Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple is one of the most famous Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva.
It’s situated in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. The Temple stands on the western bank of the holy watercourse Ganga, and is one in every of the twelve Jyotirlingas, the holiest of Shiva Temples
Varanasi is the oldest surviving city of the world and the cultural capital of India.
Kashi was originally derived from the Sanskritic language word ‘Kas’ which suggests ‘to sparkle’. With varied attacks and plunders over the centuries, the city’s resilience is far appreciable!
Within the heart of this city there stands the ancient Kashi Vishwanath Temple which is also an enshrined Jyotirlinga of Shiva aka Vishwanath here .
Importance of Shri Vishwanath Dham
It’s an important center of Sanatan Sanskriti Dharma, whose influence is spread all over India. It is a belief that by touching the Vishwanath Linga, the sins of up to 2 generations of the devotees are destroyed.
The special worship style and ritualistic methods here attract more and more devotees. One of these ritualistic styles is “Saptarishi Aarti”.
It is described in Kashi Khand that when Baba Bholenath was describing the importance of Vishweshwar Linga, at that time there was a circle of Gods and Saptarishis on one side of him.
Here millions across India come to seek benediction and spiritual peace by the darshan of Mahadev which confers liberation from the bondages of Moh and Maya and the inexorable sufferings of the world.
A simple glimpse of the Jyotirlinga is a soul-cleansing experience that transforms life and puts it on the path of knowledge and bhakti.
Quick Facts:
- Address: Lahori Tola, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 221001
- District: Varanasi
- Function: Hindu Temple
- Deity: Vishwanath (Shiva)
- Built in: 1780 (present structure)
- Commissioned by: Maharani Ahilya Bai Holkar
- Festivals: Maha Shivaratri
- Things You Can Carry: Garlands, lota(vessel to carry water) , milk , flowers , बिलीपत्र.
- Things not allowed inside the temple: Cell phones ,camera, match box , camphor, incent sticks, bags or any electronic devices are not allowed inside the temple premises due to security reasons.
- Locker Facility: You can opt to drop your belongings in lockers which are offered by the shops around the temple and it usually cost 50 INR.
Pooja Timings of Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple
Sugam Darshan
| S.No | Time | Programme | Amount Rs. |
| 1-a | 6:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. | Sugam Darshan | 300.00 |
Aarti
| S.No | Time | Programme | Amount Rs. |
| 1-a | 3:00 A.M. to 4:00 A.M. | Mangla Aarti | 350.00 (Normal Days only) |
| 1-b | 3:00 A.M. to 4:00 A.M. | Mangla Aarti | 1200.00 (Shravan Monday only) |
| 1-c | 3:00 A.M. to 4:00 A.M. | Mangla Aarti | 600.00 (Shravan days except Monday) |
| 1-d | 3:00 A.M. to 4:00 A.M. | Mangla Aarti | 1800.00 (Maha Shivratri day only) |
| 1-e | 11:15 A.M. to 12:20 P.M. | Bhog/Aarti | 180.00 |
| 1-f | 7:00 P.M. to 8:15 P.M. | Saptirishi Aarti | 180.00 |
| 1-g | 9:00 P.M. to 10:15 P.M. | Night Shringar/Bhog Aarti | 180.00 |
| 1-h | 10:30 P.M. to 11 P.M. | Night Shayan Aarti | Free |
Important Note: From 4 AM to 11 AM and 12:30PM to 7 PM the temple remains open for general Darshan (Free darshan) and for the above mentioned Aarti you have to purchase the passes from the official temple website.
History of Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple
The history of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple dates back to ancient times. It is believed that the original temple was built by Lord Shiva himself at the current location of the temple.
However, the temple has undergone several renovations and reconstructions over the centuries due to various reasons, including damage caused by invasions, earthquakes, and fires.
The current structure of the temple was built by Ahilyabai Holkar, the queen of the Maratha empire, in the 18th century. A Naubatkhana (in front of the temple) is constructed by the Collector Mohd. Ibrahim Khan in 1785.
The two domes of the temple were covered by the gold (offered by the Punjab Kesari Maharaja Ranjeet Singh) in 1839. And the third dome was gold plated by the Ministry of cultures and Religious affairs of Uttar Pradesh Government.
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Architecture of Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple
Atop the temple is a golden flag with a golden Trident (Trishul) which is considered as an inseparable weapon of Shiva.
The temple also houses a well which is known as Gyanvapi or the wisdom well. It is beleived that drinking the well water helps you attain wisdom. The well still stands between the temple and the mosque.
Gyanvavpi well has quite an interesting past to it. It is believed when the temple was raided by Aurangzeb’s army the then head priest jumped with the shiv linga inside the well to safeguard it.
After expansion and beautification, this abode of Baba Vishwanath, one of the 12 Jyotirlingas, will prove to be helpful in promoting cultural activities and will also play an important role in the development of Kashi.
New grand form of Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham:-
The main attraction of Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham is the buildings constructed in addition to the temple premises and the structures of spiritual and religious importance.
During the construction/expansion of the corridor, 27 temples with idols located inside the adjoining houses were found. All these 27 temples have been renovated and restored like a Manimala with ancient grandeur.
The following are the features of the newly constructed campus –
Temple Complex
The main attraction of Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham is the temple council, in which four grand gates have been constructed in the circumambulation path. In terms of architecture, incorporating the architectural and spiritual spirit of Kashi, the complex has been equipped with arches, balbutes, pillars, circumambulation routes and stone nets.
Varanasi Gallery
The area of this building is 375 square meters. The said building is situated between the Multipurpose Hall and the City Museum, near the Karuneshwar Mahadev Temple. Spiritual and religious narratives have been mentioned through paintings on the inner walls of the said building.
City Museum
The area of this building is 1143 square meters, which is situated between Varanasi Gallery and Mumukshu Bhawan. This building has been built with a view to facilitate the travelers to get information about the ancient objects.
Mumukshu Bhawan
The above building is built in 1161 sqm which is situated just after the grand gate of Mandir Chowk. It has been built to take care of all the incoming elderly passengers and unwell people.
Vedic Center
This building is constructed in 986 sqm. The building has been constructed for organizing spiritual exhibition, meeting / ceremony.
Tourist Facility Center
This building is constructed in 1061 sqm. The purpose of the construction of the building is to arrange a wooden hall on the Manikarnika Ghat and to provide various types of information by making a facility center for the passengers on the upper floor. The said building will not only be a convenience center for the passengers coming to the entire ghat area, but will also be commercially important due to its proximity to the ghats.
Spiritual Bookstore
This building is built in 311 square meters. The said building has been built in a plaza along with City Museum and Varanasi Gallery, which will have a spiritual book store or shop.
Ganga View Cafe
The construction of this building has been done with a view to provide a bird’s eye view of Kashi and Maa Ganga to the travelers, devotees and tourists, as well as a short refreshment.
How To Reach Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple ?
By Air
Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport in Babatpur is the nearest airport (25 km from temple) which is well connected with Indian metros cities such as Delhi and Mumbai.
By Rail
Varanasi has a number of railway stations which connects to whole India. The nearest railway stations are Varanasi city station which lies only 2 kilometres away from the temple and Varanasi junction which is around 6 kilometres away
By Road
One can either opt for private buses or state run public buses to Varanasi . To reach Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple , one can either take a taxi or an auto from there.
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