Which major river is the city of Varanasi located on?

Varanasi is located on the left bank of the Ganges, one of Asia's major rivers.

The city lies in Uttar Pradesh in northern India, along a crescent-shaped stretch of the river. Varanasi's celebrated ghats, including Dashashwamedh and Manikarnika, descend to the Ganges and are central to religious ceremonies, pilgrimage and cremation traditions.

The river rises in the western Himalayas and flows roughly 2,525 kilometres through India and Bangladesh before reaching the Bay of Bengal. At Devprayag, the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi meet to form the main stem traditionally identified as the Ganges.

The Yamuna is an important tributary, not the river running directly beside Varanasi. The city is also associated with the Varuna and Assi watercourses; the name Varanasi is traditionally linked to the area between their confluences with the Ganges. In Bangladesh, the river is commonly known as the Padma.