Varanasi, India, JAN 1989: Varanasi, also known as Benares, is a city situated on the banks of the river Ganges in the state of Uttar Pradesh in North India. The Ganges or Ganga is considered as the most sacred river in India and is worshipped as Goddess Ganga. The water of the Ganges is considered very pure and that it washes away ones sins and cures diseases. Millions of pilgrims visit Varanasi every year for the ritual bath in the holy water. One third of India's population lives along the banks of the 1560 mile long river. The Ganges is also one of the most polluted rivers in the world. In Dec 2009 The World Bank donated one billion dollars to the Indian government to clean up the heavily polluted river.
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