Kashi Vishwanath Temple is one of the most famous Hindu temples and is
dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is located in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India, the
holiest existin place of Hindus. The temple stands on the western !an" of the hol# river $anes, and is one of the twelve %#otirlinas, the holiest of Shiva temples. The main deit# is "nown !# the name Vishwanatha or Vishweshwara meanin &uler of the universe. The temple town, which claims to !e the oldest livin cit# in the world, with '()) #ears of documented histor#,*+, is also called Kashi and hence the temple is popularl# called Kashi Vishwanath Temple. The temple has !een referred to in Hindu scriptures for a ver# lon time and as a central part of worship in the Shaiva philosoph#. It has !een destro#ed and re-constructed a num!er of times in the histor#. The last structure was demolished !# .uran/e!, who constructed the $#anvapi 0os1ue on its site. *2, The current structure was !uilt on an ad3acent site !# the 0aratha monarch, .hil#a 4ai Hol"ar of Indore in +56).*', Since +76', the temple has !een manaed !# the overnment of Uttar Pradesh. 8urin the reliious occasion of Shivratri, Kashi 9aresh :Kin of Kashi; is the chief o<ciatin priest and no other person or priest is allowed to enter the sanctum sanctorum. It is onl# after he performs his reliious functions that others are allowed to enter. =ontents + Introduction 2 Leend ' The temple structure > Importance of the temple ( Histor# ? Poo3a 8etails 5 How to reach Kashi 6 &eferences 7 9otes +) @xternal lin"s Introduction Standin on the western !an" of IndiaAs holiest river, the $anes, Varanasi is one of the oldest survivin cities of the world*citation needed, and the cultural capital of India. Inside the Kashi Vishwanath Temple is the %#otirlina of Shiva, Vishweshwara or Vishwanath. The Vishweshwara %#otirlina has a ver# special and uni1ue siniBcance in the spiritual histor# of India. Tradition has it that the merits earned !# the darshan of other 3#otirlina scattered in various parts of India accrue to a devotee !# a sinle visit to Kashi Vishwanath Temple. 8eepl# and intimatel# implanted in the Hindu mind, the Kashi Vishwanath Temple has !een a livin em!odiment of IndiaAs timeless cultural traditions and hihest spiritual values. The Kashi Vishwanath Temple attracts visitors not onl# from India !ut a!road as well. Leend .s per Shiva Purana, once 4rahma :the Hindu $od of creation; and Vishnu :the Hindu $od of Harmon#; had an arument in terms of supremac# of creation.*>, To test them, Shiva pierced the three worlds as a hue endless pillar of liht, the 3#otirlina. Vishnu and 4rahma split their wa#s to downwards and upwards respectivel# to Bnd the end of the liht in either directions. 4rahma lied that he found out the end, while Vishnu conceded his defeat. Shiva appeared as a second pillar of liht and cursed 4rahma that he would have no place in ceremonies while Vishnu would !e worshipped till the end of eternit#. The 3#otirlina is the supreme partless realit#, out of which Shiva partl# appears. The 3#othirlina shrines, thus are places where Shiva appeared as a Ber# column of liht.*(,*?, Criinall# there were !elieved to !e ?> 3#othirlinas while +2 of them are considered to !e ver# auspicious and hol#.*>, @ach of the twelve 3#othirlina sites ta"e the name of the presidin deit# - each considered diDerent manifestation of Shiva.*5, .t all these sites, the primar# imae is linam representin the !einninless and endless Stam!ha pillar, s#m!oli/in the inBnite nature of Shiva.*5,*6,*7, The twelve 3#othirlina are Somnath in $u3arat, 0alli"ar3una at Srisailam in .ndhra Pradesh, 0aha"aleswar at U33ain in 0adh#a Pradesh, Cm"areshwar in 0adh#a Pradesh, Kedarnath in Himala#as, 4himashan"ar in 0aharashtra, Viswanath at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, Triam!a"eshwar in 0aharashtra, Vaid#anath %#otirlina, 8eoarh in 8eohar, %har"hand, 9aeswar at 8war"a in $u3arat, &ameshwar at &ameswaram in Tamil 9adu and $rishneshwar at .urana!ad in 0aharashtra.*>,*+), The 0ani"arni"a $hat on the !an"s of $anes near to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple is considered as a Sha"ti Peetha, a revered place of worship for the Sha"tism sect. The m#tholo# of 8a"sha Eaa, a Shaivite literature is considered as an important literature which is the stot# a!out the oriin of Sha"ti Peethas.*++, It is said that Shiva came to the Kashi Vishwanath Shrine throuh 0ani"arni"a after the death of Sati 8evi.*+2,*+', The temple structure The oriinal hol# wellF$#anvapi in !etween the temple and $#anvapi 0os1ue The temple complex consists of a series of smaller shrines, located in a small lane called the Vishwanatha $alli, near the river. The lina of the main deit# at the shrine is ?) cm tall and 7) cm in circumference housed in a silver altar. *+>, The main temple is 1uadranle and is surrounded !# shrines of other ods. There are small temples for Kaal!hairav, 8handapani, .vimu"teshwara, Vishnu, Vina#a"a, Sanishwara, Virupa"sha and Virupa"sh $auri in the complex. There is a small well in the temple called the %nana Vapi also spelled as $#aan vapi :the wisdom well;. The %nana Vapi well sites to the north of the main temple and it is !elieved that the %#torlina was hidden in the well to protect it at the time of invasion. It is said that the main priest of the temple 3umped in the well with the Shiv Lin in order to protect the %#otirlina from invaders. .ccordin to the structure of the temple, there is a sa!ha urh or conreation hall leadin to the inner ar!ha, urh or sanctum. The venera!le lina is made up of !lac" colored stone, and is enshrined in the sanctum, placed on a silver platform. Structure of the temple is composed of three parts. The Brst compromises a spire on the temple of Lord Vishwanath or 0ahadeva. The second is old dome and the third is the old spire atop the Vishwanath carr#in a Ga and a trident. The Kashi Vishwanath temple*+(, receives around '))) visitors ever# da#. Cn certain occasions the num!ers reach +,))),))) and more. 9oteworth# a!out the temple is +(.( metre hih old spire and old dome. There are three domes each made up of pure old. Thus, this Hindu temple is also called The $olden Temple, !ecause of little !it !ein identical to the $olden Temple. Importance of the temple Street near temple The temple is widel# reconi/ed as one of the most important places of worship in Hindu reliion and most of the leadin Hindu saints, includin .di San"arachar#a, &ama"rishna Paramhansa, Swami Vive"ananda, $oswami Tulsidas, Swami 8a#ananda Saraswati and $urunana" have visited the site. *+?, . visit to the temple and a !ath in the river $anes is one of man# methods !elieved to lead one on a path to 0o"sha :li!eration;. Thus, people from all over the nation tr# to visit the place at least once in their lifetime. There is also a tradition that one should ive up at least one desire after a pilrimae the temple, and the pilrimae would also include a visit to the temple at &ameswaram in South India, where people ta"e water samples of the $anes to perform pra#er at the temple and !rin !ac" sand from near that temple. 8ue to the immense popularit# and holiness of Kashi Vishwanath temple, hundreds of temples across the nation have !een !uilt in the same architectural st#le. 0an# leends record that the true devotee achieves freedom from death and saHsIra !# the worship of Shiva, ShivaAs devotees on death !ein directl# ta"en to his a!ode on 0ount Kailash !# his messeners and not to Eama. The superiorit# of Shiva and his victor# over his own natureFShiva is himself identiBed with deathFis also stated. There is a popular !elief that Shiva himself !lows the mantra of salvation into the ears of people who choose to end their lives at the Vishwanath temple. Histor# Prime 0inister of India, 9arendra 0odi:in saDron;, pra#in at the 3#otirlina of Kashi Vishwanath temple. . Shiva temple has !een mentioned in the Puranas includin the Kashi Khanda :section; of S"anda Purana. The oriinal Vishwanath temple was destro#ed !# the arm# of Jut!-ud-din .i!a" in ++7> =@, when he defeated the &a3a of Kannau3 as a commander of 0ohammad $hori. The temple was re!uilt !# a $u3arati merchant durin the rein of Shamsuddin Iltumish :+2++- +2?? =@;. It was demolished aain durin the rule of either Hussain Shah Shar1i :+>>5-+>(6; or Si"andar Lodhi :+>67-+(+5;. &a3a 0an Sinh !uilt the temple durin ."!arAs rule, !ut orthodox Hindus !o#cotted it as he had let the 0uhal emperors marr# within his famil#. &a3a Todar 0al further re-!uilt the temple with ."!arAs fundin at its oriinal site in +(6(.*+5, In +??7 =@, @mperor .uran/e! destro#ed the temple and !uilt the $#anvapi 0os1ue in its place.*+6, The remains of the erstwhile temple can !e seen in the foundation, the columns and at the rear part of the mos1ue.*+7, The 0aratha ruler 0alhar &ao Hol"ar wanted to destro# the $#anvapi mos1ue and re-construct the temple at the site.*2), However, he never actuall# did that. His dauhter-in-law .hil#a!ai Hol"ar later constructed the present current temple structure near the mos1ue. 0ahara3a &an3it Sinh donated old for the temple. 8urin +6''-+6>) =@, .hil#a!ai constructed the !oundar# of $#anvapi Kell, the hats and other temples. 0an# no!le families from various ancestral "indoms of India and their prior esta!lishments ma"e enerous contri!utions for the operations of the temple. Poo3a 8etails There are ( aartis of Shree Kashi VishwanathL . 0anala .arti L- '.)) - >.)) :0ornin;. . 4ho .arti L- ++.+( to +2.2) :8a#;. . Sandh#a .arti L- 5.)) to 6.+( :@venin;. . Shrinar .arti L- 7.)) to +).+( :niht;. . Sha#an .arti L- +).')-++.)) :niht;. Securit# arranements do not allow an# cell phones, camera, !elts with metal !uc"le, cierrette, lihters etc. inside the temple