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Kashi Vishwanath Temple

Kashi Vishwanath Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva. It is located in Vishwanath Gali, in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. The temple is a Hindu pilgrimage site and is one of the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines. The presiding deity is known by the names Vishwanath and Vishweshwara (IAST: Viśvanātha and Viśveśvara), literally meaning Lord of the Universe.

Kashi Vishwanath Temple
Entrance to present temple built by Ahilyabai Holkar in the 1780.
Religion
AffiliationHinduism
DistrictVaranasi
DeityVishveshwara or Vishwanath (Shiva)
FestivalsMaha Shivaratri
Governing bodyShri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust
Location
LocationVaranasi
StateUttar Pradesh
CountryIndia
Location in Varanasi#Location within Uttar Pradesh
Kashi Vishwanath Temple (Uttar Pradesh)
Geographic coordinates25°18′38.79″N 83°0′38.21″E / 25.3107750°N 83.0106139°E / 25.3107750; 83.0106139
Architecture
TypeMandir
Creator
Completed1780
Demolished
Website
shrikashivishwanath.org

According to several historical accounts, the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb ordered the demolition of the Hindu temple in 1669.[1] Subsequently, in 1678, the Gyanvapi Mosque was built on its site,[2] but Hindu pilgrims continued to visit the remnants of the temple.[1] The current structure was constructed on an adjacent site by the Maratha ruler Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore in 1780.[3]

In 2021, a major redevelopment of the temple complex was completed, and the Kashi Vishwanath Dham Corridor connecting the Ganga river with the temple was inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi, leading to a many-fold increase in visitors.[4][5] It has become one of the most visited Hindu temples in India, with an average 45,000 pilgrims per day in 2023.[6] The total assets of the temple, were estimated to be more than 6 crores in 2024.[7]

Legend edit

It is believed that Varanasi is the first Jyotirlinga to manifest itself.[8] According to the legend, it was at this place that Shiva (the Hindu god of destruction) manifested as an infinite column of light (Jyotirlinga) in front of Brahma (the Hindu god of creation) and Vishnu (the Hindu god of preservation) when they had an argument about their supremacy.[9]

In order to discover the origin of the luminous column, Vishnu took the form of a boar (Varaha) and tracked the column beneath the ground, while Brahma, who assumed the shape of a swan, scoured the heavens in an attempt to locate the apex of the column. However, both of them were unsuccessful in identifying the source of the luminous column. Yet, Brahma deceitfully asserted that he had discovered the summit of the column, while Vishnu humbly admitted his inability to find the starting point of the radiant column. Due to Brahma's deceit over the discovery of the origin of the luminous column, Shiva penalised him by cutting his fifth head and placing a curse upon him. This curse entailed that Brahma would no longer receive reverence, whereas Vishnu, being truthful, would be equally venerated alongside Shiva and have dedicated temples for eternity.[10][11]

Hindu scriptures describe Vishweshwara as the sacred deity of Varanasi, holding the position of king over all the other deities as well as over all the inhabitants of the city and the extended circuit of the Panchkoshi, an area (the sacred boundary of Varanasi) spreading over 50 miles.[12]

Jyotirlinga edit

The jyotirlinga is an ancient axis mundi symbol representing the supremely formless (nirguna) reality at the core of creation, out of which the form (saguna) of Shiva appears. The jyothirlinga shrines are thus places where Shiva appeared as a fiery column of light.[13][14]

There are twelve 'self manifested' jyotirlinga sites that take the name of the presiding deity; each is considered a different manifestation of Shiva.[15] At all these sites, the primary image is a lingam representing the beginningless and endless Stambha pillar, symbolising the infinite nature of Shiva.[15][16][17]

The twelve jyothirlinga are located at Somnath in Gujarat, Mallikarjuna at Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh, Mahakaleswar at Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, Omkareshwar in Madhya Pradesh, Kedarnath in Uttarakhand, Bhimashankar in Maharashtra, Viswanath at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, Triambakeshwar in Maharashtra, Baidyanath Jyotirlinga at Deoghar in Jharkhand, Nageswar at Dwarka in Gujarat, Rameshwar at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu, and Grishneshwar at Aurangabad in Maharashtra.[9][18]

History edit

 
Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore built the current temple structure in 1780.

Ancient and classical periods edit

The Skanda Purana contains a part titled "Kashi Khanda", while the Brahmavaivarta Purana includes a portion known as "Kashi Rahasya", both of which are dedicated to the city of Varanasi.[19]

As per the Kashi Khanda, there were a total of 1099 temples, out of which 513 were specifically devoted to the worship of Shiva. The scripture states that the Vishvanath temple was formerly known as Moksha Lakshmi Vilas. The temple housed a total of five mandapas (halls). The lingam of Vishwanath was situated in the garbhagriha (innermost sanctuary). The remaining four mandapas include the Jnana mandapa located to the east, the Ranga mandapa to the west, the Aishvarya mandapa to the north, and the Mukti mandapa to the south.[19]

Nārāyaṇa Bhaṭṭa, in his book Tristhalisetu,[20] as well as Madhuri Desai describe that the temple centres around a repetition of destruction and reconstruction.[21]

Medieval period and destruction edit

The original Vishwanath temple, initially known as the Adi Vishveshwar Temple, was destroyed by the Ghurids in 1194, when Mu'izz al-Din Muhammad ibn Sam returned to India and defeated Jayachandra of Kannauj near Chandawar and afterwards razed the city of Kashi.[22] In a few years[year needed], the Razia Mosque was constructed in its place.[23][24][25] In 1230, the temple was rebuilt near the Avimukteshwara Temple, away from the main site, during the reign of Delhi's Sultan Iltutmish (1211–1266).[citation needed] It was demolished again during the rule of either Hussain Shah Sharqi (1447–1458) or Sikandar Lodi (1489–1517).[citation needed]

Mughal period edit

Sketches by James Prinsep[26]
 
The Gyanvapi Mosque sketched as the Temple of Vishveshwur, Benares.
 
Plan of the Ancient Temple of Vishveshwar.
The dotted line shows the portion of the temple occupied by the present Masjid.

Raja Man Singh started rebuilding the temple during Akbar's reign but Orthodox Hindus boycotted it, as Man Singh had let Akbar marry his sister and Jehangir his daughter.[24][27] Raja Todar Mal furthered the reconstruction of the temple in 1585.[28]

In the seventeenth century, during the rule of Jahangir, Vir Singh Deo completed the construction of the earlier temple.[29] In 1669, Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb destroyed the temple and built the Gyanvapi Mosque in its place.[30][31] The remains of the erstwhile temple can be seen in the foundation, the columns, and the rear part of the mosque.[32]

Maratha and British period edit

 
Elevation of the present temple structure

In 1742, the Maratha ruler Malhar Rao Holkar devised a plan to demolish the mosque and reconstruct the Vishweshwar temple at the site. However, his plan did not materialise, partly because of the intervention of the Nawab of Awadh, who was given control of the territory.[33]: 2  In 1750, the Maharaja of Jaipur commissioned a survey of the land around the site with the objective of purchasing land to rebuild the Kashi Vishwanath temple, which in turn failed.[33]: 85 

In 1785, at the behest of Governor General Warren Hastings, Collector Mohammed Ibrahim constructed a Naubatkhana in front of the temple.[34] In 1780, Malhar Rao's daughter-in-law, Ahilyabai Holkar, built the present temple adjacent to the mosque.[35] In 1828, Baiza Bai, widow of the Maratha ruler Daulat Rao Scindhia of Gwalior State, built a low-roofed colonnade with over 40 pillars in the Gyan Vapi precinct.[36] During 1833–1840, at the boundary of Gyanvapi Well, the ghats (steps by the riverside) and other nearby temples[which?] were constructed.

Many noble families from various ancestral kingdoms of the Indian subcontinent, and their predecessor states, made generous contributions to the operation of the temple.[37] In 1835, Maharaja Ranjit Singh of the Sikh Empire, at the behest of his wife, Maharani Datar Kaur, donated 1 tonne of gold for plating the temple's dome. In 1841, Raghuji Bhonsle III of Nagpur donated silver to the temple.[33]: 200 [38]

The temple was managed by a hereditary group of pandits or mahants. After the death of Mahant Devi Dutt, a dispute arose among his successors. In 1900, his brother-in-law, Pandit Visheshwar Dayal Tewari, filed a lawsuit, which resulted in him being declared the head priest.[39]

Post-Independence edit

Since 1983, the temple has been managed by a board of trustees set up by the government of Uttar Pradesh.[40] The Puja of the Maa Shringar Gauri Temple, on the western side of the disputed Gyanvapi Mosque, was restricted after the demolition of the Babri Masjid in December 1992, due to the ensuing deadly riots that followed the demolition of the mosque. In August 2021, five Hindu women petitioned a local court in Varanasi to be allowed to pray at the Maa Shringar Gauri Temple.[41]

 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaking at the inauguration of the renovated Kashi Vishwanath Corridor on 13 December 2021.

The Kashi Vishwanath Corridor Project was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2019 to make it easier to travel between the temple and the Ganges River and to create more space to prevent crowding. On 13 December 2021, Modi inaugurated the corridor with a sacred ceremony.[42] A press release by the government said that around 1,400 residents and businesses within the corridor's area were relocated elsewhere and compensated. It also said that more than 40 ruined, centuries-old temples were found and rebuilt, including the Gangeshwar Mahadev temple, the Manokameshwar Mahadev temple, the Jauvinayak temple, and the Shri Kumbha Mahadev temple.[43][44]

In February 2022, the sanctum sanctorum of the temple was gold-plated after an anonymous donor from South India donated 60 kg of gold to the temple.[45] Flowers from the temple are recycled into incense by the biomaterials startup Phool.co.[46]

As of August 2023, the Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust reported that 10 crore (100 million) tourists had visited the temple since the inauguration of the corridor in December 2021.[47]

Temple structure edit

 
The original holy well—Gyanvapi is in between the temple and Gyanvapi Mosque
 
Ganga Dwara, Gateway of Corridor that connects Kashi Vishwanath Temple with Ghats of the Ganges.

The temple complex consists of a series of smaller shrines located in a small lane called the Vishwanatha Gali, near the river. The linga of the main deity at the shrine is 60 centimetres (24 in) tall and 90 centimetres (35 in) in circumference, housed in a silver altar.[48] The main temple is a quadrangle, and there are shrines to other gods all around it. There are small temples for Kala Bhairava, Kartikeya, Avimukteshwara, Vishnu, Ganesha, Shani, Shiva, and Parvati in the complex.

There is a small well in the temple called the Jnana Vapi, also spelled Gyan Vapi (the wisdom well). The Jnana Vapi is located to the north of the main temple, and during the invasion by the Mughals, the jyotirlinga was hidden in the well to protect it. It is said that the main priest of the temple jumped in the well with the lingam in order to protect the jyotirlinga from invaders.

There is a Sabha Griha (congregation hall) leading to the inner Garbha Griha (sanctum sanctorum). The jyotirlinga is enshrined in the sanctuary and placed on a silver platform. The structure of the temple is composed of three parts. The first consists of a 15.5-meter-high spire on the temple; the second is a gold dome; and the third is the gold spire within the sanctuary bearing a flag and a trident.

The Kashi Vishwanath Temple is popularly known as the Golden Temple, due to the gold plating of its spire. One tonne of gold donated by Maharaja Ranjit Singh has been used in the gold plating,[49] as well as in three domes, each made up of pure gold, donated in 1835.

The temple receives around 3,000 visitors every day. On certain occasions, the numbers reach 1,000,000 or more.

The Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham corridor was constructed between Kashi Vishwanath Temple and Manikarnika Ghat along the Ganges River, providing various amenities for pilgrims.[50]

Importance edit

Located on the banks of the holy river Ganges, Varanasi is regarded as among the holiest of the Hindu cities. The Kashi Vishwanath Temple is widely recognised as one of the most important places of worship in the Hindu religion. Because the Kashi Vishwanath Temple holds the jyotirlinga of Shiva Vishveshwara, or Vishvanath, it occupies a special place in the spiritual history of India.

A visit to the temple and a bath in the Ganges is one of many methods believed to lead one on a path to moksha (liberation). Thus, Hindus from all over the world 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 to the temple, and the pilgrimage would also include a visit to the temple at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu in South India, where people take water samples of the Ganges to perform prayer at the temple and bring back sand from near that temple.

Because of the immense popularity and holiness of Kashi Vishwanath Temple, hundreds of temples across India have been built in the same architectural style. Many legends tell of the true devotee achieving freedom from death and saṃsāra by the worship of Shiva, Shiva's devotees upon death being directly taken to his abode on Mount Kailash by his messengers and not to Yama. [citation needed] There is a popular belief that Shiva himself blows the mantra of salvation into the ears of people who die naturally at the Vishwanath temple.[51]

It is one of the shrines of the Vaippu Sthalams sung by Tamil Saivite Nayanar Sambandar.[52][53][54]

Accommodation and transport edit

There are transportation options for getting to Benaras by air, land, and water. Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport is located roughly 22 kilometres from the city centre and approximately 25 km from the temple complex. There are two railway stations in the city, namely Varanasi Cantonment Station and Kashi Railway Station.

The city has two bus terminals: one located at Cantt and another at Golgadda, commonly referred to as Kashi Depot. The Cantt terminal manages buses for both depots. The urban transportation system comprises many modes of vehicles, including two-wheelers (34%), autos (20%), cycles (16%), pedestrians (14%), four-wheelers (6%), cycle rickshaws (6%), and other miscellaneous vehicles (4%).[55]

There are various dharmshalas, paying guest rooms, and other hotels and lodges available nearby at various prices, including a guest house run by the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust.[56]

Cultural events edit

Phalgun Shukla Ekadashi is celebrated as Rangabhari Ekadashi, that is, colours. According to tradition, before Holi, Baba Vishwanath comes back to Kashi after having a cow in the form of Mother Bhagwati. The temple complex is echoed by the echo of dozens of Damroos. This tradition has been performed for over 200 years. On Basant Panchami Baba's Tilak is performed, Shivaratri marriage and Rangbhari Ekadashi marks parvati leaving with shiva.[57] These traditions have been carried out by the erstwhile Mahant family of the temple for over a century.[58]

These rituals of Baba's marriage ceremony are performed at the residence of Kulpati Tiwari, the erstwhile Mahant of Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Redzone.[59] The seven rituals of Saptarishi Aarti were performed by Baba Vishwanath. According to the Puranas, Kashi is loved by the Saptarishi to the priest, so according to the tradition, the devotees of the Saptarishi Aarti perform the rituals of marriage. The seven archaks under the leadership of Pradhan Archak Pandit Shashibhushan Tripathi (Guddu Maharaj) completed the marriage in Vedic rituals.[60] Mangala Aarti is performed at 3:30 am, Bhog Aarti at 12:00 pm, Saptarishi Aaarti at 7:30 pm and Shringar Aaarti at 11:00 pm.[61]

Yadav community of Kashi associated with Chandravanshi Gop Seva Samiti and Shree Krishna Yadav Mahasabha have been performing jalabhishek on shivling traditionally since 90 years, first started in 1932.[62]

See also edit

References edit

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  2. ^ Akhil Bakshi (2004). Between heaven and hell: travels through Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and India: an account of the expedition hands across the borders. Odyssey Books.
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Notes edit

  • Chaturvedi, B. K. (2006), Shiv Purana (First ed.), New Delhi: Diamond Pocket Books (P) Ltd, ISBN 81-7182-721-7
  • Eck, Diana L. (1999), Banaras, city of light (First ed.), New York: Columbia University Press, ISBN 0-231-11447-8
  • Gwynne, Paul (2009), World Religions in Practice: A Comparative Introduction, Oxford: Blackwell Publication, ISBN 978-1-4051-6702-4.
  • Harding, Elizabeth U. (1998). "God, the Father". Kali: The Black Goddess of Dakshineswar. Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 156–157. ISBN 978-81-208-1450-9.
  • Lochtefeld, James G. (2002), The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: A-M, Rosen Publishing Group, p. 122, ISBN 0-8239-3179-X
  • R., Venugopalam (2003), Meditation: Any Time Any Where (First ed.), Delhi: B. Jain Publishers (P) Ltd., ISBN 81-8056-373-1
  • Vivekananda, Swami. "The Paris Congress of the History of Religions". The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda. Vol. 4.

External links edit

  •   Media related to Kashi Vishwanath Temple at Wikimedia Commons
  • Kashi Vishwanath Temple Website
  • Shri Kashi Vishwanath Mandir, Varanasi

kashi, vishwanath, temple, kashi, vishwanath, redirects, here, other, uses, kashi, vishwanath, disambiguation, confused, with, shri, vishwanath, temple, other, uses, disambiguation, this, article, currently, undergoing, major, edit, guild, copy, editors, court. Kashi Vishwanath redirects here For other uses see Kashi Vishwanath disambiguation Not to be confused with Shri Vishwanath Temple BHU For other uses see Kashi Vishwanath Temple disambiguation This article is currently undergoing a major edit by the Guild of Copy Editors As a courtesy please do not edit this page while this message is displayed The copy editor who added this notice is listed in the page history This page was last revised at 12 45 19 May 2024 UTC 0 seconds ago by Fylindfotberserk talk contribs Click here to refresh this time calculation If you have any questions or concerns please direct them to the Guild of Copy Editors talk page Thank you for your patience Kashi Vishwanath Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva It is located in Vishwanath Gali in Varanasi Uttar Pradesh India The temple is a Hindu pilgrimage site and is one of the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines The presiding deity is known by the names Vishwanath and Vishweshwara IAST Visvanatha and Visvesvara literally meaning Lord of the Universe Kashi Vishwanath TempleEntrance to present temple built by Ahilyabai Holkar in the 1780 ReligionAffiliationHinduismDistrictVaranasiDeityVishveshwara or Vishwanath Shiva FestivalsMaha ShivaratriGoverning bodyShri Kashi Vishwanath Temple TrustLocationLocationVaranasiStateUttar PradeshCountryIndiaLocation in Varanasi Location within Uttar PradeshShow map of Varanasi districtKashi Vishwanath Temple Uttar Pradesh Show map of Uttar PradeshGeographic coordinates25 18 38 79 N 83 0 38 21 E 25 3107750 N 83 0106139 E 25 3107750 83 0106139ArchitectureTypeMandirCreator1585 by Man Singh I and Raja Todar Mal 1780 by Ahilyabai HolkarCompleted1780Demolished1194 by Muhammad of Ghor 1505 1515 by Sikandar Lodi 1669 by AurangzebWebsiteshrikashivishwanath org According to several historical accounts the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb ordered the demolition of the Hindu temple in 1669 1 Subsequently in 1678 the Gyanvapi Mosque was built on its site 2 but Hindu pilgrims continued to visit the remnants of the temple 1 The current structure was constructed on an adjacent site by the Maratha ruler Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore in 1780 3 In 2021 a major redevelopment of the temple complex was completed and the Kashi Vishwanath Dham Corridor connecting the Ganga river with the temple was inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi leading to a many fold increase in visitors 4 5 It has become one of the most visited Hindu temples in India with an average 45 000 pilgrims per day in 2023 6 The total assets of the temple were estimated to be more than 6 crores in 2024 7 Contents 1 Legend 2 Jyotirlinga 3 History 3 1 Ancient and classical periods 3 2 Medieval period and destruction 3 3 Mughal period 3 4 Maratha and British period 3 5 Post Independence 4 Temple structure 5 Importance 6 Accommodation and transport 7 Cultural events 8 See also 9 References 10 Notes 11 External linksLegend editIt is believed that Varanasi is the first Jyotirlinga to manifest itself 8 According to the legend it was at this place that Shiva the Hindu god of destruction manifested as an infinite column of light Jyotirlinga in front of Brahma the Hindu god of creation and Vishnu the Hindu god of preservation when they had an argument about their supremacy 9 In order to discover the origin of the luminous column Vishnu took the form of a boar Varaha and tracked the column beneath the ground while Brahma who assumed the shape of a swan scoured the heavens in an attempt to locate the apex of the column However both of them were unsuccessful in identifying the source of the luminous column Yet Brahma deceitfully asserted that he had discovered the summit of the column while Vishnu humbly admitted his inability to find the starting point of the radiant column Due to Brahma s deceit over the discovery of the origin of the luminous column Shiva penalised him by cutting his fifth head and placing a curse upon him This curse entailed that Brahma would no longer receive reverence whereas Vishnu being truthful would be equally venerated alongside Shiva and have dedicated temples for eternity 10 11 Hindu scriptures describe Vishweshwara as the sacred deity of Varanasi holding the position of king over all the other deities as well as over all the inhabitants of the city and the extended circuit of the Panchkoshi an area the sacred boundary of Varanasi spreading over 50 miles 12 Jyotirlinga editThe jyotirlinga is an ancient axis mundi symbol representing the supremely formless nirguna reality at the core of creation out of which the form saguna of Shiva appears The jyothirlinga shrines are thus places where Shiva appeared as a fiery column of light 13 14 There are twelve self manifested jyotirlinga sites that take the name of the presiding deity each is considered a different manifestation of Shiva 15 At all these sites the primary image is a lingam representing the beginningless and endless Stambha pillar symbolising the infinite nature of Shiva 15 16 17 The twelve jyothirlinga are located at Somnath in Gujarat Mallikarjuna at Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh Mahakaleswar at Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh Omkareshwar in Madhya Pradesh Kedarnath in Uttarakhand Bhimashankar in Maharashtra Viswanath at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh Triambakeshwar in Maharashtra Baidyanath Jyotirlinga at Deoghar in Jharkhand Nageswar at Dwarka in Gujarat Rameshwar at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu and Grishneshwar at Aurangabad in Maharashtra 9 18 History edit nbsp Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore built the current temple structure in 1780 Ancient and classical periods edit The Skanda Purana contains a part titled Kashi Khanda while the Brahmavaivarta Purana includes a portion known as Kashi Rahasya both of which are dedicated to the city of Varanasi 19 As per the Kashi Khanda there were a total of 1099 temples out of which 513 were specifically devoted to the worship of Shiva The scripture states that the Vishvanath temple was formerly known as Moksha Lakshmi Vilas The temple housed a total of five mandapas halls The lingam of Vishwanath was situated in the garbhagriha innermost sanctuary The remaining four mandapas include the Jnana mandapa located to the east the Ranga mandapa to the west the Aishvarya mandapa to the north and the Mukti mandapa to the south 19 Narayaṇa Bhaṭṭa in his book Tristhalisetu 20 as well as Madhuri Desai describe that the temple centres around a repetition of destruction and reconstruction 21 Medieval period and destruction edit Main article Razia Mosque The original Vishwanath temple initially known as the Adi Vishveshwar Temple was destroyed by the Ghurids in 1194 when Mu izz al Din Muhammad ibn Sam returned to India and defeated Jayachandra of Kannauj near Chandawar and afterwards razed the city of Kashi 22 In a few years year needed the Razia Mosque was constructed in its place 23 24 25 In 1230 the temple was rebuilt near the Avimukteshwara Temple away from the main site during the reign of Delhi s Sultan Iltutmish 1211 1266 citation needed It was demolished again during the rule of either Hussain Shah Sharqi 1447 1458 or Sikandar Lodi 1489 1517 citation needed Mughal period edit Sketches by James Prinsep 26 nbsp The Gyanvapi Mosque sketched as the Temple of Vishveshwur Benares nbsp Plan of the Ancient Temple of Vishveshwar The dotted line shows the portion of the temple occupied by the present Masjid Main article Gyanvapi Mosque Raja Man Singh started rebuilding the temple during Akbar s reign but Orthodox Hindus boycotted it as Man Singh had let Akbar marry his sister and Jehangir his daughter 24 27 Raja Todar Mal furthered the reconstruction of the temple in 1585 28 In the seventeenth century during the rule of Jahangir Vir Singh Deo completed the construction of the earlier temple 29 In 1669 Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb destroyed the temple and built the Gyanvapi Mosque in its place 30 31 The remains of the erstwhile temple can be seen in the foundation the columns and the rear part of the mosque 32 Maratha and British period edit nbsp Elevation of the present temple structure In 1742 the Maratha ruler Malhar Rao Holkar devised a plan to demolish the mosque and reconstruct the Vishweshwar temple at the site However his plan did not materialise partly because of the intervention of the Nawab of Awadh who was given control of the territory 33 2 In 1750 the Maharaja of Jaipur commissioned a survey of the land around the site with the objective of purchasing land to rebuild the Kashi Vishwanath temple which in turn failed 33 85 In 1785 at the behest of Governor General Warren Hastings Collector Mohammed Ibrahim constructed a Naubatkhana in front of the temple 34 In 1780 Malhar Rao s daughter in law Ahilyabai Holkar built the present temple adjacent to the mosque 35 In 1828 Baiza Bai widow of the Maratha ruler Daulat Rao Scindhia of Gwalior State built a low roofed colonnade with over 40 pillars in the Gyan Vapi precinct 36 During 1833 1840 at the boundary of Gyanvapi Well the ghats steps by the riverside and other nearby temples which were constructed Many noble families from various ancestral kingdoms of the Indian subcontinent and their predecessor states made generous contributions to the operation of the temple 37 In 1835 Maharaja Ranjit Singh of the Sikh Empire at the behest of his wife Maharani Datar Kaur donated 1 tonne of gold for plating the temple s dome In 1841 Raghuji Bhonsle III of Nagpur donated silver to the temple 33 200 38 The temple was managed by a hereditary group of pandits or mahants After the death of Mahant Devi Dutt a dispute arose among his successors In 1900 his brother in law Pandit Visheshwar Dayal Tewari filed a lawsuit which resulted in him being declared the head priest 39 Post Independence edit Since 1983 the temple has been managed by a board of trustees set up by the government of Uttar Pradesh 40 The Puja of the Maa Shringar Gauri Temple on the western side of the disputed Gyanvapi Mosque was restricted after the demolition of the Babri Masjid in December 1992 due to the ensuing deadly riots that followed the demolition of the mosque In August 2021 five Hindu women petitioned a local court in Varanasi to be allowed to pray at the Maa Shringar Gauri Temple 41 nbsp Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaking at the inauguration of the renovated Kashi Vishwanath Corridor on 13 December 2021 The Kashi Vishwanath Corridor Project was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2019 to make it easier to travel between the temple and the Ganges River and to create more space to prevent crowding On 13 December 2021 Modi inaugurated the corridor with a sacred ceremony 42 A press release by the government said that around 1 400 residents and businesses within the corridor s area were relocated elsewhere and compensated It also said that more than 40 ruined centuries old temples were found and rebuilt including the Gangeshwar Mahadev temple the Manokameshwar Mahadev temple the Jauvinayak temple and the Shri Kumbha Mahadev temple 43 44 In February 2022 the sanctum sanctorum of the temple was gold plated after an anonymous donor from South India donated 60 kg of gold to the temple 45 Flowers from the temple are recycled into incense by the biomaterials startup Phool co 46 As of August 2023 the Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust reported that 10 crore 100 million tourists had visited the temple since the inauguration of the corridor in December 2021 47 Temple structure edit nbsp The original holy well Gyanvapi is in between the temple and Gyanvapi Mosque nbsp Ganga Dwara Gateway of Corridor that connects Kashi Vishwanath Temple with Ghats of the Ganges The temple complex consists of a series of smaller shrines located in a small lane called the Vishwanatha Gali near the river The linga of the main deity at the shrine is 60 centimetres 24 in tall and 90 centimetres 35 in in circumference housed in a silver altar 48 The main temple is a quadrangle and there are shrines to other gods all around it There are small temples for Kala Bhairava Kartikeya Avimukteshwara Vishnu Ganesha Shani Shiva and Parvati in the complex There is a small well in the temple called the Jnana Vapi also spelled Gyan Vapi the wisdom well The Jnana Vapi is located to the north of the main temple and during the invasion by the Mughals the jyotirlinga was hidden in the well to protect it It is said that the main priest of the temple jumped in the well with the lingam in order to protect the jyotirlinga from invaders There is a Sabha Griha congregation hall leading to the inner Garbha Griha sanctum sanctorum The jyotirlinga is enshrined in the sanctuary and placed on a silver platform The structure of the temple is composed of three parts The first consists of a 15 5 meter high spire on the temple the second is a gold dome and the third is the gold spire within the sanctuary bearing a flag and a trident The Kashi Vishwanath Temple is popularly known as the Golden Temple due to the gold plating of its spire One tonne of gold donated by Maharaja Ranjit Singh has been used in the gold plating 49 as well as in three domes each made up of pure gold donated in 1835 The temple receives around 3 000 visitors every day On certain occasions the numbers reach 1 000 000 or more The Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham corridor was constructed between Kashi Vishwanath Temple and Manikarnika Ghat along the Ganges River providing various amenities for pilgrims 50 Importance editLocated on the banks of the holy river Ganges Varanasi is regarded as among the holiest of the Hindu cities The Kashi Vishwanath Temple is widely recognised as one of the most important places of worship in the Hindu religion Because the Kashi Vishwanath Temple holds the jyotirlinga of Shiva Vishveshwara or Vishvanath it occupies a special place in the spiritual history of India A visit to the temple and a bath in the Ganges is one of many methods believed to lead one on a path to moksha liberation Thus Hindus from all over the world 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 to the temple and the pilgrimage would also include a visit to the temple at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu in South India where people take water samples of the Ganges to perform prayer at the temple and bring back sand from near that temple Because of the immense popularity and holiness of Kashi Vishwanath Temple hundreds of temples across India have been built in the same architectural style Many legends tell of the true devotee achieving freedom from death and saṃsara by the worship of Shiva Shiva s devotees upon death being directly taken to his abode on Mount Kailash by his messengers and not to Yama citation needed There is a popular belief that Shiva himself blows the mantra of salvation into the ears of people who die naturally at the Vishwanath temple 51 It is one of the shrines of the Vaippu Sthalams sung by Tamil Saivite Nayanar Sambandar 52 53 54 Accommodation and transport editThere are transportation options for getting to Benaras by air land and water Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport is located roughly 22 kilometres from the city centre and approximately 25 km from the temple complex There are two railway stations in the city namely Varanasi Cantonment Station and Kashi Railway Station The city has two bus terminals one located at Cantt and another at Golgadda commonly referred to as Kashi Depot The Cantt terminal manages buses for both depots The urban transportation system comprises many modes of vehicles including two wheelers 34 autos 20 cycles 16 pedestrians 14 four wheelers 6 cycle rickshaws 6 and other miscellaneous vehicles 4 55 There are various dharmshalas paying guest rooms and other hotels and lodges available nearby at various prices including a guest house run by the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust 56 Cultural events editPhalgun Shukla Ekadashi is celebrated as Rangabhari Ekadashi that is colours According to tradition before Holi Baba Vishwanath comes back to Kashi after having a cow in the form of Mother Bhagwati The temple complex is echoed by the echo of dozens of Damroos This tradition has been performed for over 200 years On Basant Panchami Baba s Tilak is performed Shivaratri marriage and Rangbhari Ekadashi marks parvati leaving with shiva 57 These traditions have been carried out by the erstwhile Mahant family of the temple for over a century 58 These rituals of Baba s marriage ceremony are performed at the residence of Kulpati Tiwari the erstwhile Mahant of Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Redzone 59 The seven rituals of Saptarishi Aarti were performed by Baba Vishwanath According to the Puranas Kashi is loved by the Saptarishi to the priest so according to the tradition the devotees of the Saptarishi Aarti perform the rituals of marriage The seven archaks under the leadership of Pradhan Archak Pandit Shashibhushan Tripathi Guddu Maharaj completed the marriage in Vedic rituals 60 Mangala Aarti is performed at 3 30 am Bhog Aarti at 12 00 pm Saptarishi Aaarti at 7 30 pm and Shringar Aaarti at 11 00 pm 61 Yadav community of Kashi associated with Chandravanshi Gop Seva Samiti and Shree Krishna Yadav Mahasabha have been performing jalabhishek on shivling traditionally since 90 years first started in 1932 62 See also edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kashi Vishwanath Temple nbsp Wikiquote has quotations related to Kashi Vishwanath Temple Shri Vishwanath Mandir Mrityunjay Mahadev Mandir Ratneshwar Mahadev temple List of Hindu temples in Varanasi Nandmahar Dham Mata Mawai Dham Shree Kashi Karvat MandirReferences edit a b Desai Madhuri 2017 Banaras Reconstructed Architecture and Sacred Space in a Hindu Holy City University of Washington Press ISBN 9780295741604 Akhil Bakshi 2004 Between heaven and hell travels through Sri Lanka Bangladesh Bhutan Nepal and India an account of the expedition hands across the borders Odyssey Books Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple A Brief history With 10 fold jump in tourist footfall Varanasi balances tradition and change deccan herald PTI 13 August 2023 Retrieved 31 March 2024 PM Modi inaugurates Kashi Vishwanath Corridor The Indian Express 14 February 2022 Retrieved 28 August 2022 3 fold rise in average footfall at KVT The Times of India 5 March 2022 Retrieved 31 January 2024 India s richest temples and their net worth The Times of India Retrieved 31 January 2024 History of the Kashi Vishwanath temple The Times of India 17 August 2017 ISSN 0971 8257 Retrieved 6 December 2023 a b R 2003 pp 92 95 Saraswati Saranyu S 2020 Biological Decoding of the Hindu Gods and Goddesses Notion Press ISBN 9781649516336 Achuthananda S 2018 The Ascent of Vishnu and the Fall of Brahma Queensland Australia Relianz Communications Pvt Ltd pp 36 37 Matthew Atmore Sherring 1968 The Sacred City of the Hindus An Account of Benares in Ancient and Modern Times First ed London Trubner amp Company Eck 1999 p 107 See Gwynne 2008 Section on Char Dham a b Lochtefeld 2002 pp 324 325 Harding 1998 pp 158 158 Vivekananda Vol 4 Chaturvedi 2006 pp 58 72 a b Altekar Anant Sadashiv 1947 second edition Benares and Sarnath Past and Present Varanasi Culture Publication House Benares Hindu University Gokhale R ed 1915 Tristhalisetu of Narayan Bhatta Pune AnandashrmaMudranalaya Desai Madhuri 2017 INTRODUCTION THE PARADOX OF BANARAS Banaras Reconstructed Architecture and Sacred Space in a Hindu Holy City University of Washington Press pp 3 16 ISBN 978 0 295 74160 4 JSTOR j ctvcwnwvg 4 Satish Chandra 2007 History of Medieval India 800 1700 Orient Longman p 71 ISBN 978 81 250 3226 7 In 1194 Muizzuddin returned to India He crossed the Jamuna with 50 000 cavalry and moved towards Kanauj A hotly contested battle between Muizzuddin and Jaichandra was fought at Chandawar near Kanauj We are told that Jaichandra had almost carried the day when he was killed by an arrow and his army was totally defeated Muizzuddin now moved on to Banaras which was ravaged a large number of temples there being destroyed Shin Heeryoon May 2015 Building a Modern Temple Town Architecture and Patronage in Banaras 1750 1900 Thesis Yale University p 4 35 38 198 a b Udayakumar S P 2005 Ramarajya Envisioning the Future and Entrenching the Past Presenting the Past Anxious History and Ancient Future in Hindutva India Greenwood Publishing Group p 99 ISBN 978 0 275 97209 7 Bakker Hans 1996 Construction and Reconstruction of Sacred Space in Varaṇasi Numen 43 1 42 43 doi 10 1163 1568527962598368 ISSN 0029 5973 JSTOR 3270235 James Prinsep 1996 Benares Illustrated in a Series of Drawings Vishwavidyalaya Prakashan p 29 ISBN 9788171241767 S P Udayakumar 1 January 2005 Presenting the Past Anxious History and Ancient Future in Hindutva India Greenwood Publishing Group p 99 ISBN 978 0 275 97209 7 Anand Abhishek 29 January 2024 Unraveling Gyanvapi s historical tapestry 800 years of war and peace India Today Retrieved 29 January 2024 Pauwels Heidi 23 March 2011 A tale of two temples Mathura s Kesavadeva and Orccha s Caturbhujadeva South Asian History and Culture 2 2 278 299 doi 10 1080 19472498 2011 553497 ISSN 1947 2498 S2CID 144492608 Catherine B Asher 24 September 1992 Architecture of Mughal India Cambridge University Press pp 278 279 ISBN 978 0 521 26728 1 Sengupta Arjun 27 January 2024 The temple that Aurangzeb razed Evidence from history on Gyanvapi and Kashi Vishwanath The Indian Express Retrieved 29 January 2024 Vanessa Betts Victoria McCulloch 30 October 2013 Delhi to Kolkata Footprint Focus Guide Footprint Travel Guides pp 108 ISBN 978 1 909268 40 1 a b c Madhuri Desai 2007 Resurrecting Banaras Urban Space Architecture and Religious Boundaries ISBN 978 0 549 52839 5 permanent dead link Barclay Jr George 2010 The Son Of Man Bloomington Indiana iUniverse p 280 ISBN 978 1 4502 6689 5 Menon Vandana Bikhchandani Raghav Laeeq Humra 25 June 2022 Somnath and Gyanvapi temples were rebuilt long ago by Maratha queen Ahilyabai Holkar ThePrint Retrieved 3 December 2023 Matthew Atmore Sherring 1868 The Sacred City of the Hindus An Account of Benares in Ancient and Modern Times Trubner amp co pp 55 56 Kashi Vishwanath Temple Behind Every Temple Retrieved 3 December 2023 Matthew Atmore Sherring 1868 The Sacred City of the Hindus An Account of Benares in Ancient and Modern Times Trubner amp co p 51 Trivikram Narain Singh And Ors vs State Of U P And Ors Allahabad High Court 28 October 1986 Text Dumper Michael 2020 Power piety and people the politics of holy cities in the twenty first century New York Columbia University Press ISBN 978 0 231 54566 2 OCLC 1145080849 Varanasi court issues notices on shared shrine petition in Ayodhya www telegraphindia com Retrieved 12 December 2021 PM Modi inaugurates Kashi Vishwanath Corridor The Indian Express 14 February 2022 Retrieved 28 August 2022 Verma Lalmani 13 December 2021 PM Modi to inaugurate Kashi Vishwanath corridor in Varanasi today The New Indian Express New Delhi Express Publications Retrieved 13 December 2021 A Divya 14 December 2021 Explained What is changing at the ancient Kashi Vishwanath temple complex The Indian Express Retrieved 14 December 2021 God meets gold meets faith in PM s works at Kashi Vishwanath Temple The Indian Express 4 March 2022 Retrieved 5 March 2022 Exclusive India s First Biomaterial Startup Phool co Raises 8 Million In Series A Funding Forbes India Retrieved 13 July 2022 With 10 fold jump in tourist footfall Varanasi balances tradition and change Economic TImes PTI 14 August 2023 Retrieved 31 January 2024 Cultural holidays Kashi Vishwanath temple Archived from the original on 8 April 2017 Retrieved 17 November 2006 Kashi Vishwanath Temple dome starts glittering with 23kg gold The Times of India ISSN 0971 8257 Retrieved 10 February 2024 Temple woes for Kashi Vishwanath corridor The New Indian Express 13 February 2020 Shri Kashi Vishwanath Mandir Varanasi templesofindia org Retrieved 20 May 2022 ப ம ஜ யச ந த ல ந தன த வ ர வ ப ப த தலங கள வர த தம னன பத ப பகம ச ன ன 2009 ம வர த வ ர வ ப ப த தலங கள Muvar Thevara Vaippu Thalangal வ ரண ச க ச வ ஸ வந தர ஆலயம Varanasi Benaras Kasi Vishvanathar Temple 2 39 7 வ ரண ச 2 39 7 6 70 6 6 7 11 Kapur Dr Radhika 18 December 2023 Significance of Culture and Religion in the City of Benaras Researchgate net 5 Shri Kashi Vishwanath Official Web Portal www shrikashivishwanath org Retrieved 15 April 2023 जब ब ब व श वन थ म भगवत क ग न कर ल ट क श ऐस उड र ग ग ल ल rangbhari ekadashi celebrated in kashi vishwanath temple varanasi Dainik Bhaskar Kashi Vishwanath Dham project 13 building owners refuse to sell property Varanasi News Times of India The Times of India 7 October 2019 क श व श वन थ क र ड र क म सलम न क य ब च न ह BBC News ह द म र पहनकर न कल ब ब ल ल च नर म ग र Amar Ujala Karkar S C 2009 The Top Ten Temple Towns of India Kolkota Mark Age Publication p 10 ISBN 978 81 87952 12 1 Yadav Bandhus Perform Jalabhishek Of Lord Shiva The Times of India 19 July 2022 Retrieved 20 July 2022 Notes editChaturvedi B K 2006 Shiv Purana First ed New Delhi Diamond Pocket Books P Ltd ISBN 81 7182 721 7 Eck Diana L 1999 Banaras city of light First ed New York Columbia University Press ISBN 0 231 11447 8 Gwynne Paul 2009 World Religions in Practice A Comparative Introduction Oxford Blackwell Publication ISBN 978 1 4051 6702 4 Harding Elizabeth U 1998 God the Father Kali The Black Goddess of Dakshineswar Motilal Banarsidass pp 156 157 ISBN 978 81 208 1450 9 Lochtefeld James G 2002 The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism A M Rosen Publishing Group p 122 ISBN 0 8239 3179 X R Venugopalam 2003 Meditation Any Time Any Where First ed Delhi B Jain Publishers P Ltd ISBN 81 8056 373 1 Vivekananda Swami The Paris Congress of the History of Religions The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda Vol 4 External links edit nbsp Media related to Kashi Vishwanath Temple at Wikimedia Commons Kashi Vishwanath Temple Website Shri Kashi Vishwanath Mandir Varanasi Portals nbsp India nbsp Hinduism nbsp Religion 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