TEMPLES & MOSQUES

Varanasi boasts over 1,500 religious buildings. Sometimes it's hard to find them, as they're scattered all over the city: along the ghats, tucked away in a corner of a gali, or squeezed between several buildings and you'll have to find the door leading to them.

The Kashi Vishwanath Temple (Golden Temple) houses one of the country's twelve sacred jyotirlingas. It is dedicated to Shiva as Vishwanath (Lord of the Universe). Also known as the Golden Temple for its domes plated with precious metal, its entrance is reserved exclusively for Hindus for security reasons, but it is possible to photograph it from across the street. This restriction changes according to the social and religious climate, so it may be wise to try your luck! Expect to join a long queue to enter the sanctuary, followed by a thorough search.

Look out for the bas-reliefs in Kathwala Mandir, the Nepalese temple near Lalita Ghat, depicting tantric erotic postures and mahakala figures. Eroticism and the macabre symbolize hard-to-reach realities. If you've been to Khajuraho, you'll be able to grasp the artistic filiations of both currents of thought.

The Tulsi Manas Mandir (close to the Assi Ghat) is open to non-Hindus. Recently built (1964), its walls depict the story of the Ramayana over several floors; at the very top, automatons act out scenes from the epic tale. The temple is dedicated to the medieval poet Tulsi Das.

You will be refused entry to the Durga Mandir, to the south of the Assi Ghat, near the bridge, painted entirely in red; it is the refuge of aggressive monkeys, which you should be wary of once you have climbed to the top of the footbridge to catch a glimpse of the sanctuary. Opposite, on the other side of the river, is Ramnagar Fort, home to the former maharaja of Varanasi; there's little to see here, apart from the maharaja's personal museum of old automobiles and artefacts. The building is well worth a visit, however.

The Bharat Mata Mandir (Vidyapeeth Road, near Varanasi Junction station) is a real curiosity: instead of idols of Hindu gods, it contains a relief map of India carved in marble.

For a little variety, you can also visit the Gyanvapi Masjid mosque, close to Lalita Ghat, and the superb Alamgir Masjid, overlooking Panchganga Ghat. Both were built by Emperor Aurangzeb in the ^17th century, blending Hindu and Muslim architecture.