VARANASI IN LEGEND AND HISTORY: Excavations at Shooltankeshwar and Saraswati Udyan

The cultural history of Varanasi, one of the oldest inhabited cities of the world, is woven with a multi-layered composition of myths and folklores. Each important locality of the city has some mythology in its background, which seems to convey a significant happening of the past The theme of this book, which is a fresh addition to the series, New Discoveries in the History of Varanasi, extends beyond the recording of archaeological findings at Shooltankeshwar and Avimukta-kshetra (Kashi-Vishwanath area). Having a special place in the Shaiva mythology of Varanasi, the material findings of these sites add much to the socio-religious history of the place when scrutinized along with folk-religious traditions.

Incidentally, the twin sites of Saraswati Udyan and Shooltankeshwar also represent the nucleus and periphery of the Shaiva landscape of Kashi. The modern Kashi-Vishwanath temple (Pukka Mahal), in the heart of the city, falls within the Avimukta-kshetra, which according to mythology was the abode of Shiva and his consort Parvati. Although at a distance from Pukka Mahal, Shooltankeshwar is reputed in mythology for witnessing the event when Shiva held the river Ganga on his trident before she was to enter into the city. Archaeological findings from these two sites are also significant for scientific evaluation of the antiquity and genesis of such myths.