Banaras - Kashi - the oldest living city in the world, is described as a microcosm of Indian civilization. Shiva is the presiding deity of Banaras, and along with the Goddess Ganges, provide people with a setting for learning, healing and transformation.

The countiess myths, symbolic meanings philosophical interpretations, and patterns of collective memory that have accured around the city have given Banaras a distinctive personality, a city which englobes the whole of existence. It is a place where life is relished to the fullest, and fear of death is conquered, and where many choose to die to attain spontaneous liberation. Banaras also represents a meeting of the dimensions of intellect and the heart. Spirituality is the great leveler, for in Banaras all are equally naked in front of shiva and in the dip of the Ganges.