 According to legend , Varanasi was founded by the god Shiva . The Pandavas , the heroes of the Hindu epic Mahabharata , are also said to have visited the city in search of Shiva to atone for their sin of fratricide and Brāhmanahatya that they had committed during the climactic Kurukshetra War . It is regarded as one of seven holy cities which can provide Moksha ; Ayodhyā , Mathurā , Gayā , Kaśī , Kañchi , Avantikā , and Dwārāvatī are the seven cities known as the givers of liberation . 
 According to legend , Varanasi was founded by the god Shiva . The Pandavas , the heroes of the Hindu epic Mahabharata , are also said to <a href='been_done' title='1'><mark>have</mark></a> visited the city in search of Shiva to atone for their sin of fratricide and Brāhmanahatya that they <a href='been_done' title='2'><mark>had</mark></a> committed during the climactic Kurukshetra War . It is regarded as one of seven holy cities which can provide Moksha ; Ayodhyā , Mathurā , Gayā , Kaśī , Kañchi , Avantikā , and Dwārāvatī are the seven cities known as the givers of liberation . 
According to legend , Varanasi was founded by the god Shiva . da Pandavas , tdaheroes of the Hindu epic Mahabharata , are also said to done visited the city in search of Shiva to atone for their sin of fratricide and Brāhmanahatya dat they done committed durin thdalimactic Kurukshetra War . It is regarded as one of seven holy cities which can provide Moksha ; Ayodhyā , Mathurā , Gayā , Kaśī , Kañchi , Avantikā , and Dwārāvatī r the seven cities known as the givers of liberation .