Ram Ramapati Bank

In the eight decades of its existence, over 100,000 people have opened accounts here. Ram Ramapati Bank in this popular pilgrim city is a bank all right, but it doesn't deal in money.

All that an account holder has to do is scribble Lord Ram's name 125,000 times on paper and keep it as a 'deposit' with the bank, in the hope that his or her prayers will be answered. Its 'clientele' is spread over the US, Canada, the West Indies and, of course, across India.

"After the sacred scribble is deposited by a particular account holder, we carry out a series of rituals that are aimed to bring prosperity and good luck to his life," Sumit Mehrotra, grandson of the Ram Ramapati Bank's founder, told IANS on telephone.

Like a bank which gives a loan, this institution claims to loan 'god's name' till the time an account holder writes Lord Ram's name the required number of times and returns the paper. Then the loan is considered repaid. Thereafter, the bank on its own conducts rituals for the account holder's prosperity.

All the papers are kept in the bank's compartments. The family members work in other professions and contribute their own money to keep the bank running. "Mostly people open their accounts in Ram Ramapati Bank to get their prayers answered. From opening the account to organising rituals for the account holder's prosperity, the bank does not ask for a single penny from its customers," he added.

The bank even provides free-of-cost paper bundles and a pen to its account holder for writing Lord Ram's name. Sanctioning of the loan in Ram Ramapati Bank too comes with unique terms and conditions.

"The foremost condition is that the account holder has to deposit all the sacred scribble within eight months and 10 days from the date of sanctioning of the loan," said Mehrotra. "There are other conditions such as the scribbling had to be done after taking a bath. Account holders are also required to shun non-vegetarian food, onion and garlic during the entire period of writing Lord Ram's name," he added.

The bank was established 84 years ago by Das Channu Lal after his spiritual guru told him to devote his life to Lord Ram. People from different walks of life are account holders of the bank. "From doctors, engineers to housewives - all have opened account in the bank for one reason or the other," said Mehrotra, who also owns a coaching institute in Varanasi.

Sheetla Ghat

In c. 1740 pt. Narayana Diksit the preceptor of Bajirao Pesava-1, made this ghat pucca. In fact, this is the southern extension of Dasasvamedha Ghat, where exists Dasasvamedha Tirtha and images of Dasasvamedhesvara and Dasaharesvara. After the famous sitala temple there, this ghat is called after. On the 8th light- half of lunar months of Caitra, Vaisakha Jyestha and Asadha (march – July ) and Asvina (Sept –Oct. ) people celebrate the festival of Sitala Asthami ("8th day" ). The same fastivities also occur at (adi) Sitla Ghat in the north. Another important occasion at this Ghat is the special worship after the newly marriage, the couples and close family members come here for the Ganga worship ritual followed by rituals in the Sitala temple.

Raja Ghat

Formerly known as Amrita Rao Ghat, this was firstly made by the first Maratha chief Gajirao Balaji in c.1720. This was rebuilt with stone slabs by Amrita Rao Pesac\va during 1780 – 1807. At the top of lofty stone steps he established four temples of Amritesvara, Vinayakesvara, Nayanesvara and Gangesvara and four auxiliary shrines, and also renovated the Prabhasa Tritha in 1780.

Gayatri Mata Mandir

Gayatri Mata Mandir is located at Lahurabir.

Om Sai Mandir Nadesar

Zero Mile Marker

In many countries, Kilometer Zero (also written km 0) or similar terms in other languages (also known as Zero mile marker, control stations or control points) is a particular location (often in the nation's capital city), from which distances are traditionally measured. They were markers where drivers could set their odometers to follow directions in early guide books.

A similar notion also exists for individual roads (that is, all locations on the road have a number, depending on their distance from that location), and for individual cities (often the city's central post office is used for this).