Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple

Kashi Vishvanath Temple is located in Varanasi and is one of the most famous Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple stands on the western bank of the holy river Ganga and is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, the holiest of Shiva temples. The main deity is known by the name Vishvanatha or Vishveshvara meaning Ruler of The Universe. Varanasi city is also called Kashi, and hence the temple is popularly called Kashi Vishvanath Temple. Its name originally was Vishveshvara (broken down Vishwa: Universe, Ish: Lord; Vara: Excellent) or Lord of the Universe. The temple has been referred to in Hindu scriptures for a very long time as a central part of worship in the Shaiva philosophy. It has been destroyed and re-constructed a number of times. The last structure was demolished by Aurangzeb, the sixth Mughal emperor who constructed the Gyanvapi Mosque on its site. The current structure was built on an adjacent site by the Maratha ruler, Ahilya Bai Holkar of Indore in 1780. Since 1983, the temple has been managed by the government of Uttar Pradesh. Kashi Naresh (King of Kashi) is the chief officiating priest during the religious occasion of Shivratri.

History of Kashi Vishwanath Temple
The very first mention of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple can be found in the Puranas including the Kashi Khanda (section) of Skanda Purana. Interestingly, this temple has seen complete annihilation and rebuilding many times over the course of history. The first time the temple was destroyed was in the year 1194 by the hands of Qutb-ud-din Aibak's army when he defeated the King of Kannauj. The temple was rebuilt during the rule of Delhi's Iltutmish and was demolished again during Sikander Lodhi's time. Raja Man Singh rebuilt the temple during Mughal Emperor Akbar's rule. In 1669 CE, Emperor Aurangzeb destroyed the temple and built the Gyanvapi Mosque in its place.

Also known as the Golden Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, it was finally rebuilt in the year 1780 by the Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore, the Maratha monarch. The temple comprises of two domes covered in gold donated by the Sikh Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the Punjab Kesari, while the Bhosales of Nagpur donated silver to the temple. Since 28 January 1983, the temple has become the property of Uttar Pradesh government and was managed by Dr Vibhuti Narayan Singh and later by the Kashi Naresh.

Architecture of Kashi Vishwanath Temple
The Kashi Vishwanath Temple is a collection of smaller shrines that are located in The temple complex consists of a series of smaller shrines, located in a small lane called the Vishwanatha Galli near the river. The main temple is constructed in the form of a quadrangle and is surrounded by the shrines dedicated to other deities. These temples are dedicated to Kaalbhairav, Dhandapani, Avimukteshwara, Vishnu, Vinayaka, Sanishwara, Virupaksha and Virupaksh Gauri. Made out of black stone, the main Shivalinga of the temple is 60 cm tall and 90 cm in circumference and is enshrined in a silver altar. A holy well by the name of Gyaan Vapi is situated here as well, which is believed to be the site where the Shivalinga was hidden to protect it from foreign invaders. Structure of the temple is composed of three parts. The first is a spire on the temple of Lord Vishwanath, the second a gold dome and the third is the gold spire atop the Vishwanath carrying a flag and a trident.

How to Reach:
The temple is situated only about 5 km away from the Varanasi railway station. If you are commuting from anywhere in the city, the best way to reach your destination is through taxi or an auto rickshaw. The actual temple is, however, located inside the Vishwanath Gali which is not a motorable road and you will have to walk your way up to the temple threshold.
By Air : There is direct daily flight connection between Varanasi and New Delhi. It also connects Varanasi to Delhi, Agra, Khajuraho, Calcutta, Mumbai, Lucknow, Gaya, Chennai, Ahmadabad, Hyderabad, Bhuvaneshwar etc. Terminal Manager Babtpur Airport : 0542-2623060 Airport Director : 0542-2622155
By Train : Varanasi is an important and major rail junction. The city is served by trains from all metros and major cities across the country. New Delhi, mumbai, Calcutta, Chennai, Gwalior, Meerut, Indore, Guwahati, Allahbad, Lucknow, Dehradun… the city has direct rail connections. Varanasi Cantt Railway Station Enquiry number 135.
By Road : Some important road distances are: Agra 565 km., Allahabad 128 km., Bhopal 791 km., Bodhgaya 240 km., Kanpur 330 km., Khajuraho 405 km., Lucknow 286 km., patna 246 km., Sarnath 10 km., Lumbini (Napal) 386 km., Kushi Nagar 250 km. (via Gorkhpur), UPSRTC Bus Stand, Sher Shah Suri Marg, Golgadda Bus Stand.