Varanasi – Kashi Vishwanath Temple

History of Kashi Vishwanath Temple

Kashi Vishwanath temple, located on the banks of the sacred Ganga river in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is one of the 12 Jyotirlings in India. A Jyotirling is a self appeared (Swayambhu) pillar of light with no beginning and no end.  Kashi is the ancient and Puranic name of Varanasi. Kashi has been a place of pilgrimage since Vedic times. The Kashi Vishwanath temple is a highly revered and significant  holy site. It has been mentioned in the Kashi Khand of the Skanda Purana.

The original temple was destroyed by Qutubuddin Aibak in 1194. Since then it has been rebuilt and destroyed a number of times. In 1669 it was destroyed for the last time by Aurangzeb. In 1780 the temple as we see it today was built by Rani Ahilyabai Holkar on land adjacent to the original temple’s site. Since then other Kings have added to the temple. In 1835 Maharaja Ranjit Singh donated one ton of gold for plating the dome. The Shivling is housed in the main temple which is surrounded by smaller shrines dedicated to Kal Bhairav, Dhandapani,  Vishnu, Vinayak, Shanishwara and others. There is a well in the compound where the Shivling was hidden during attacks.

Great saints like Adi Shankaracharya, Ramakrishna Paramhans, Guru Nanakdev and Goswami Tulsidas Ji have visited this temple. Kashi Vishwanath temple is among the holiest of Hindu pilgrimages and Its spiritual significance cannot be described in words. Sanatan Dharma is eternal and so are its temples.

Puja in Varanasi – Kashi Vishwanath Temple

Pandit Ji in Varanasi – Kashi Vishwanath Temple

Accomodation in Varanasi – Kashi Vishwanath Temple

• Varanasi – Shri Krishna Dharamshala
• Varanasi – Shri Sanatan Gaudiya Math
• Varanasi – Shri Maheshwari Dharamshala
• Varanasi – Shri Kishan Beriwarala Smruti Bhavan

Nearby Attractions

• Durga Mandir Varanasi
• Baba Kal Bhairav Mandir Varanasi
• Manikarnika Ghat
• Banaras Hindu University

Temple Location