| Sri Kashi Viswanath Temple Varanasi |
Varanasi is a city situated on the bank of the River Ganga (Ganges) in Uttar Pradesh, perfect place to temple tours. Varanasi or Banaras is regarded as holy to Hindus, Buddhists and Jains. Varanasi is one of the oldest Indian cities and is known for its Ghats and ancient temples.
Varanasi is a city situated on the bank of the River Ganga (Ganges) in Uttar Pradesh, perfect place to temple tours. Varanasi or Banaras is regarded as holy to Hindus, Buddhists and Jains. Varanasi is one of the |
 |
|
| oldest Indian cities and is known for its Ghats and ancient temples. "Temples city", "Holy city of India", "Religious capital of India", "Lighting city of lights", "the city of learning" and the "culture capital of India" are the regards given to great pilgrimage city, Varanasi. |
|
| Dedicated to Lord Shiva, Kashi Vishwanath temple is one of the most famous Hindu temples in the holy city of Varanasi. The deity in temple is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas the holiest of Shiva deities standing on the western bank of river Ganges. The current structure is believed to have been built by Maharani Ahilya Bai Holkar of Indore in 1780. The temple is being managed by Govt. of Uttar Pradesh since 1983. |
|
 |
A series of smaller shrines, located in a small lane in the temple complex called the Vishwanatha Galli. 60 cm tall and 90 cm in circumference housed in a silver altar is the main deity at the shrine. Small temples for kal BHAIRO, Dhandapani, Avimukteshwara, Vishnu, Vinayaka, Sanishwara, Virupaksha and Virupaksh Gauri in the complex are also present. The Jnana Vapi, a small well is present in the temple. Jytorlinga was hidden in the well is the belief to protect at the time of invasion. |
|
|
| Including Adi Sankaracharya, Ramakrishna Paramhansa, Swami Vivekananda, Goswami Tulsidas, Swami Dayananda Saraswati, Gurunanak have visited the temple site. One can be lead on a path to Moksha by visit to the temple and a bath in the river Ganga is belief. |
|
| According to legend, one of the most important pilgrimage destinations in the country and one of the seven sacred cities of Hindus, Varanasi was founded by the Hindu deity, Lord Shiva, around 5,000 years ago. Rigveda, Skanda Purana, Ramayana, and the Mahabharata are Hindu scriptures mention the city. |
|
| Famous for its muslin and silk fabrics, perfumes, ivory works, and sculpture Varanasi was a commercial and industrial center. Varanasi was the capital of the Kingdom of Kashi during the time of Gautama Buddha (born circa 567 BCE). |
|
| Holy city Varanasi has number of ghats, some of them are use for bathing and some for other purpose. Dashashwamedh Ghat, Assi Ghat, Manikarnika Ghat, Lalita Ghat and Harishchandra Ghat are some of the important ghats in the holy city Varanasi. |
|
| The holy shrine of Lord Kashi Vishwanath one of the twelve revered Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva is visited more than 1,000,000 pilgrims each year. Bathing in Ganga clears sins and dying in Kashi ensures release of a person's soul from the cycle of its transmigrations is the belief of Hindus and Kashi is regarded as one of the Shakti Peethas. Both Vaishnavism and Shaivism always co-existed in Varanasi. |
|
| Varanasi is also considered as the holy place for Buddhism and one of the four pilgrimage sites designated by Gautama Buddha. Along with Hindus and Buddhists Varanasi is a pilgrimage site for Jains. Islamic culture has also had an influence on Varanasi. |
|
| Varanasi is also referred as city of temples. Kashi Vishwanath Temple, bharat mata temple, durga temple, sankat mochan temple, tulsi manas temple are the important temple in Varanasi. |
|
| Varanasi is the center for arts and culture. Great Indian writers like Kabir, Ravi Das, Tulsidas, Kulluka Bhatt and Bharatendu Harishchandra, Jayshankar Prasad, Acharya Ram Chandra Shukla, Munshi Premchand, Jagannath Prasad Ratnakar, Devaki Nandan Khatri, Hazari Prasad Dwivedi, Tegh Ali, Kshetresa Chandra Chattopadhyaya, Vagish Shastri, Baldev Upadhyaya, Vidya Niwas Mishra,Sudama pandey (Dhoomil), KashiNath Singh, Namvar Singh, Harihar Prasad chaturvedi, Rudra Kashikeya,Nirgun among many other notables personalities have laid the strong foundation for culture and arts for younger generation in Varanasi. |
 |
|
|
| To get there |
| By air, rail and buses, Varanasi is well connected with all the main Indian cities. Distances from some of the major cities to Varanasi are Delhi (776 km), Babatpur airport (25 km) and it is well connected to Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata, and Nepal. |
 |
|