Varanasi: In the middle of Varanasi's Godowlia crossing stands a statue of Nandi, the guardian deity, with his back to the Kashi Vishwanath temple. This is a continuation of a centuries-old custom. A large screen shows a cola commercial, the pictures flashing out into an invitation to purchase advertising space.
Benares, as it was formerly known, is "older than history, older than tradition, even older than legend," as noted by Mark Twain. However, with history and modernity in tow, the legendary city of temples, ghats, and soul seeking is becoming a centrepiece of the government's promotion of religious tourism.