Panchakosi

road, Vārānasi, India

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 23, 2026

Quick Summary

The Panchakosi road in Varanasi, India, is a sacred pilgrimage route. Devout Hindus aspire to walk this road, which encircles the city, at least once in their lifetime. This circumambulation, known as pradakshina, is a significant rite in Hinduism and Buddhism, involving walking clockwise around a sacred object or place. Varanasi itself is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities and a major pilgrimage site for Hindus, located on the Ganges River. The city is renowned for its numerous temples, ghats (steps leading to the river), and its historical importance as a center of religious, educational, and artistic activities.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Varanasi
The contemporary city
…by a road known as Panchakosi; devout Hindus hope to walk that road and visit the city once in a lifetime and, if possible, to die there in old age. The site receives more than a million pilgrims each year. In addition, thousands of domestic and foreign tourists flock to…
Read More
…by a road known as Panchakosi; devout Hindus hope to walk that road and visit the city once in a lifetime and, if possible, to die there in old age. The site receives more than a million pilgrims each year. In addition, thousands of domestic and foreign tourists flock to…
Read More