean
Incredible India, the Government of India’s tourism site, retells the legend that the first ray of light touched the earth here, giving the name Kashi (ΰ€ΰ€Ύΰ€Άΰ₯), from the Sanskrit Kash, βto shineβ. It calls Varanasi the City of Light and says the city is believed to have been founded by Lord Shiva. UP Tourism notes that some of the Puranas explain the name Varanasi by the Varna and Asi streams, which they give as the city’s northern and southern boundaries.
Temples, ghats and the Ganga
Tourist places in Varanasi describes the city’s temples, ghats, museums and nearby sights one by one, from Kashi Vishwanath Temple to Sarnath and Ramnagar Fort.
Temples
Kal Bhairav Temple: the temple’s legends and why devotees call Kal Bhairav the Kotwal, or guardian, of Kashi.
Ghats
Manikarnika Ghat: a short introduction to the ghat and its place in a Kashi Darshan.
Ganga Aarti and boat rides
- Ganga Aarti in Varanasi: what the evening ceremony is, where it is held and ways to watch it, including from a boat.
- Boat ride in Varanasi: sunrise and evening rides on the Ganga, the types of boat ride and tips for a first ride.
Pilgrimage circuits
Kashi Darshan: a pilgrimage through the temples, ghats and rituals of Kashi, including the Panchkoshi Yatra.
Hospital visits and south Varanasi
Hospitals: guides for patients’ families
Hospital visits in Varanasi: guides for patients’ families, covering logistics only, including Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya Cancer Centre (MPMMCC) and Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital, both units of Tata Memorial Centre. The guides give no medical advice; their hospital details come from the official Tata Memorial Centre Varanasi website. For treatment or appointments, contact the hospital.
South Varanasi
South Varanasi is where the hotel is, near Sankat Mochan Temple.
About this guide and Hotel Vinayak Plaza
Last reviewed: 6 October 2026. Prepared for Hotel Vinayak Plaza; official facts on this page are checked against official sources.
About us tells you who owns the hotel and how the reception team can help.
Hotel Vinayak Plaza
Sankat Mochan Rd, near Sankat Mochan Temple, Saket Nagar Colony, Sankata Mochan Leprosy, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 221010
Call or WhatsApp: +91 91992 67480