Benares is one of the cities Bro. Fotheringham and I visited in India. Today Benares is called Varanasai. The following is a transcription of my original journal (with my spelling left the way I wrote it - thank you Tommy Lavan and Kathryn Carter.)
Fryday the 27 [May, 1853]
We got a ground at 11 A M. got of the bar at 7 P M. We Stoped at the Holy Citty Benares Sow caled [So called]. discharged freight and took in Cole This Citty is where all the hindoes that Can posably Come to Dye they think if they dye here they will gow directly to Heaven.
it is a very large Citty. it looks very butiful I counted 40 Tempels in the Citty. a portion of them are near the waters edge they have large Fronts with marble Steps Running down to the waters edge, and Onnings Extend a long the Shore to Bath., & worship under. there is thousands, Wershiping, and batting (bathing) at the Same time. this they doe Evenig (evening) and morning. On the back Side of those onnings they have alters Erected that they perform Some of their Religious Cerimonies. the Population of Benares is Emece [immense].
There is one Temple that has 2 Colloms that extend 150 Feet above the Smaler Terets (turrets) on the temple The Temple & Coloms is 300 feet high. there is on the Front 2 tall Coloms & 2 Smaler ones a bout half as high; on the back Side the is 4 Coloms. the Corner Coloms is a bout 2/3 as tall as the tallest in front, and the middle ones in proportion. there is three domes one on each end and in the midle one that is Considerable larger than thoes on the ends and Extends a number of feet above the Ohers (others). the Roof is flat With Raelings around it. it is a Very large Temple and look very Butiful as you pas it. [Benares is a corruption of the name Varanasi. It is one of the seven sacred cities of Hinduism.]
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| Benares Today |
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| Benares around the time William was there |
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| Benares today showing steps down to the river |
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| Early Benares with steps to the river where people could bathe and go to die |
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