The old city of Varanasi is a popular tourist spot as well as a popular site of pilgrimage for a number of reasons. The presence of the iconic temples and the enchanting ghats are undoubtedly one of the many reasons why so many people visit this location on a daily basis. There is so much to explore in Varanasi from the temples, to ghats and even the narrow streets here. However one such location that makes Varanasi one of the most important sites of pilgrimage is the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. The Kashi Vishwanath Temple Varanasi is one of the ancient as well as one of the most important pilgrimage sites. Every year a huge chunk of devotees visit this temple to pay their visit to Lord Shiva. And if you are visiting Varanasi then you also certainly cannot miss out on visiting this magnificent temple.
The Kashi Vishwanath Temple is an ancient temple and a history as well as legend is associated with it. Located in the Vishwanath Gali it is one of the major temples of Lord Shiva and therefore holds a lot of importance for the devotees. It is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva and is further popular as the King of Jyotirlingas as well. Devotees believe that by taking a dip into the holy water here and by visiting the temple they can attain Moksha. The architecture of the temple is also beautiful and even that attracts a lot of visitors here. You can check out the Kashi Vishwanath Temple photos to see how splendid the temple here looks. Keep on reading this article to know everything about the Vishwanath Temple. This will be a helpful article for you if you are travelling to the Vishwanath Temple soon.
Kashi Vishwanath Temple
Location: Lahori Tola, Domari, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
Timings: Kashi Vishwanath Temple timings are from 3 am to 11 pm
Aarti and Pooja timings:
Darshan 4 am to 11 am, 12 pm to 7 pm and 8:30 pm to 9 pm
Mangala Aarti 3 am to 4 am
Afternoon Bhog 11:30 am to 12 pm
Sandhya Aarti 7 pm to 8:30 pm
Shringar Bhog Aarti 9 pm
Shayan Aarti 10:30 pm
Entry fee: There is no Kashi Vishwanath Temple ticket price. Entry is free for all devotees
How to reach
By air
If you are travelling by air then the nearest airport to reach the Vishwanath Temple is the Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Varanasi. From there the temple is located at a distance of 26 km. It would approximately take around 46 minutes to reach the temple from the airport. You can take local transport in the area to reach the temple. Or else you can also take a car or hire a cab from the airport to reach the Vishwanath Temple.
By train
If you are travelling by train then the nearest railway station to reach the location of the temple is the Varanasi Railway Station. From there the temple is located at a distance of 4.5 km. It would approximately take around 18 minutes to reach the location of the temple from the railway station. The most convenient option to reach the temple from the railway station would be to take any local transports that are available outside the temple. Or else you can hire a car as well to reach the Kashi Vishwanath Temple from the railway station.
By road
You can travel by road as well as the location is easily accessible by roadways. Buses are available from nearby major cities and towns to reach the temple in Varanasi. If you are travelling by bus then the Chaudhary Charan Singh Bus Stand is the nearest bus stand to reach the temple located around 3 km away. You can even take a car or hire a taxi as well from different directions to reach the location of the Vishwanath Temple.
Auto rickshaws are also easy ways of transport within the city so you can even opt for that as well. However the main temple is located inside the Vishwanath Gali and the road is not motorable. So you will have to walk up to the temple after reaching a certain point. You can even reach the Dashshwamedh Ghat as well from any location and from there the temple is just a few meters away on foot.
Overview of Kashi Vishwanath Temple
Located in the Western Bank of Ganga in the city of Varanasi the Kashi Vishwanath Temple is one of the most revered shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas and here Lord Shiva is worshipped as Lord Vishwanath or Lord Vishweshwarar which means the Ruler of the Universe. The temple is even more important as it is one of the temples that have its mention in many Hindu scriptures. Even in the Kashi Khanda of the Skanda Purana there is mention of this temple.
Furthermore, there is a Kashi Vishwanath Temple story associated with the temple as well. People believe that here Lord Shiva himself whispers the mantras of salivation into the ears of the people who die a natural death at the spot of the temple. They also believe that to attain the ultimate way of liberation or Moksha they should take a dip into the Ganges first and then visit the temple here. All of these beliefs and the faith that the devotees have over the temple makes this one of the most important temples not just in Varanasi but in the whole country and beyond. A lot of revered saints and important personalities like Swami Vivekananda, Ramakrishna Paramhansa, Goshwami Tulsidas, Adi Sankaracharya, Swami Dayanand Saraswati, Gurunanak Dev etc have visited this temple.
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History of Kashi Vishwanath Temple
The construction of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple goes back to the 11th century. However the temple saw various invasions and destructions during the due course of time. In 1194 Qutub-ud-din-Aibak destroyed the original structure of the temple. But during the reign of Iltutmish there was rebuilding of the temple again. Later either during the rule of Sikander Lodi or during the reign of Hussain Sharqi the temple was attacked in the 1400s. Raja Man Singh then rebuilt the temple again. However everyone boycotted him as he had allowed Mughals to marry into his own family. Then Todar Mal further rebuilt the temple at the original site of the temple in 1585 with the blessings of Emperor Akbar.
But in 1669 Aurangzeb again destroyed the temple and built the Gyanvapi Mosque on the same foundation. Later in time Maratha ruler Malhar Rao Holkar made plans to demolish the mosque in 1742. And in 1750 the Maharaja of Jaipur also made plans to destroy the mosque. But both of them actually were unsuccessful in executing their ideas as they received objections from the Nawabs of Lucknow. Even today you can witness the remains of this temple behind the mosque premise.
Finally in 1780, Rani Ahilyabai Holkar constructed the present day structure of the Vishwanath Temple. Later in 1828 Baija Rao the widow of Daulat Rao Scindia built a colonnade with 40 pillars at the premise of Gyan Vyapi. Furthermore during the period of 1833 to 1840 some other smaller temples, the Gyan Vyapi Well boundary and the Ghats were constructed here.
What’s more?
There are two domes of this temple covered in silver and gold. The first one is a dome covered in gold and Sikh Maharaja Ranjit Singh donated the gold here. And the Bhosales of Nagpur donated the silver to the temple for its construction. From 1983, 28th January, the temple belonged to the Uttar Pradesh Government. At first Dr. Vibhuti Narayan Singh managed the temple and later Kashi Naresh maintained the temple.
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Architecture of Kashi Vishwanath Temple
The Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi is actually a collection of smaller shrines located within the temple complex. It is located in a small narrow lane, Vishwanatha Galli near the river. The main temple is a quadrangle structure and various shrines dedicated to other deities surround it. There are temples here dedicated to Kaal Bhairav, Avimukteshwara, Dhandapani, Vinayaka, Vishu, Virupaksha, Virupaksha Gauri and Sanishwara. The main shrine of Lord Shiva is a Shivalinga made out of a black stone and it is 60 cm tall and 90 cm in circumference. The Shiva Lingam is further enshrined in a silver altar. Just next to the structure there is a holy well situated here as well known as Gyaan Vapi. According to beliefs this is the same location where the devotees had hidden the Shiva Linga to save it from foreign invaders.
The temple structure here has three parts. There is a spire on the temple first and then there is the golden dome that is the second part. Then there is a gold spire on top of the temple that is the third part and it has a flag and a trident on top of it.
Hotels near Kashi Vishwanath Temple
You will find hotels, resorts and guest houses near the Vishwanath Temple within all kinds of budget. They offer a decent stay with basic necessities. Some of the hotels that you can check out here are
1. Hotel Kashi Pride
2. Ganga Darshan Hotel
3. Namaste Benaras
4. Anand Kanan
5. Sunrise Lodge
6. Hotel Kashi Stay
7. Hotel Rudraksh Villa
8. Hotel Ganga Monastery
9. Shivoham Inn
10. Hotel Ganges Grand
Wrapping Up!
So that was all about the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi and now you can plan your trip to this temple. This is one of the most important temples in Varanasi and if you are visiting there a trip to the temple is a must. Furthermore the temple holds a lot of relevance for the devotees of Lord Shiva as well. As this temple is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas or the Self Manifested temples of Lord Shiva it holds even more importance as a site of pilgrimage. Therefore a visit to the Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi is a must for every person visiting there. A lot of devotees also visit here to attain Moksha and hold enough faith for Lord Shiva. The faith and the devotion of the people further elevates the importance of this temple a few notches higher.
So when are you planning a trip to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple? Let me know if this article on the Kashi Vishwanath Temple Varanasi is helpful for you in planning a trip to this location.
