Where is Kashi Vishwanath Temple located
Kashi Vishwanath Temple is an important pilgrimage site for devotees of Lord Shiva. It is one of India's oldest and holiest shrines of Lord Shiva, and it is in the city of Varanasi. This temple is a part of the 12 jyotirlingas, and visiting it is one of the holiest practices in the Hindu religion. So, if you want to visit the temple to receive the blessings of the Lord Shiva and you are wondering, 'Where is Kashi Vishwanath temple located?', then we can guide you.
Kashi Vishwanath Mandir is a living embodiment of the cultural traditions and high spiritual values of the followers of the Hindu religion. The temple's influence is that it attracts visitors from India and from all around the world.
If you cannot visit the temple for some reason, you can always do a live darshan of Baba Vishwanath via Godly App. So download the Godly app and never miss an opportunity to receive blessings anywhere from the world from any temple of your preference.
Once you know the answer to your question, ‘Where is Kashi Vishwanath Temple located?’ we will show you how to reach the temple if you ever plan to visit the temple.
Where is Kashi Vishwanath Temple located?
Varanasi is famous for being the holiest place in India. It's home to almost 23,000 temples. People from all over India and the world travel to Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, to visit the temples and especially the Kashi Vishwanath Temple.
Kashi Vishwanath temple, also known as the Golden temple, stands on the western bank of the holy river Ganga in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. The river Ganga is a sacred place for worshippers. Taking a dip in its waters washes away all your sins.
Ganga river is the mother of humanity according to the Hindu religion. The temple's location on the bank of the holy river Ganga makes it even more special for the devotees of Lord Shiva.
Many famous temples are located in Varanasi apart from the Kashi Vishwanath temple, such as Bharat Mata Mandir, Sankat Mochan Mandir, Kanaka, Durga Mandir, Sankata Devi Mandir, Annapurna Devi Mandir, Lalita Gauri Temple.
We hope you got a clear answer to your question, ‘Where is Kashi Vishwanath Temple located?.
Significance of the location of Kashi Vishwanath, Varanasi
Now that we have the answer to the question,‘ Where is Kashi Vishwanath Temple located?’, let’s understand its significance. First, the location of the Kashi Vishwanath temple isn't random, as there is a rich origin story behind it.
Lord Brahma (the Hindu deity responsible for creating the world) and Lord Vishnu (a Hindu deity responsible for preserving the world) were arguing about who has authority over whom in terms of abilities. As the argument was about to take a turn, Lord Shiva decided to settle the matter for them.
As a test to check the limit of their abilities, Lord Shiva transformed into an endless pillar of light. This pillar of light pierced the three worlds in numerous places. Then, Lord Shiva ordered Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu to find the end of the pillar of light. However, Lord Brahma lied about finding the end of the shaft, whereas Lord Vishnu accepted defeat.
As a reward for telling the truth, Lord Shiva granted Lord Vishnu the prestige of being worshipped by the people till the end of time. In contrast, Lord Brahma was cursed as devotees will not honor or celebrate during festivals and celebrations.
When Lord Shiva transformed himself into the endless pillar of light, the places where the light pierced the world are jyotirlinga. The twelve jyotirlingas are at specific geographical and astronomical significant points in this world. One of those jyotirlingas is the Kashi Vishwanath Temple.
Importance of the Kashi Vishwanath temple, Varanasi
Here is the list of all jyotirlingas.
Somnath - Gujarat.
Malikarjuna Swamy - Andhra Pradesh
Mahakaleshwar - Madhya Pradesh
Omkareshwar - Madhya Pradesh
Kedarnath - Uttarakhand
Bhimashankar - Maharashtra
Kashi Vishwanath Temple - Uttar Pradesh
Trimbakeshwar Shiva Temple -Maharashtra
Nageshvara Jyotirlinga - Gujarat
Baidyanath Temple - Jharkhand
Rameshwar - Tamil Nadu
Grishneshwar - Maharashtra
To attain complete salvation and enlightenment, one must visit jyotirlinga temples at least once in their lifetime, according to popular belief among devotees of Lord Shiva.
If you find it difficult to travel to any of the twelve jyotirlingas temples in a pandemic situation, but you still have a strong urge to visit them, then download and visit the Godly app to receive blessings and take darshan from significant temples in India.
All you should have is a device on which the Godly app works and a stable internet connection to attend the special puja and aartis' live streaming at your preferred temple.
How did Varanasi city come into existence according to Hindu mythology?
Varanasi is one of India's holiest places because it is home to almost 23000 temples. But is there any other reason why it's sacred?
According to Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva is the protector of this city. The scriptures mention that when Lord Shiva married Goddess Parvati, he built the city of Varanasi on his trident. It is a common belief that when the world was first created, the first rays of the sun fell on Varanasi, and this is an indication that the city will survive Pralayam (the end of the world).
History of Kashi Vishwanath temple
Kashi Vishwanath Mandir is in the 'Puranas,' which is a holy scripture of Hinduism. Qutb-ud-din Aibak was the first person to demolish the Kashi Vishwanath Mandir in 1194 AD. It occurred when he defeated the Raja of Kannauj.
In the Illtutmish's reign, the temple was rebuilt again but was brought down again later. Then the era of Akbar's rule arrived. Under his rule, Raja Mann Singh built the temple once again.
But surprisingly, the local Hindus started boycotting the temple's construction as Raja Mann Singh had allowed Mughals to marry into his family. Once again, Raja Todar Mal the temple.
During the reign of Aurangzeb, he destroyed the temple, and in its place, built the Gyanvapi mosque. There is a small well inside the temple, which is called Jnana Vapi or Gyanvapi. The Jnana Vapi well is essential in the Kashi Vishwanath temple's history because a priest had to jump into the well with the shivling to protect himself and the shivling from invaders.
Coming back to the present, Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar, the Maratha queen, has constructed the structure which we witness now.
How to reach Shri Kashi Vishwanath temple
Now that you know the location of the Kashi Vishwanath temple, you might be wondering how to reach the temple? Let us take you through all the modes of transport you can use to get to the temple quickly.
How to visit the temple by train
Varanasi is an important city for Uttar Pradesh as well as India. Hence, the Varanasi railway station is a significant rail junction that connects Varanasi to major cities of India like Mumbai, Indore, Lucknow, Allahabad, Calcutta, Chennai, Meerut e.t.c.
Once you reach the Varanasi railway station, you can hire an auto-rickshaw or a taxi to Kashi Vishwanath temple. As the distance of Varanasi railway station is 2km and the junction is 6km away from the temple, it doesn't take long to travel to the temple.
How to visit the temple by air
Daily domestic flights are available and consistent between Delhi and other major cities, including Varanasi. However, people traveling from abroad must take a flight to Delhi first and then travel to Varanasi through domestic flights.
People traveling from major cities within the country such as Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Mumbai, Chennai, Calcutta, e.t.c. can also take the interconnecting flights to reach Varanasi.
It takes an hour to reach the temple by taxi or bus from the Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport as, the distance between them is about 20-25 km.
How to visit the temple by road
As we earlier discussed, Varanasi is a major city; then, it's logical that it will have connections to other major cities and several modes of transportation.
If you are traveling from major cities of Uttar Pradesh, then government and private buses are a standard and feasible option to travel from. If you land at the airport, travel by private car or take a cab to the temple. A rickshaw, cycle-rickshaw, or taxi are travel options if you are at Varanasi railway station.
Godhulia is the location in Varanasi where you should reach by road. Once you are there, look for an entry gate of Kashi Vishwanath temple and travel through the most popular lane known as Vishwanath Gali. Vishwanath Gali is a pretty crowded and well-treaded lane as it consists of a small market that sells sweets and worship items.
Recent developments surrounding Kashi Vishwanath Corridor
Kashi Vishwanath Corridor is a beautification and expansion project that will directly benefit the ghats. The construction projects cover a total area of 5 lakh sq. ft. The government demolished around 300 buildings to start the construction of the Kashi Vishwanath temple.
The Kashi Vishwanath Corridor will connect the three prominent ghats to the temple. Therefore, it will provide easier access for the people to the temple. The estimation is 600 crore for the whole construction project.
Conclusion
Every devotee of Lord Shiva yearns to visit the Kashi Vishwanath temple at least once in their lifetime. The significance of the temple is such that it is a common belief that whoever takes their last breath in the temple complex their souls will enter into heaven. Moreover, people who visit the temple also have a chance to set themselves on the path to Moksha by taking a holy dip in the sacred river of Ganga.
Suppose you are visiting the temple from a different city or a country. In that case, a genuine question may arise as to, ‘Where is Kashi Vishwanath Temple located?’, and we hope to have answered the questions to your understanding.
FAQs
Q1) How can I go to the Kashi Vishwanath temple?
Kashi Vishwanath temple is a very prominent location, which means that reaching it is not a big obstacle. If you are traveling by air or abroad, reach the Delhi airport and take a domestic flight to Varanasi airport. Varanasi connects to all major cities of India by interconnecting flights. Once you get to the Lal Bahadur Shatri airport, then take a cab to reach the temple.
If you are traveling by train, then it is easier to travel as Varanasi is a well-connected city by rail. Varanasi City station is 2 km away from the temple, whereas Varanasi Junction is 6 km from the temple. Other railway junctions, such as Mughalsarai Junction station, are the farthest at 17 km, and there is also Manduadih station around 4 km away. You can take a rickshaw or a cab from the railway station to reach the temple.
When traveling by road, use government-run buses or private busses to commute to the temple.
Q2) How much time does it take for Kashi Vishwanath Darshan?
On regular days, it will require you at least 2-3 hours to take the darshan of Kashi Vishwanath. On auspicious days like Mondays or other festivals, it will take you numerous hours to complete the tour and darshan of the temple. Therefore, it’s better if you reach early so that you won't require much time to take the darshan of Kashi Vishwanath because as time passes, the crowd increases.
If you want to attend a specific aarti like Mangala aarti, then it will take about an hour to complete it.
Q3) What are Kashi Vishwanath Temple Timings?
The temple darshan timing is from 2:30 am to 11:00 pm. The whole day follows a fixed schedule where aarti takes place at fixed timings.
Mangala Aarti is from 3:00 am to 4:00 am
Bhog Aarti is from 11:15 AM to 12:20 PM
Saptarishi Aarti is from 7:00 pm to 8:15 pm
Shrungar Aarti is from 9:00 pm to 10:15 pm
Shayana Aarti is from 10:30 pm to 11:00 pm.
