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Potentials of Tourism with Reference to Varanasi... : 91
tourism which now has become well defined and collaborative activity.
Kashi or Varanasi, as an ageless city, is said to be one of the oldest living cities of the world. Its sacredness from the view point of convergence of all the three religious and cultural streams, namely Vedic-Puranic (not Hindu)', Buddhism and Jainism is well known. Varanasi is truly the holiest city and also the cultural capital of India.
Kashi (city of Divine Light) is right word to denote the holiness and wholeness of the city but Varanasi in modern context has been accepted as synonym and hence by Varanasi we mean the whole of present city extended beyond Banaras Hindu University in south and beyond Sarnath in north. Varanasi allures and invites tourists not only from different parts of India but also from all over the world because of its rich and varied past heritage and traditions and more because of its living cultural diversity with inherent unity. The city with somewhat meager material facilities for the tourists is the city of experience and feel of spirituality. It is perhaps the only city in India which is sacred equally to Buddhists, Jainas and of course to the people of Vedic-Puranic faith. So far the city is mainly known for tourism in Buddhist and Vedic-Puranica (not Hinduism) sectors and its importance in Jain context has been denied while Varanasi is equally potential to offer very significant places of Jain religion and culture for the tourists, including Jaina pilgrims (tīrthāțana).
Jainism has been one of the three main religious streams of India which was basically a religion of Śramanic (ascetic) tradition. Jainism developed around the 24 Jinas or the Tīrthankaras who represent the basic tenets of Jainism i.e. deep austerity, nonviolence and absolute renunciation. Its importance in Jain context is apparent from the tradition, according to which out of 24 Jinas four were born in and around Varanasi, they are Supārsvanātha (7h
