A city on the River Ganges, in Uttar Pradesh, northern India; population 1,200,600 (est. 2009). It is a holy city and a place of pilgrimage for Hindus, who undergo ritual purification in the River Ganges.
Former name Benares
Definition of Varanasi in US English:
Varanasi
proper nounvəˈränəsē
A city on the Ganges River, in Uttar Pradesh, in northern India; population 1,200,600 (est. 2009). It is a holy city and a place of pilgrimage for Hindus, who undergo ritual purification in the Ganges River.