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Kashi—a city in the Hindu spiritual imagination, is not merely a geographical place but a sacred reality. Known today by three names—Kashi, Banaras and Varanasi—this ancient city on the banks of the Ganga occupies a unique position in Sanatana Dharma. Kashi, derived from the Sanskrit root kash, “to shine,” and therefore understood as the City of Light—not merely the light of the sun, but the inner light of knowledge that dispels ignorance. It is called Varanasi because the sacred region is traditionally understood as lying between the rivers Varuna in the north and Asi in the south. “Banaras” or “Benares” is the popular historical form of the city's name.