Located in the heart of Varanasi on the banks of the Ganga, Kashi Vishwanath Mandir is a holy shrine dedicated to lord Shiva. It is a large and ornate temple, with a golden dome and intricate carvings. The main shrine is dedicated to Shiva and is located in the centre of the temple. It is one of the most sacred pilgrimage sites for the Hindus and is among the Jyotirlinga, shrines which are said to be the most sacred abodes of Shiva. The main deity of the temple is known by the names Shri Vishwanath and Vishweshwara, literally meaning Lord of the Universe. The temple derives its name from the city of Varanasi which was called Kashi in ancient times, hence the temple is called Kashi Vishwanath Mandir.
Since 1983, the temple has been overseen by a board of trustees appointed by the Uttar Pradesh government.
History of the Temple:
One of the earliest mentions of the temple can be found in the Puranas including the Kashi Khanda (section) of Skanda Purana in the 4th – 5th century.
The ancient Vishwanath temple, known as the Adi Vishveshwara Temple at the time, was demolished by the Ghurids in 1194 when Mu’izz al-Din Muhammad ibn Sam came to India and fought Jayachandra of Kannauj at Chandawar before razing the city of Kashi. In its stead, the Razia Mosque was built a few years later. During the time of Delhi’s Sultan Iltutmish (1211-1266), a Gujarati trader erected the temple near the Avimukteshwara Temple, distant from the main site, around 1230. During the reigns of Hussain Shah Sharqi (1447-1458) or Sikandar Lodi (1489-1517), it was devastated once again.
In 1742, the Maratha ruler Malhar Rao Holkar made a plan to demolish the mosque and reconstruct the Vishweshwar temple at the site. However, his plan did not materialize, partially because of intervention by the Nawab of Awadh, who was given control of the territory. Around 1750, the Maharaja of Jaipur commissioned a survey of the land around the site, intending to purchase land to rebuild the Kashi Vishwanath temple. However, his plan to rebuild the temple did not materialize either.
In 1780, Malhar Rao’s daughter-in-law Ahilyabai Holkar rebuilt the present temple adjacent to the mosque. The temple was built in the Nagara style of architecture and is made of white marble. The temple has a large dome and four smaller domes. The temple is surrounded by a colonnade with over 40 pillars.
In 1828, Baiza Bai, widow of the Maratha ruler Daulat Rao Scindhia of Gwalior State, built a low-roofed colonnade with over 40 pillars in the Gyan Vapi precinct. During 1833–1840, the boundary of Gyanvapi Well, the ghats and other nearby temples were constructed. Many noble families from various ancestral kingdoms of the Indian subcontinent and their prior establishments make generous contributions to the operations of the temple.
In 1835, Maharaja Ranjit Singh of the Sikh Empire, on the behest of his wife, Maharani Datar Kaur, donated 1 tonne of gold for plating the temple’s dome. In 1841, Raghuji Bhonsle III of Nagpur donated silver to the temple.
The temple was managed by a hereditary group of pandits or mahants. After the death of Mahant Devi Dutt, a dispute arose among his successors. In 1900, his brother-in-law Pandit Visheshwar Dayal Tewari filed a lawsuit, which resulted in him being declared the head priest.
The Kashi Vishwanath temple is a symbol of the Hindu-Muslim syncretism that has existed in India for centuries. The temple stands next to the Gyanvapi Mosque, which was built by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in the 17th century. The two religious sites coexist peacefully, and Hindus and Muslims alike visit them to pray.
Importance:
The Kashi Vishwanath Temple has a long and rich history. It is believed to have been built by the Pandavas, the heroes of the Mahabharata after they had won the war against the Kauravas. The temple has been destroyed and rebuilt several times over the centuries, most recently in the 18th century by the Maratha queen Ahilya Bai Holkar.
The Kashi Vishwanath Temple is a significant symbol of Hindu faith and culture. It is a place of great spiritual importance, and it is a source of pride for Hindus all over the world.
Here are some of the historical and mythological importance of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple:
Historical importance:
The Kashi Vishwanath Temple is believed to be one of the oldest temples in India. It is said to have been built by the Pandavas, the heroes of the Mahabharata after they had won the war against the Kauravas.
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- The temple has been destroyed and rebuilt several times over the centuries, most recently in the 18th century by the Maratha queen Ahilya Bai Holkar.
- The temple is a major pilgrimage destination for Hindus from all over the world. It is believed that a visit to the temple can help to cleanse one’s sins and lead to moksha, or liberation from the cycle of birth and death.
Mythological importance:
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- The Kashi Vishwanath Temple is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, which are said to be the most sacred abodes of Shiva.
- The temple is said to be the place where Lord Shiva first manifested himself as a pillar of light.
- It is also said that the temple is the only place where Lord Shiva will remain even after the end of the world.
- The temple is a popular pilgrimage destination for Hindus from all over the world. It is believed that a visit to the temple can help to cleanse one’s sins and lead to moksha, or liberation from the cycle of birth and death.
Legends:
In the lights of the Shiva Purana, Brahma – the Hindu god of creation and Vishnu – the Hindu god of preservation had an argument about supremacy. Intending to test their powers, Shiva pierced the three mystical states of the earth as a huge endless pillar of light known as Jyotirlinga. Vishnu initially took the shape of a boar (Varaha) to dig the ground for the base of the pillar, while Brahma, in the guise of a swan, explored the sky for the top of the pillar. Brahma erroneously claimed to have discovered the summit of the pillar. Vishnu, on the other hand, admitted modestly that he had failed to find the base. As a punishment, Shiva severed Brahma’s fifth head and cursed him, declaring that he would never longer be revered. Because Vishnu was truthful, he would be honoured alongside Shiva and have his own temples for all time.
The Jyothirlinga is an ancient axis mundi symbol representing the supremely formless (nirguna) reality at the core of creation, out of which the form (saguna) of Shiva appears. The Jyothirlinga shrines are thus places where Shiva appeared as a fiery column of light. There are 64 forms of Shiva, not to be confused with Jyotirlingas. Each of the twelve Jyotirlinga sites takes the name of the presiding deity; each is considered a different manifestation of Lord Shiva. At all these sites, the primary image is the lingam representing the beginningless and endless Stambha pillar, symbolizing the infinite nature of Shiva. The twelve jyothirlinga are Somnath in Gujarat, Mallikarjuna at Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh, Mahakaleswar at Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, Omkareshwar in Madhya Pradesh, Kedarnath in Uttarakhand, Bhimashankar in Maharashtra, Viswanath at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, Triambakeshwar in Maharashtra, Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga, Deogarh in Deoghar, Jharkhand, Nageswar at Dwarka in Gujarat, Rameshwar at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu and Grishneshwar at Aurangabad in Maharashtra.
The Manikarnika Ghat is located on the Ganga’s banks. This sacred spot is quite close to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple and is known as a Shakti Pitha, a respected Shaktism sect worship site. The genesis of Shakti Peethas is also mentioned in the Daksha Yaga, an important Shaivite text.
According to mythology, Lord Vishweshara is the holy god of Varanasi, ruling over all other deities as well as the people of the city and the expanded circle of the Panchkosi an area (Varanasi’s sacred boundaries) stretching over 50 miles.
Beliefs:
Lord Shiva has proclaimed the location of the Vishwanath Temple to be his Royal abode. The mother of Goddess Parvati was embarrassed because her son-in-law did not have a good place to live. To appease Parvati Devi, Shiva requested that Nikumbha furnish him with a residence in Kashi. On Nikumbha’s request, Aunikumbha, a Brahmin, had Divodas build a temple for the Lord here.
All of his worshippers received boons from the delighted Lord. But Divodas never had a son. Divodas was furious and destroyed the building. Nikumbha cursed that the land would be bereft of inhabitants. Lord Siva returned to this place permanently after hearing the promises of the repentant divodas. The Lord, together with Parvati Devi, began bestowing tremendous boons on his followers once more.
Parvati Devi was so delighted that she provided food (annam) to everyone, and she is hence revered as Annapoorani. The Lord himself is pictured with a bowl in his hands, asking for annam from the sitting Devi at the Devis shrine, which is close to Viswanatha’s shrine. This is one of the 52 Sakthipeedams (the location where Parvathis left hand landed after her body was cut by Mahavishnus sudarshana chakram).
Architecture:
The temple complex comprises several smaller shrines built along the river in a little alley known as the Vishwanatha Galli. The primary deity’s linga is 60 centimetres (24 in) tall and 90 centimetres (35 in) in diameter, and it is placed on a silver altar. The main temple is quadrilateral in shape and flanked by shrines to various gods. The complex has minor temples dedicated to Kala Bhairava, Kartikeya, Avimukteshwara, Vishnu, Ganesha, Shani, Shiva, and Parvati.
A Sabha Griha (Congregation Hall) leads to the inner Garbha Griha (Sanctum Sanctorum). The venerable Jyotirlinga is a dark brown stone that sits on a silver platform in the Sanctum. The Mandir has three sections. The first compromise was the temple’s spire. The second structure is a gold dome, and the third is a gold spire atop the sanctuary that bears a flag and a trident.
Every day, roughly 3,000 people visit the Kashi Vishwanath temple. In rare cases, the figures approach 1,000,000 or more. The temple’s 15.5-metre-high gold tower and gold Onion dome are notable features. Maharaja Ranjit Singh gifted three domes made entirely of pure gold in 1835.
The Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham corridor, which runs along the Ganges River between Kashi Vishwanath Temple and Manikarnika Ghat, provides pilgrims with a variety of amenities.
Travel and Tourism:
Kashi Vishwanath Pooja Timings:
Mangala Aarti: 3:00 AM to 4:00 AM (Morning)
Bhoga Aarti: 11:15 AM to 12:20 AM (Day)
Sandhya Aarti: 7:00 PM to 8:15 PM (Evening)
Shringara Aarti: 9:00 PM to 10:15 PM (Night)
Shayana Aarti: 10:30 PM ti 11:00 PM (Night)
Dress Code for Sparsh Darshan:
Men: Dhoti-Kurta
Women: Saree
How to Reach:
By Air:
There is a direct daily flight connection between Varanasi and New Delhi. It also connects Varanasi to Delhi, Agra, Khajuraho, Calcutta, Mumbai, Lucknow, Gaya, Chennai, Ahmadabad, Hyderabad, Bhuvaneshwar etc. Terminal Manager Babtpur Airport: 0542-2623060 Airport Director: 0542-2622155
By Train:
Varanasi is an important and major rail junction. The city is served by trains from all metros and major cities across the country. New Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta, Chennai, Gwalior, Meerut, Indore, Guwahati, Allahabad, Lucknow, and Dehradun, the city has direct rail connections. Varanasi Cantt Railway Station Enquiry number 135.
By Road:
Some important road distances are Agra 565 km., Allahabad 128 km., Bhopal 791 km., Bodhgaya 240 km., Kanpur 330 km., Khajuraho 405 km., Lucknow 286 km., Patna 246 km., Sarnath 10 km., Lumbini (Nepal) 386 km., Kushi Nagar 250 km. (via Gorakhpur), UPSRTC Bus Stand, Sher Shah Suri Marg, Golgadda Bus Stand.
