Kashi Vishwanath Temple, one of the most famous Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and is located in Benaras

Kashi Vishwanath Temple

Kashi Vishwanath Temple is one of the most famous Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and is located in Benaras, the Holiest Place of Hindus (and center of earth in Hindu Cosmology) where at least once in life a Hindu is expected to do pilgrimage and if possible pour the remains (ashes) of cremated ancestors here on the River Ganges. It is in state of Uttar Pradesh, India. The temple stands on the western bank of the holy river Ganges, and is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, the holiest of Shiva temples. The main deity is known by the name Vishwanatha or Vishweshwara meaning the Ruler of the universe. The temple town that 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 as Kashi Vishwanath Temple. Due to this 15.5m high golden spire, the temple is sometimes called as the Golden Temple, similar to the Golden temple, a Sikh Gurudwara at Amritsar.

The temple has been referred in Hindu theology since a very long time and as a central part of worship in the Shaiva philosophy. The temple has been destroyed and rebuilt a number of times. The Gyanavapi mosque, which is adjacent to the temple, is the original site of the temple. The current structure is believed to have been built by Maharani Ahilya Bai Holkar of Indore in 1780. Since 1983, the temple is being managed by Govt. of Uttar Pradesh. During the religious occasion of Shivratri, Kashi Naresh (King of Kashi) is the chief officiating priest and no other person or priest is allowed to enter the sanctum sanctorum. It is only after he performs his religious functions that others are allowed to enter.

The Shiva temple has been mentioned in Puranas including Kashi Khanda (section) of Skanda Purana. In 11th century A.D., Hari Chandra reconstructed the temple. Muhammad Ghori destroyed it along with other temples of Varanasi during his raid in 1194. Reconstruction of the temple started soon after. This was demolished by Qutb-ud-din Aybak. After Aybak's death the temple was again rebuilt. In 1351 it was destroyed again by Firuz Shah Tughlaq, who also had Hindu holy works translated in Persian. The temple was rebuilt in 1585 by Todar Mal, the Revenue Minister of Akbar's Court. Aurangzeb ordered its demolition in 1669 and constructed Gyanvapi Mosque, which still exists alongside the temple. Traces of the old temple can be seen behind the mosque. The current temple was built by Ahilya Bai Holkar of Indore in 1780. The temple spire and the dome are plated with 1000 kg of gold donated by the mighty Jatt Sikh Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Punjab, in 1835.

The original holy well - Gyanvapi in between temple & mosque

The temple complex consists of a series of smaller shrines, located in a small lane called the Vishwanatha Gali, near the river. The linga the main deity at the shrine is 60 cm tall and 90 cm in circumference housed in a silver altar. There are small temples for Kaalbhairav, Dhandapani, Avimukteshwara, Vishnu, Vinayaka, Sanishwara, Virupaksha and Virupaksh Gauri in the complex. There is a small well in the temple called the Jnana Vapi (the wisdom well) and it is believed that the Jytorlinga was hidden in the well to protect it at the time of invasion. It is said that the main priest of the temple had jumped in the well with the Shiv Ling in order to protect the (Jyotir) Ling from the invaders.

The Varanasi city is addressed with vivid names such as ancient city of ghats, cultural capital and so on. Varanasi becomes immensely sacred due to the existence of Mahadev (Lord Shiva). The never ending joyous spirit of the city is in close proximity with the essence of Kashi Vishwanath.

Displaying a gesture of impeccable harmony, the Kashi Vishwanath Temple and a Mosque in Varanasi co-exists in the same premises. The tough security protocols at the temple entrance have not been even close to affect the spirit of devotees to visit their Lord.

The Kashi Vishwanath temple registers a stunning visit record that tolls to around 3000 visitors every day. At certain occasions, the numbers reach lacks. The temple entrance is through a narrow street surrounded by unique, souvenir shops and guards.

The temple is widely recognized as one of the most important places of worship in Hindu religion and most of the leading Hindu saints, including Adi Sankaracharya, Ramakrishna Paramhansa, Swami Vivekananda, Goswami Tulsidas, Swami Dayananda Saraswati, Gurunanak have visited this site. A visit to the temple and a bath in the river Ganges is one of many methods believed to lead one on a path to Moksha (liberation). Thus, people from all over the nation, try to visit the place at least once in their lifetime. There is also a tradition that one should give up at least one desire after a pilgrimage the temple, and the pilgrimage would also include a visit to the temple at Rameshwaram in South India, where people take the water samples of the Ganges to perform prayer at the temple and bring back the sand from near that temple. Due to the immense popularity and holiness of this temple, hundreds of temples across the nation have been built with the same style and architecture.
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