Varanasi Hindustani pronunciation: [ʋaːˈraːɳəsi] ), also commonly known as Banaras or Benaras (Banāras [bəˈnaːrəs] ) and Kashi, Kāśī [ˈkaːʃi] ), is a city situated on the banks of the River Ganges in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, 320 kilometres (199 mi) southeast of state capital Lucknow. It is regarded as a holy city by Hindus, Buddhists and Jains. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and the oldest in India.