Varanasi: History, Former Names & Timeline
Hindu holy city on the Ganges and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world; the Buddha preached his first sermon at nearby Sarnath.
VaranasiExplore Varanasi in the interactive map
Former names of Varanasi
| From | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 800 BC | Kashi / Benares | |
| 1956 | Varanasi |
Timeline of Varanasi
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 528 BC | The Buddha preaches his first sermon at Sarnath (traditional date) |
| 1669 | Aurangzeb demolishes the Vishwanath temple |
Who ruled Varanasi
Derived from the border maps; each row runs until the next recorded border change.
| Period | State |
|---|---|
| 500 BC–401 BC | Kasi |
| 400 BC–301 BC | Magadha |
| 300 BC–2 BC | Mauryan Empire |
| 1 BC–199 | Hindu kingdoms |
| 200–299 | Magadha |
| 300–599 | Gupta Empire |
| 600–799 | Kanauj |
| 800–999 | Tibetan Empire |
| 1000–1099 | Rajput kingdoms |
| 1100–1199 | Chandellas |
| 1200–1599 | Sultanate of Delhi |
| 1600–1649 | Islamic and Hindu states |
| 1650–1782 | Mughal Empire |
| 1783–1799 | Bengal |
| 1800–1814 | Bundelkhand |
| 1815–1879 | British East India Company |
| 1880–1944 | British Raj |
| 1945–today | India |