Bombings in Varanasi
 

Just heard that there was one bomb at the big temple in Varanasi, two more at the cantonmentt rail station. About 20 people killed. Two other bombs at one of the Ghats were found and defused.

So sad...

It is very sad. I can't figure out why people do these things. It makes no sense.

Yes, how very sad.

Excuse my ignorance.
Where is Varanasi?

Varanasi is in the north of India in the state of Uttar Pradesh-old name is Benaras and it is a temple town.

It is where the rivers Ganges and Assi join up, and one of the oldest continuosly occupied cities in the world. Hindus consider it a very holy place, and many go there on pilgrimages.

and to sum up the nutshell problem in a very Cliff notes way, Varanasi is a holy Hindu city. Yet there are great Muslim sites there and so there are conflicts between the two.

There is a place in old Varanasi where a sacred Muslim shrine and a very sacred Hindu shrine are within a few feet of each other. Radicals from each religion have threatened to knock down the otehr's site.

When I was there in 2002, there were armed guards around both sites. I wasn't allowed to bring a bag, or even my camera close to the area.

I was ther

My wife and I were in Varanasi in 2004 and experienced no problems whatever. We went about the city with complete safety, both day and night. It is a fascinating place, the very essence of Hindu faiths and practices. To us, it was the high spot of our travels through India. Everywhere we went, we were greeted with courtesy and care. These acts of senseless violence are very much the exception.