India is home to an ancient civilization and its cities contain pages of history. There are many cities in the country whose history is thousands of years old. By studying these cities, we get information about the rich culture and history of India. Let's take a look at some of the oldest cities in India-

Settled on the banks of the river Ganges, Varanasi, also known as Kashi, is one of the oldest cities in India. There is no exact information about when it was founded, but it is believed to be more than 5000 years old. This city is a major center of Hinduism and the Vishwanath temple located here is famous all over the world.

Ujjain, located in Madhya Pradesh, is also one of the important cities of ancient India. Around 600 BC served as a cultural, political and literary center. The city has witnessed the rise and fall of many empires, and is also mentioned in the literary works of giants including Kalidasa. It once served as the capital of the Avanti Kingdom during the Mahabharata period.

The ancient roots of Patna can be traced back to 2500 years ago. Earlier known as Pataliputra, it has been an important destination for pilgrims of all religions as it is located close to famous sites like Bodh Gaya and Nalanda. Patna is also the place where the 10th Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh was born. And, if you research carefully, the city also finds mention in the travelogues of Faxian, and how Buddha visited Patna during the last year of his life.

Mathura located in Uttar Pradesh is a holy city for Hindus as it is the birthplace of Lord Krishna. Located on the banks of the Yamuna River, Mathura has a history of around 2500 years. The city of Mathura finds mention in the oldest epic Ramayana.

Madurai located in Tamil Nadu is one of the oldest cities in South India. According to legends, the sweet nectar of Madhu fell from the matted locks of Lord Shiva here, hence the name Madurai. You will find mention of this place in texts from the 3rd century BC that were written by Megasthenes, the Greek ambassador to India. Moreover, the city is built around the world-famous Meenakshi Temple, which is said to have been built around 600 BC and was rebuilt in its current form in the 17th century.

(PC: Zee news)