Varanasi is a city in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Varanasi is one of the oldest living cities in the world. It is a cultural center of northern India that has been closely associated with the Ganges. The religious and cultural heartbeat of India can be found in Varanasi, the most sacred city for Hindus, and the oldest living city in the world, dating back to 2,000 BCE. Also known as Benares, Banaras, or Kashi, Varanasi is the holiest of the seven sacred cities in Hinduism.