Kashi Vishwanath Temple, on the western bank of the Ganga in Varanasi, is one of the holiest shrines of Lord Shiva and a major Jyotirlinga visited by crores of devotees every year. The temple stands in a dense old-city lane (Vishwanath Gali), surrounded by shops, ashrams and dharamshalas, and its golden shikharas gleam above the rooftops. Inside, the atmosphere is intense and devotional—bells ringing, mantras echoing, and pilgrims offering water and bilva leaves to the lingam of Vishwanath, “Lord of the Universe”. With the development of the Kashi Vishwanath Dham corridor, the temple now opens out towards the ghats and the river, giving visitors spacious plazas, viewing points, and a direct connection between the shrine and the Ganga.
About this place
History & highlights
The site of Kashi Vishwanath has been revered for millennia and is mentioned in many Puranas and ancient texts. Historically, the temple was destroyed and rebuilt multiple times during invasions and political turmoil; structures from the 12th, 16th and 17th centuries were demolished by different rulers. The present temple was constructed in 1780 by the Maratha queen Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore, who rebuilt it a little away from the exact earlier spot. Later, Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Punjab donated gold to plate the main shikhara and dome, giving the temple its distinctive golden profile. In the 21st century, the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor project further transformed the area by clearing congested buildings and creating a broad path from the temple to the Ganga, turning the historic tirtha into a modern, well-managed pilgrimage complex while preserving its ancient sanctity
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