Around this temple evolved the spiritual identity of Varanasi .The holy city within Banaras is thus called, Kashi, the luminous one or the city of the light. It is beside the holy waters of the Ganga that the activities for which Banaras is held sacred are performed. Everyday thousands of residents and pilgrims bathe, offer prayers to the elements, to the rising sun, and to their dead ancestors who have been carried away by these waters. What draws people to the river is an ingrained belief that these waters can absolve the sins of many generations. The offerings to the sacred waters vary.
Pilgrims give flowers, fruits, lamps and their respectful prayers.
On festival days and religious occasions the riverside is thick with their colorful bobbing up and down on the waters. The land around Banaras is also held sacred since Shiva is believed to have lived here. There are thousands of temples at Benaras dedicated to different gods and goddesses, particularly to the deities of good fortune and prosperity-and to the sun and the planets. The most important are those that honor the diverse manifestations and attributes of Shiva. The major shrine at Banaras is the Vishvanatha Temple, devoted to Shiva, the Lord of the Universe.