Temples in Varanasi: A Spiritual Sojourn Amidst Divine Splendor

 Varanasi, the spiritual capital of India, is home to a multitude of temples that form an integral part of its rich cultural heritage. Embark on a sacred journey as you explore these enchanting abodes of divinity, each exuding its unique charm and significance. From the revered Kashi Vishwanath Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, to the serene Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple, where devotees seek solace, each temple offers a glimpse into the deep-rooted beliefs and rituals of this ancient city. Whether you seek divine blessings or wish to immerse yourself in the cultural tapestry of India, the temples of Varanasi beckon with open arms. Prepare to be touched by the profound spirituality and unwavering faith that surround these temples, leaving you with an indelible mark on your spiritual journey.

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Call it Varanasi or Banaras or Kashi!

Immersed in religious colors, this oldest city in India is called the city of Lord Shiva. It is believed that this grand city stands on the "Trishul" of Lord Shiva. Kashi is also called the spiritual and cultural capital of ancient India.

Countless ghats, two famous universities Kashi Hindu University and Sampurnanand Sanskrit University are situated in Kashi. There are around 85000 temples here. The city has been a commercial and industrial center for muslin and silk fabrics, perfumes, ivory, and crafts.

Someone has aptly said “Kashi is a city older than history, older than tradition, older than legend, and twice as old as all these combined!

There are many mythological stories associated with the Ghats in Varanasi, each one as interesting and shocking as the other.  Even though this city is crowded, its glory has been sung in various scriptures. But still, the peace that is in the land of Kashi is nowhere else.

Let's know what is so special in this city!

Dashashwamedh Ghat Aarti

Located near Kashi Vishwanath Temple, this Ghat is one of the most important Ghats of Banaras. A trip to Varanasi is considered incomplete if you do not witness the Ganga Aarti performed by the priests every evening at the ghats. A dip in the Ganges in Kashi opens the door to salvation. A large number of foreign tourists also come to Varanasi to watch the Ganga Aarti. That's why it is said that if you want liberation, then come to Kashi!

Ganga Aarti lasts for 45 minutes.

Starting Time: 6:45 PM

Manikarnika Ghat

Manikarnika Ghat is one of the most auspicious places for the departed to reach salvation. The specialty of this ghat is that the pyre's fire never calms down here. Funeral pyres burn 24/7 at this ghat, and around 200 cremations take place every day. It is said that Lord Shiva has blessed Manikarnika Ghat with eternal peace. It is believed that the truth of life lies at Manikarnika Ghat. It is believed that the fire rites of the dead body of Mata Sati were performed by Lord Shankar at Manikarnika Ghat. That is why it is called Mahashamshan.

Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple

Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple is one of the 12 holy Jyotirlingas dedicated to Lord Shiva. Situated on the west bank of the holy river Ganges, this temple adds to the dignity of Varanasi. Many people call it the Golden Temple of Lord Shiva because the two domes of the temple are covered with gold. People believe that when the earth was formed, the first ray of the sun first fell on Kashi. The temple opens daily at around 2:30 am. There are 5 aartis daily in the temple.

Rivers of Varanasi

The expansion of this city is said to be between the two confluences of the river Ganga, one with the river Varuna and the other with the river Asi. The distance between these confluences is about two and a half miles. Parikrama of this distance is called holy Panchkosi Parikrama among Hindus.

Panchkosi Parikrama

Panchkosi Yatra is one of the most important yatras undertaken by pilgrims around the holy Kashi Mandal. This holy journey begins with a holy dip in the river Ganga at the matchless Manikarnika Ghat. Kardameshwar, Shivpur, Rameshwar, Bhimchandi, and Kapildhara are the five places where devotees have to complete their Panch Koshi Parikrama.

Boat ride in river Ganga

Going to Banaras and enjoying a boat ride in the river Ganga will make your journey more fun. Sitting in the boat, the view of all the ghats will fascinate you. You can book your boat from Manmandir Ghat. If you do this journey in the morning, then there can be no better time than this. In this holy city, the hymns of the sadhus on the ghats in the morning, the chirping of birds, the Morning Prayer, and the redness of the rising sun make this city even grander.

Sarnath

Located 10 km from Banaras, this ancient city is home to the first sermon of Buddha at Sarnath. Sarnath is the place where Buddhism came into existence. The main attraction of Sarnath is the Chaukhandi Stupa which was built by Ashoka after his conversion to Buddhism. If you ever come to Kashi, do not forget to visit Sarnath.

Banaras Silk

India exports its silk to more than 200 countries across the world and its demand is increasing especially in Europe and America. Banarasi silks and sarees are produced exclusively in the ancient city of Varanasi and surrounding villages, using special techniques and unique creations. Located on Chhawni Road, the Banaras Silk Emporium is a huge exporter of traditional silk.

If you want to see the whole of traditional India, then I suggest that you must come to Kashi once.

Varanasi: What is the story of India's oldest religious city?

Situated on the banks of the holy Ganges River in the south of Uttar Pradesh, the mysteries of Kashi or Varanasi have been attracting pilgrims from India as well as foreigners for centuries. Varanasi, a city of ancient domes, temples, ashrams, saint-priests, shops adorned with Banarasi sarees, busy streets full of different exquisite tastes and balanced modernity, represents the colorful and charming India of dreams. There is an impression of Lord Shiva in every street of this city.

Kashi is one of the oldest and holy cities of the world. Lord Shiva has established this city. It is said that this city was built by Lord Shiva on his trident as his abode after his marriage with Goddess Parvati. Hence, it is said that even if the world ends, the city of Kashi will remain at that time.

Kashi is one of the seven holy cities of India
Kashi is one of the seven holy cities of India (Ayodhya, Kashi, Mathura, Haridwar, Kanchipuram, Ujjain and Dwarka). The city has about 84 Ghats and big shrines which have been present since the time of the Vedas. It is said that whoever stays here attains spiritual knowledge and salvation. It is also believed that the nine houses do not affect the people living in Kashi, as they follow the rules of Lord Shiva. They cannot even enter this city without the permission of Lord Shiva.

Kashi is mentioned in all ancient texts.
Kashi i.e. Varanasi or Banaras is definitely mentioned in almost all the ancient texts of India. In the 'Kashi Khand' of Skanda Purana, description of different pilgrimages of Kashi is found in about 15,000 verses. In the Puranas, this city is also mentioned as Adyvaishnava land and Lord Brahma is believed to have performed ten Ashwamedha Yagyas at Dashashwamedh Ghat. Along with this, this place is also important for the devotees of Goddess Sati, as the city is also home to a Shakti Peeth. 

Arrival of these great personalities in Kashi

Located near Kashi Vishwanath temple on the banks of river Ganges, Manikarnika Ghat is considered as a Shakti Peeth. Apart from Lord Shiva, the name of this holy city is associated with many great personalities of India like- Raja Harishchandra ji, Adi Shankaracharya ji, Goswami Tulsidas ji, Rani Ahilyabai Holkar, Rani Lakshmibai ji etc. Many ancient saints like Ramakrishna Paramhansa, Swami Dayanand Saraswati, Swami Vivekananda and Guru Nanak have sung their glory many times after visiting the Kashi Vishwanath temple. Meerabai's Guru Sant Raidas was also born in Banaras.

Why Kashi is named Varanasi
Known as the city of Lord Shiva, the city of temples, the city of knowledge, the religious capital of India, the city of lights, Kashi is given twelve different names in the Skanda Purana, among which Varanasi, Ananda-Kanan, Avimukt, Rudravas, Shri Shivpuri and Muktibhoomi are prominent. The name 'Kashi' means light or light of Brahma and Vishnu. The name Varanasi is probably derived from the two local rivers Varuna and Asi. These rivers come from north and south respectively and join the Ganges river.

Kashi Vishwanath Temple
There are innumerable temples of Lord Shiva in this city, of which Kashi Vishwanath Temple is paramount. Kashi Vishwanath Temple is one of the most sacred places in the world. The holy Ganges river flows beside the temple, which increases the spiritual value of the temple manifold. Kashi Vishwanath temple has been mentioned countless times in ancient texts of India like Skanda Purana, Shiva Purana, Upanishads and Vedas.

The Shivling of Lord Vishwanath is one of the twelve Maha Jyotirlingas. Jyotirlinga means the self-manifestation of Shivling. It is said that a one-time visit to Kashi Vishwanath Jyotirlinga is equal to the journey of the remaining eleven Jyotirlingas. These Jyotirlingas are also considered to be the first of all Jyotirlingas and they are also called the king of Jyotirlingas.

A popular tradition that is followed even today is that after visiting the Kashi Vishwanath temple, the water taken from the river Ganges is used for the consecration of the Jyotirlinga of Sri Ramanathaswamy at Rameshwaram. The sand from the temple is brought back to Varanasi and given as Prasad to Lord Shiva. It is believed that pilgrimage to Kashi and Rameshwaram leads to complete salvation and knowledge.

The complex of Kashi Vishwanath temple is quadrangular, with many small and big temples dedicated to Lord Kartikeya, Lord Vinayaka, Kalabhaivar, Avimukteshwar, Lord Vishnu, Virupaksha, Virupaksha Gauri and Lord Shanishwar. The temple has three distinct areas- the first is a shikhara over the temple of Lord Vishwanath, the second is a golden dome and the third is a trident and a flag on top of it. The temple has an auditorium, which leads to the sanctum sanctorum where the Shivling is situated.

Kashi Vishwanath Temple and Rani Ahilyabai Holkar
How many times the invaders have tried to destroy the Kashi Vishwanath temple, it is not hidden from anyone. When PM Modi got the Kashi Vishwanath Dham Corridor constructed, bringing back the old glory of Kashi, he also got the statue of Queen Ahilyabai Holkar installed in it. The reason for this is that in 1780, Rani Ahilyabai ji got the Kashi Vishwanath temple rebuilt. And not only Kashi, but he also got the construction of temples done in far Gaya and up to the Himalayas.

He also got the temple rebuilt at Somnath in Gujarat. Rani Ahilya Bai ji built temples in famous pilgrimages and places across India, appointed scholars in temples, built ghats, built wells and stepwells, built new roads, built many buildings and dharamshalas, other areas for the hungry. Open it and put a cup for the thirsty. Indian society is indebted to the Queen for her great and public welfare works.

Kashi Vishwanath Temple Timings
Kashi Vishwanath Temple opens daily at 2:30 and closes at 11 pm. Mangala Aarti between 3 am to 4 pm, Midday Bhog Aarti between 11:30 am to 12 noon, Sapt Rishi Aarti between 7 pm and 8:30 pm, Shringar Bhog and Aarti at 9 pm, 10:30 pm Shayan Aarti begins. The general darshan timings are from 4 am to 11 am, 12 noon to 7 pm and 8:30 pm to 9 pm.

Other Famous Temples of Varanasi

Tulsi Manas Temple
Tulsi Manas Mandir is dedicated to Lord Shri Ram, Mata Sita and Lakshman ji. The temple is said to have been built at the place where Saint Goswami Tulsidas composed Shri Ramcharitmanas. On the walls of the temple, the four quarters of this holy book have been engraved.

Sankat Mochan Hanuman Mandir
This is a very Siddha temple, which was established by Goswami Tulsidas ji. Actually, Tulsidas ji was able to see Lord Shri Ram ji only by the grace of Hanuman ji, and by the grace of Hanuman ji he could compose Ramcharitmanas, so Tulsidas ji considered Hanuman ji as his guru and in Ramcharitmanas he Hanuman ji is worshiped as his guru.

Mata Annapurna Temple
This temple is dedicated to Annapurna Devi, an incarnation of Goddess Parvati, near Kashi Vishwanath Temple. This is the only temple in the world where Prasad is distributed among the devotees before offering Bhog to the Lord. It is said that whoever worships Mother Annapurna ji with devotion, there is never any shortage of food in his life.

Kal Bhairav ​​Temple
The temple is located 1 km away from Kashi Vishwanath Temple. It is said that one must visit this temple to complete their Kashi journey. He is believed to be the protector of Kashi and no one can enter Kashi without his permission.

काशी विश्वनाथ मंदिर का आध्यात्मिक इतिहास

अगर काशी हिंदू धर्म के केंद्र में है, तो काशी विश्वनाथ मंदिर (Kashi Vishwanath Temple) इस ईश्वरीय भूमि की धड़कन है। वास्तव में, यह मंदिर इतना पवित्र है कि इसका उल्लेख स्कंद पुराण में मिलता है, जो एक प्राचीन हिंदू ग्रंथ है। भगवान शिव को समर्पित, इस मंदिर में अपनी लोकप्रियता के कारण हर दिन हिंदुओं की भीड़ उमड़ती है। यह पवित्र नदी गंगा के तट पर स्थित है। श्री विश्वनाथ और विश्वेश्वर का अर्थ है "ब्रह्मांड के भगवान", इसलिए इस मंदिर को काशी विश्वनाथ मंदिर का नाम दिया गया है।

काशी विश्वनाथ मंदिर का महत्व
मंदिर हिंदुओं के लिए बहुत महत्व रखता है क्योंकि यह भगवान शिव के 12 ज्योतिर्लिंगों में से एक के रूप में प्रतिष्ठित है। ऐसी मान्यता है कि भगवान शिव वास्तव में यहां कुछ समय के लिए रुके थे। अन्य में सोमनाथ (गुजरात), मल्लिकार्जुन (आंध्र प्रदेश), महाकालेश्वर (मध्य प्रदेश), ओंकारेश्वर (मध्य प्रदेश), केदारनाथ (उत्तराखंड), भीमाशंकर (महाराष्ट्र), त्र्यंबकेश्वर (महाराष्ट्र), वैद्यनाथ ज्योतिर्लिंग, देवगढ़ (झारखंड) नागेश्वर (गुजरात), रामेश्वर (तमिलनाडु) और घृष्णेश्वर (महाराष्ट्र) शामिल हैं।

इतिहास
इस मंदिर का इतिहास में कई नृशंस घटनाओं से भरा पड़ा है। कुतुब-उद-दीन ऐबक ने 1194 ई. में इसे पूरी तरह से ध्वस्त कर दिया था। जबकि इल्तुतमिश के शासनकाल के दौरान इसे फिर से बनाया गया था, सिकंदर लोधी के शासनकाल के दौरान और बाद में सम्राट औरंगजेब की इस्लाम के प्रचार के लिए क्रूसेडर गतिविधियों के दौरान इसे फिर से ध्वस्त कर दिया गया था। यह देखना उल्लेखनीय है कि कैसे यह मंदिर समय की कई परीक्षाओं में खड़ा हुआ है और अपनी सारी महिमा में खड़ा है. काशी विश्वनाथ मंदिर को आखिरी बार इंदौर की रानी, ​​​​रानी अहिल्या बाई होल्कर ने फिर से बनाया और इसकी महिमा को बहाल किया था। उन्होंने मंदिर के जीर्णोद्धार की पहल की और इसके लिए धन भी मुहैया कराया। हालांकि बाद में अकबर के परपोते औरंगजेब ने मंदिर को तोड़कर उसके स्थान पर एक मस्जिद का निर्माण कराया था। 1835 में महाराजा रणजीत सिंह द्वारा आपूर्ति किए गए शुद्ध सोने से बने अपने तीन गुंबदों के कारण वाराणसी के स्वर्ण मंदिर के रूप में जाना जाता है।

मंदिर समय
समय: मंदिर प्रतिदिन 2:30 बजे खुलता है

प्रार्थना: प्रतिदिन 5 आरती आयोजित की जाती हैं, जिसमें पहली आरती सुबह 3 बजे और आखिरी आरती रात 10:30 बजे होती है।

कैसे पहुंचें काशी विश्वनाथ मंदिर
मंदिर वाराणसी कैंट रेलवे स्टेशन से लगभग 3 किमी दूर है। मौदलिया रेलवे स्टेशन 2.5 किमी दूर है और काशी स्टेशन 2 किमी दूर है। रेलवे स्टेशनों से, आप विश्वनाथ गली तक पहुँचने के लिए कोई भी सड़क परिवहन पा सकते हैं। आपको मंदिर तक पहुंचने के लिए गली से चलना चाहिए, क्योंकि सड़क के माध्यम से किसी भी वाहन की अनुमति नहीं है। यदि आप बस के माध्यम से पहुंचने का विकल्प चुन रहे हैं, तो मंदिर का निकटतम बस स्टैंड चौधरी चरण सिंह बस स्टैंड है, जो 3 किमी दूर है। वाराणसी के किसी भी हिस्से से, आप विश्वनाथ गली या दशाश्वमेध घाट तक पहुंचने के लिए ऑटो रिक्शा या साइकिल रिक्शा किराए पर ले सकते हैं। कुछ सौ मीटर की शेष दूरी पैदल ही तय करनी चाहिए।