BENA'RES, a city on the left side of the Ganges, which here varies, according to the season, between 50 to 92 ft. in depth, and in width between 600 yards and a little more than half a mile. It is in lat. 25' 17' n., and long, S3° 4' c., being 421 um. to the n.w. of Calcutta, and 466 and 74 respectively to the s.e. of Delhi and Allahabad. Without reckoning Secrole, which, at the distance of 2 or 3 in. to 7-nntains the official establishments, B. covers, as it were, min amphitheater of 3 m. in front, and 1 in. in depth. the immediate margin of the river. which is comparatively steep, being chiefly occupied by flights of steps, or ghats, as they are called, where crowds of all classes spend the day in business, amusement. or devotion. This lively scene, backed by the minarets of about 300 mosques, and the pinnacles of about 1000 pagodas, presents a truly picturesque appearance to spectators on the opposite shore of the Gauges. On closer inspection, however, the city, as a whole, disappoints a visitor. The streets, or rather alleys, altogether impracticable for wheeled-carriages, barely afford a passage to individ ual horsemen or single beasts of burden; and these thoroughfares, besides being shut out from sun and air by buildings of several stories, are said to be shared with the numerous passengers by sacred bulls that roam about at will. The pop. in 1872 was 175.18$.
In time traditions of the country, B. is believed to have been coeval with creation: and tolerably authentic history does assign to it a really high antiquity. In its actual con dition, however, 13. is a modern city. Both in extent and in embellishment, it owes much to the influence of Mahratta ascendency. which dates from the close of the 17th c.: and it possesses, perhaps• not a single structure that reaches back to the close of the 16th. As the central seat of TIinduism. B., on high occasions. attracts immense crowds
of pilgrims—sometimes as many as 100.000: and some years ago. during an eclipse of the moon. forty persons were trampled to death in the streets. Naturally enough. the Brahmins of B. hare always been remarkable for bigotry. Now, however, Brahminism appears to be on the decline; and a result, which Mohammedan persecution vainly tried to produce, would seem to be gradually chiefly through the introduction of European literature and science. On the Sanscrit college, instituted in 1792, there was at a later date ingrafted an English department, comprising poetry, history, mathematics, and political economy. It is attended by numerous Inuit's. and a few Mussulmans and native Christians. B., as Heber has observed, is very industrious and wealthy, as well as very holy. Besides having extensive manufactures of its own in cotton, wool, and silk, its commanding position on the grand line of communication—road, river, and rail alike—renders it the principal emporium of the neighboring regions. It is the great mart for the Shawls of the north, the diamonds of the south, mid the muslins of the cast; while it circulates the varied productions of Europe and America over Bumlelcurd, Goruekpore, Nepal, etc. For the general history of the city, sec the following artielr on the district-of the same name. The details of the mutiny of 1857 will be found under the head of SEcnotE. the same time. B. proper added its share to the fearful interest of the emergency through the proverbially fanatical character of its inhabitants, who, during the second siege of Bhurtpore, had got 80,000 sabers sharpened in anticipation of a second repulse of the British.