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Varanasi, also known as Kashi, is considered as the religious capital of Hinduism. In the Hindu faith, it is the holiest of all of its cities; the four dhams (abode of gods) in the four cardinal directions of the country – Badrinath in the north, Puri in the east, Dwarka in the west and Rameshwaram in the south – are all represented in the city in "archetypal forms" as the presiding deities at Maha Ghat, Rama Ghat, Shankudhara Ghat, and Mir Ghat respectively. Other Hindu holy places, such as the Kedarnath at Kedar Ghat, Mathura at Bakaruia Kund or Nakhi Ghat, Prayag (Allahadbad) at Dashahvamedha Ghat, Kamakhya (Assam) at Kamachha, Kurukshetra at Kurkukshtrea Kund near Asi, and Lake Manasarovar at Mansarovar near Shyameshvara are a part of the city's religious and cultural heritage. In the sacred geography of India Varanasi is known as the "microcosm of India". In addition to its 3,300 Hindu religious places, Varanasi has 12 churches, three Jain mandirs, nine Buddhist shrines, three Gurudwaras (Sikh shrines), and 1,388 Muslim holy places. ==Hinduism== (詳細はUttar Pradesh Tourism – Varanasi ), Department of Tourism – Government of UP. (Archived at ().) Accessed 2015-08-20.〕 is one of the holiest cities and centres of pilgrimage for Hindus of all denominations. It is one of the seven holiest cities (''Sapta Puri'') in Hinduism, and is considered by the faith as the giver of salvation (''moksha''). Over 50,000 Brahmins live in Kashi, providing religious services to the masses. Hindus believe that bathing in the Ganges remits sins and that dying in Kashi ensures release of a person's soul from the cycle of its transmigration. Thus, many Hindus come here to die. In 2001, Hindus made up approximately 84% of the population of Varanasi district.〔 As the home to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple ''Jyotirlinga'', the city is especially sacred for followers of Shaivism. Kashi is also a Shakti Peetha, where the temple to goddess Vishalakshi stands, believed to be the location where the goddess Sati's earrings fell. Hindus of the Shakti sect make a pilgrimage to the city because they regard the Ganges itself to be the goddess Shakti.〔( Vishal Rathod, "Ganga and Ghats in Varanasi: Place of Purification of Sins and Salvation" ), Ghumakkar.com. Retrieved 23 May 2013.〕 Adi Shankara wrote his commentaries on Hinduism here,〔("Adi Shankaracharya (788 CE – 820 CE)" ), Green Message. Retrieved 23 May 2013.〕 and his efforts lead to the great Hindu revival as at that time Buddhism was widely practiced. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Religion in Varanasi」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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