Varanasi is a city in the Uttar Pradesh state of northern India. As can be seen by the miles of ghats, temples, and shrines lining the river Ganges, Varanasi is the holiest site in Hinduism, drawing more than 2.5 million religious devotees yearly. India’s government is a constitutional republic representing a highly diverse population with thousands of ethnic groups, hundreds of languages, and a complex caste system.
The nation has a convoluted social and cultural history, featuring a rich intellectual life in the sciences, arts, and religious tradition. After gaining independence from the British in 1947, India split from the predominantly Muslim regions of present-day Pakistan and Bangladesh. Despite earnest attempts to unify the country, tensions between rival ethnic groups and religious sects, rich and poor, have further divided the nation.
Burdening the country further, India has more abandoned children than any nation, with over 30 million orphans wandering bustling streets and railway stations. This cultural dynamism creates immense challenges for the central government but an enormous opportunity for the church of India to step into the harvest fields moved with compassion and great expectation.
Prayer Emphasis Pray for the advancement of God’s Kingdom throughout the 43+ languages of this city, especially among the people groups listed above. Pray for leaders as they launch community centers from which church plants will happen. Pray for them as they reach women, children, and the poor. Pray for them to have wisdom, courage, and supernatural protection. Pray for a mighty movement of prayer to be birthed in Varanasi that multiplies throughout the country. Pray for followers of Jesus to walk in the power of the Spirit. Pray for a resurrection of God’s divine purpose for this city.
Prayer Timer
(Prayer time: 15 min)
All Days
Use these resources to help pray specifically each day.
"Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before." Daniel 6:10
"These I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations." Isaiah 56:7
“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” Ephesians 6:18
