Uttarkashi is a city in the Indian state of Uttarakhand.
Himalayan village and holy location (tirtha) on the
Bhagirathi River in northern Uttar Pradesh, known as "northern
Benares." Uttarkashi is said to be the northern variant of Benares, the
city of the deity Shiva and one of India's most holy locations, as its name
suggests.
According to the founding myths of Uttarkashi, Shiva no
longer resides in Benares and now resides in Uttarkashi.
Uttarkashi's claim to be the northern Benares is supported
by several similarities and homologies with Benares itself: The Ganges River
runs through both cities in a northerly direction; both have a core region defined
by the area between the Varuna and Asi Rivers; both are encircled by a
panchakroshi pilgrimage path; and both have Shiva in the form of Vishvanath as
their patron god.
Although these comparisons to Benares may seem slavish, the
premise of this assertion is not merely that Uttarkashi is a holy location,
like Benares is a holy place, but that Uttarkashi's holiness is equivalent to
Benares'.
Uttarkashi is the district headquarters and a major supply
point for the other sites in the region, in addition to its importance as a
pilgrimage town.
Early in 1993, the town was severely damaged by an
earthquake, and it has been slowly rebuilding since then.
