Kashi Vishwanath Temple

Kashi Vishwanath Temple is one of the most sacred and famous temple in Varanasi. The Temple is extremely popular in all other parts of India too. Kashi Vishwanath Temple is standing on the west bank of India's holiest river Ganga and situated in Varanasi which is the oldest surviving city of the world, and which is the cultural capital of India. In the heart of this city is standing with the fullest majesty the Kashi Vishwanath Temple enshrined with the Jyotirlinga of Shiva, Vishweshwara or Vishwanatha  meaning Ruler of the universe.

The temple town, which claims to be the oldest living city in the world, with 3500 years of documented history, is also called Kashi and hence the temple is popularly called Kashi Vishwanath Temple.This one of the holiest existing place of Hindus, where at least once in life a Hindu is expected to do pilgrimage, and if possible, also pour the remains of cremated ancestors on the River Ganges.

History :

This temple has been built and razed to the ground several times in its history. It was first destroyed in 13th century by Bakhtiyar Khilji and was later rebuild. Then later Emperor Akbar donated several acres of villages to the temple’s trust that was later cut down substantially by Aurangzeb. Rani Ahilyabai Holkar in the year 1776 from Indore built the present temple that stands in Varanasi. At that time Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Lahore had donated 800-kilogram gold-plating of the towers that gave the temple its colloquial name.

Significance :

Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi is mainly dedicated to Lord Shiva, who serves as the destroyer of worlds and the presiding deity of the city. The myth aobut the temple is that it is been believed that Varanasi is the spot at which the first 'Jyotirlinga' broke from the earth's crust and then flared towards the heaven. Lord Shiva was responsible fro this as he did it in order to take the final call in the war of supremacy among the Hindu Gods.

It has been depicted in the scriptures that when the earth was submerged under water (Pralaya), Lord Shiva upheld and holed this place by his Trishul and belief even conveys that those who come and die here attain liberation (Moksha). Lord Shiva gives the Tarak Mantra to the devotees who die here. One who prays and worships Lord Vishweshwar with devotion attains all his desires of happiness and liberation; and even the devotees who incessantly recite his name attain all siddhis and finally gets liberated.

As one enters the Kashi temple from the southern side, the first to the left are three temples in a row one behind the other – Vishnu, Virupakshi Gauri and Avimukta Vinayaka. A cluster of five lingas enclosed in a temple is called Nilakantheshvar temple. Just above the Avimukteshvara Vinayaka are temples of Shanishchara and Virupaksha. To the right of the temples' entrance is the enshrining of a linga called Avimukteshvara. There is a controversy regarding the original Jyotirlinga at the place, which suggests that not the Vishwanatha but the Avimukteshvara is the original Jyotirlinga.

The Vishweshwara Jyotirlinga which is considered as the one among all the jyothrilinga has a very special and unique significance in the spiritual history of India. Tradition says that merits earned by the darshan of other jyotirlinga which are scattered in various parts of India is accrued by a devotee by a single visit to Kashi Vishwanath Temple.

Inherently for long years the Kashi Vishwanath Temple has been a living incarnation of our timeless cultural traditions and highest spiritual values. The Vishwanath Temple has been visited by all great saints like Adi Shankaracharya, Ramkrishna Paramhansa, Swami Vivekanand, Goswami Tulsidas, Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati, Gurunanak and even several other spiritual personalities.

The Kashi Vishwanath temple receives around 30000 visitors every day. On certain occasions the numbers reach 100,000.

FESTIVALS :

Mahashivratri

Rangbhari ( Aamlaki) Ekadashi

Annakoot

Makar Shakranti

Shrawan Maah

Akshya Tritiiya

TIMINGS :

Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi opens daily at 2.30a.m. And the Mangala Aarati is from 3 to 4 a.m. From 4 to 11 a.m. general Darshan is allowed for the devotees. During 11.30 to 12 a.m. a mid day Bhog Aarati is being done . Again from 12 noon to 7 p.m. devotees are free to have darshan. From 7 to 8.30 p.m., evening arati which is called the Sapta Rishi Aarati is done after which darshan is again possible until 9 p.m. when Shringar/Bhog Aarati starts. After 9 p.m. darshan from out side only is possible. Shayana Aarti starts at 10.30p.m.The Temple closes at 11 p.m. Most of the Prasad like milk, clothes and other such offerings are given to the poor and needy.

By Air

Varanasi is well connected and accessible to major Indian cities and tourist spots. There are daily domestic flights to and from Varanasi to several cities in India. Apart from the state owned Indian Airlines, there are many private air taxi operators that offer their services from Varanasi to other Indian cities.

By Rail

Since Varanasi lies in the heartland of the North Indian plains, it is well connected to Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and other parts of India. There are two railway stations in Varanasi, the Kashi Junction and the Varanasi Junction (also known as Varanasi Cantonment). Rajdhani Express from Delhi or from Calcutta passes through Varanasi too. One can also catch trains from Mughalsarai, just 10 km south of Varanasi. 

By Road

 Varanasi has a good network of roads. frequent public and private buses and road transport to all the major towns of Uttar Pradesh and nearby areas.