Varanasi

American  

[vuh-rah-nuh-see] / vəˈrɑ nə si /

noun

1. a city in southeastern Uttar Pradesh, in northeastern India, on the Ganges River: Hindu holy city.

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Varanasi British  

/ vəˈrɑːnəsɪ /

noun

1. Former names: Benares.   Banaras.  a city in NE India, in SE Uttar Pradesh on the River Ganges: probably dates from the 13th century _bc ; an early centre of Aryan philosophy and religion; a major place of pilgrimage for Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and Buddhists, with many ghats along the Ganges; seat of the Banaras Hindu University (1916), India's leading university, and the Sanskrit University (1957). Pop: 1 100 748 (2001)

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Varanasi

Since Modi came to power numerous Hindu, Buddhist, Jain and Sikh places of worship have undergone extensive renovation, as have holy sites such as Varanasi, Sarnath and Bodh Gaya.

From Barron's ● Jun. 25, 2026

PM Modi is seeking a third term as an MP from Varanasi, popularly known as Benaras or "the world’s oldest living city".

From BBC ● Jun. 3, 2024

During a videotaped interview with an Indian news agency at the Ganges River in Varanasi, Mr. Singh praised the powerful prime minister, Narendra Modi, for celebrating “our rich cultural heritage.”

From New York Times ● Jun. 1, 2024

The constituency of Varanasi, with around 1.7 million voters, will go to the polls on June 1.

From Seattle Times ● May 14, 2024

I stitched the train that took us to Varanasi, and Hari splashing about in the river.

From "Homeless Bird" by Gloria Whelan