Life, death and Benares

Varanasi holy city of India
Ancient city Varanasi, Varanasi City Buddha, Varanasi sacred city of Hinduism.
For those who love India, Varanasi is an attractive town, but also for Westerners that we are a special meeting, a great shock.
Varanasi reminds me of a huge cauldron which combines beasts and men, filth and luxury, life and death. But at no time have I felt like an outsider here in this great soup I belonged, as the Indians are a tolerant and welcoming people.
Remains a mystery to me: Why do I continue to call Benares a city called Varanasi?