Banaras

Other than tourist books, I haven't read any other books about Banaras, so all I can really say about it is, it's very dense and gives a ton more information than things like Lonely Planet and random stuff on the internet. It covers a lot of history, but even just the chapter that gives actual details about the various Ghats would be helpful for a tourist visit. It's also a very interesting book of history, whether or not you ever plan to visit Kashi.

Diana Eck is not only a brilliant scholar who writes with clarity and conciseness, but also an inspiring teacher who conveys her passion for Banaras in this wonderful book. I spent a month in the city, visiting sites and absorbing the culture presented in this indispensable volume and plan to spend another month soon following up on the never-ending richness of the Holy City. This is the one book I can recommend without reservation to anyone seeking an in-depth understanding of Hindu Gods and Siva's City of Light.

I had the opportunity to go to Varanasi (Banaras, Benares, Kashi), the 3000-yr-old city that is the one of the hearts of Hinduism, and wanted to get up to speed before I went. This book (35yrs old) still captures the essence of this timeless city. History, culture, religion: it does a good job of explaining what you'll encounter. We stayed on the river in a guest house, and had a guide to walk us through the back lanes and neighborhoods, and I found that the information in this book was an excellent primer for what we experienced. Read it before you go, then I highly recommend that you read it again after you leave. Nothing can prepare you fully for your first encounter with Varanasi, but after you see the city, a rereading will help you put a lot of what you saw into perspective. Four stars only because it hasn't been updated. This REALLY helped me understand and appreciate the city.

Diana Eck provides a richly-textured, nuanced, sensitive account of a city that the Hindus consider most holy. The book is based on observations, interviews and analysis of textual documents to argue that the essence of Banaras remains unchanged despite numerous attempts to redefine it by various invaders. For those Indians unfortunate enough not to be able to spend considerable time in Kashi, this book is a welcome alternative. I found the detailed historical accounts of Hindu temples in Banaras fascinating. Having spent nearly two hours at the Kashi Viswanath Temple attending the Shringar and Shayana arthi, I can say without hesitation that Diana Eck has captured the culture, spirit, ambiance and simmering spirituality of the city and its temples amazingly well. This book is a must-read for all those interested in spirituality and culture of Hindu India.

Lovely, rich and fun, after being back from India and five days in Varanasi I am already planning a second stay this time at least a full week in this City of Light. Brilliant book!

This book is very well written, informative and interesting.It gave me lot of topics to survey in Varanassi during my photography trip there.I strongly recommend.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone planning to visit Varanasi, which I did. It gave me a much better sense of what the city really means to Hindu pilgrims.

varanasi!

Liked the book very much. History, holy scriptures and the evidences extracted from the writings of great visitors and records from government records make this book authentic. The author has correct understanding of Indian culture and beliefs those are absent in most foreign authors. It is worth reading and opens up opportunities to make research on the oldest city of the world, Varanasi.

I read this book before my first visit to Banaras and it made all the difference between being a tourist and experiencing a very special place on this earth. Banaras is more than a city it is a state of mind.

Professor Eck has, with feeling, understanding and a desire to unearth the jewel that is Kashi, offered a book that teaches, inspires and enspirits a philosophy that would otherwise likely remain esoteric and arcane. Through her immensely readable and enjoyable book, she narrates the story of Kashi, combining her scholarly approach with one that is easily digestible by the lay reader. Written with great care, erudition and empathy, it is an enlightening tome!

A very detailed insight into Banaras or Varanasi. I am a south Indian, but, Varanasi is a place that I like much. This book tells us much about the place historical and latest. An excellent read for people who would like to know more about India and the places in the country.

Read the book is as good as living in Kashi for last days of life