Varanasi Kashi Vishwanath (Jyotirlinga) Temple – Uttar Pradesh

Address

Varanasi Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Lahori Tola, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 221001

Deity

Vishveshvur or Vishwanath, Amman: Visalatchi

Introduction

• Location: Vishwanath Gali, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.
• Dedicated to: Lord Shiva, also known as Shri Vishwanath and Vishweshwara (Lord of the Universe).
• Significance: One of the twelve Jyotirlingas, which are the holiest Shiva temples.
• Historical Context: Varanasi, once called Kashi (meaning “shining”), is the city where the temple stands.
• Etymology: Vishveshvara means “Lord of the Universe” (Vishva: Universe, Ishvara: Lord).

Puranic Significance

• Ancient Worship: The temple has been central to Shaiva worship and referred to in Hindu scriptures.
• Historical Destruction: The temple was destroyed several times, including by Aurangzeb, who built the Gyanvapi Mosque on its site.
• Current Structure: Rebuilt by Maratha ruler Ahilya Bai Holkar in 1780.
• Mythological Story:
  • In the Shiva Purana, Brahma and Vishnu argue about supremacy. Shiva tested them by manifesting as a fiery pillar (Jyotirlinga). Vishnu admitted defeat, while Brahma lied, leading to Shiva cursing Brahma.
  • The jyotirlinga symbolizes Shiva’s supreme and formless reality.
  • The Kashi Vishwanath Temple is a significant jyotirlinga site, one of twelve, each representing a different manifestation of Shiva.

Special Features

• Temple Complex: The temple includes smaller shrines in the Vishwanatha Galli, near the Ganges.
• Main Deity’s Linga: The main linga is 60 cm tall and 90 cm in circumference, placed on a silver altar.
• Additional Shrines: The complex has temples dedicated to Kala Bhairava, Kartikeya, Avimukteshwara, Vishnu, Ganesha, Shani, Shiva, and Parvati.
• Jnana Vapi Well: A well north of the temple that protected the jyotirlinga during Mughal invasions.
• Structure: The temple has three main parts: a spire, a gold dome, and a gold spire on the sanctum, topped with a flag and trident.
• Gold Domes: The temple features three gold domes, donated by Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1835.
• Visitor Numbers: The temple attracts around 3,000 visitors daily, with numbers reaching up to 1,000,000 during major occasions.

Festivals

Mahashivrathri

Century/Period/Age

5000 years old

Managed By

Kasi Viswanath Temple Trust

Nearest Bus Station

Varanasi

Nearest Railway Station

Varanasi

Nearest Airport

Varanasi

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