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It is said that anyone who ends their earthly days at Varanasi will go straight to heaven, no matter their creed or misdeeds. Founded by the Hindu god, Shiva, on the banks of the sacred Ganges in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, India's spiritual capital draws pilgrims from far and wide. Hindus believe that the Ganges brings purity to the living and salvation to the dead. At Varanasi, a chain of stone steps, known as ghats, lines the city's great river banks. It is here that pilgrims bathe in the river's sacred waters, practice meditation and yoga or are cremated on huge pyres along its banks. Of the hundreds of cremation ghats, Manikarnika is the most sacred. Varanasi has been a center of learning and civilization for over 2,000 years. It was just 10 kilometers from the city at Sarnath that Buddha first preached his message of enlightenment. Today Varanasi is home to intellectuals and a thriving north Indian classical music scene. Famous for its music schools, Varanasi draws students from all over the world and is home to such legendary classical music figures as Ravi Shankar. The city hosts a lively performing arts scene and is renown for its big music festivals, particularly during winter and spring. Naturally, Varanasi also houses a veritable society of instrument makers, most tucked away in the alleys of the old city. Other highlights at Varanasi include the Golden Temple, with its stunning gilded towers; markets famous for their handloomed silks and shawls; the nearby Buddhist center of Sarnath and a river trip down the Ganges at dawn.