Few cities in india can beat the mystical and exotic aura of varanasi(also called banares), located in uttar Pradesh, that has attracted the religious, intellectuals as well as holy men since centuries to its shores washed by the mighty ganga river. Regarded as the spiritual and cultural capital of india, it’s the holiest of the seven sacred cities in Hinduism and Jainism. It’s home to one of asia’s largest residential universities, the banares hindu university. Lord Buddha gave his first sermon at sarnath located near Varanasi