People from abroad feels India as the country of spirituality, knowledge and diverse cultures. There are the plethora of incidents when prominent foreigners went on praising India for its multilingual presence.
Meanwhile, Varanasi is one of the holiest places in India it is also called as one of the oldest cities in India. This city is more known for the ghats and spiritual embodiments. Many leading International media channels made TV shows and programmes on the beauty of this spiritual city.
But this time, an English media channel CNN slipped its tongue, intentionally or non-intentionally depicting Varanasi as ‘City of the Death’, they released a video that roped in wide criticism on Twitter.
The concerned website in the CNN’s website said:
“Spiritual adventure series, renowned author and religious scholar Reza Aslan immerses himself in the world’s most fascinating faith-based groups to experience life as a true believer.”
Here’s The Tweet From CNN:
It’s known as the city of the dead. @rezaaslan takes you inside on the new CNN series #Believer. Starts Sunday at 10p ET. @CNNOriginals pic.twitter.com/x8RMufn8lq
— CNN (@CNN) March 4, 2017
Such mention about the city describing as the city of dead roped in the furious comments from the popular politicians and authors to historians, many came forward to say that Varanasi is far from being the City of the Dead and even asked the channel as well as Aslan to apologise.
Varanasi is anything but the city of dead.
It is the oldest ‘living’ city, literally & spiritually. u deserve more of Trump@CNN @rezaaslan— shilpi tewari (@shilpitewari) March 4, 2017
I’ve never heard any of my friends from Varanasi describe the city like this. I also lived there for some time and it was pretty lively
— प्रोफ़॰ डॉ॰ रॉफ़ल इयान बाबू (@iawoolford) March 4, 2017
Varanasi is the City of Lights. There would’ve been outrage if @CNN had presented such an ignorant show about Islam @rezaaslan @CNNOriginals
— Sankrant Sanu सानु (@sankrant) March 4, 2017
Varanasi is known for Spirituality and place of Jyotirling Kashi Vishwanath and Sankat Mochan. Think beyond your religion.
— Abhishek Mishra (@Abhishek_Mshra) March 5, 2017
What’s Up with “city of dead”??It is beyond time. Go visit my eternally beautiful city. It will liberate you..#Varanasi #banaras @CNN https://t.co/zTNn56H8KP
— Divya Singh?? (@Divyasingh04) March 5, 2017
Indiana Jones journalism @CNN There’s no secret to ghats & Varanasi city of moksha & rebirth not death. May be Trump is right abt fake news https://t.co/3l6g9doelh
— Shekhar Gupta (@ShekharGupta) March 5, 2017
.@CNN @rezaaslan @CNNOriginals Your new serial is heavily Hinduphobic. Ashes are immersed, not “dumped”.
— Rajiv Malhotra (@RajivMessage) March 4, 2017
It’s the city of eternal life, not the city of dead. No matter what, the West will never really get the East. You just proceed it @cnn. https://t.co/FfiRmXXpP3
— Yashwant Deshmukh (@YRDeshmukh) March 4, 2017
We Indians do not call Kashi the City of the Dead. It’s the City of Light. Perhaps you guys should do some actual research @cnn & @rezaaslan https://t.co/yel6dtgrfv
— Amish Tripathi (@authoramish) March 5, 2017