Kashi Vishwanath Temple

Coordinates: 25°18′38.79″N 83°0′38.21″E / 25.3107750°N 83.0106139°E / 25.3107750; 83.0106139
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kashi Vishwanath Temple
Vishveshvara Mandir
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
Kashi Vishwanath Temple is located in Varanasi district
Kashi Vishwanath Temple
Location in Varanasi#Location within Uttar Pradesh
Kashi Vishwanath Temple is located in Uttar Pradesh
Kashi Vishwanath Temple
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

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.

The temple had been demolished several times, most recently by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, who constructed the Gyanvapi Mosque on its site.[1] The current structure was built on an adjacent site by the Maratha ruler Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore in 1780.[2]

Since 1983, the temple has been managed by a board of trustees set up by the government of Uttar Pradesh.[3] On 1 January 2023, a record 3.35 lakh pilgrims visited the temple. In the month of January 2023, the temple saw an average footfall of above 45,000 per day.[4] According to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust, 10 crore tourists have visited the temple since the inauguration of the corridor in December 2021.[5] The total assets of the temple, are estimated to be more than 6 crores.[6]

Legend[edit]

It is believed that Varanasi is the first Jyotirlinga to manifest itself.[7] 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.[8]

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.[9][10]

Hindu scriptures describe Vishweshara 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 Panchkosi, an area (the sacred boundary of Varanasi) spreading over 50 miles.[11]

Jyotirlinga[edit]

The Jyothirlinga 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.[12][13]

There are twelve 'self manifested' Jyotirlinga sites that take the name of the presiding deity; each is considered a different manifestation of Shiva.[14] At all these sites, the primary image is a lingam representing the beginningless and endless Stambha pillar, symbolising the infinite nature of Shiva.[14][15][16]

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 in Deoghar, Jharkhand, Nageswar at Dwarka in Gujarat, Rameshwar at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu and Grishneshwar at Aurangabad in Maharashtra.[8][17]

History[edit]

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

Ancient and classical periods[edit]

The Skand 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.[18]

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. The remaining four mandapas include the Jnana mandapa located in the east, the Ranga mandapa situated in the west, the Aishvarya mandapa found in the north, and the Mukti mandapa located in the south.[18]

Nārāyaṇa Bhaṭṭa in his book Trishalisettu'[19] as well as Madhuri Desai describe that the temple centres around a repetition of destruction and reconstruction.[20]

Medieval period and destruction[edit]

The original Vishwanath temple, initially known as the Adi Vishveshwara 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.[21] In a few years[year needed], the Razia Mosque was constructed in its place.[22][23][24] 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[25]
The Gyanvapi Mosque sketched as the Temple of Vishveshwur, Benares.
Plan of the Ancient Temple of Vishveshvur.
The dotted line shows the portion of the temple occupied by the present Masjid.

Raja Man Singh built the temple during Akbar's reign but Orthodox Hindus boycotted it as Man Singh had let Akbar marry his sister and Jehangir his daughter.[23][26] Raja Todar Mal completed the reconstruction of the temple in 1585.[27]

In the seventeenth century, during the rule of Jahangir, Vir Singh Deo completed the construction of the earlier temple.[28] In 1669, Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb destroyed the temple and built the Gyanvapi Mosque in its place.[29][30] The remains of the erstwhile temple can be seen in the foundation, the columns, and at the rear part of the mosque.[31]

Maratha and British period[edit]

Elevation of the present temple structure

In 1742, the Maratha ruler Malhar Rao Holkar made a plan to demolish the mosque and reconstruct the Vishweshwar temple at the site. However, his plan did not materialise, partially because of the intervention of the Nawab of Awadh, who was given control of the territory.[32]: 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.[32]: 85 

In 1785, at the behest of Governor General Warren Hastings, Collector Mohammed Ibrahim constructed a Naubatkhana in front of the temple.[33] In 1780, Malhar Rao's daughter-in-law, Ahilyabai Holkar rebuilt the present temple adjacent to the mosque.[34]

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.[35] 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 prior establishments make generous contributions to the operations of the temple.[36]

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.[32]: 200 [37]

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.[38]

Post-Independence[edit]

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.[39]

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

Narendra Modi launched the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor Project in 2019 to make it simpler 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.[40] 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.[41][42]

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.[43] Flowers from the temple are recycled into incense by the biomaterials startup Phool.co.[44]

Temple structure[edit]

The original holy well—Gyanvapi in between the temple and Gyanvapi Mosque

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.[45] 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 well 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 at the time of the invasion. 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 Sanctum and placed on a silver platform. The structure of the mandir is composed of three parts. The first comprises a spire on the temple. The second is gold dome and the third is the gold spire atop the sanctum bearing a flag and a trident.

The Kashi Vishwanath Temple is also popularly known as the ′Golden Temple′ due to the gold plating done on its 15.5-meter high spire. One tonne of gold donated by Maharaja Ranjit Singh has been used in the gold plating of the spire.[46]

The Kashi Vishwanath temple receives around 3,000 visitors every day. On certain occasions, the numbers reach 1,000,000 and more. Noteworthy about the temple is 15.5-metre-high gold spire and gold Onion dome. There are three domes each made up of pure gold, donated by Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1835.

Ganga Dwara, Gateway of Corridor that connects Kashi Vishwanath Temple with Ghats of Ganges.

The Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham corridor was constructed between Kashi Vishwanath Temple and Manikarnika Ghat along the Ganges River, providing various amenities for pilgrims.[47]

Importance[edit]

Located on the banks of the holy Ganges, Varanasi is regarded 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. Inside the Kashi Vishwanath Temple is the Jyotirlinga of Shiva, Vishveshvara or Vishvanath. The Vishveshvara Jyotirlinga has a very special and unique significance in the spiritual history of India.

A visit to the temple and a bath in the river 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 the temple, and the pilgrimage would also include a visit to the temple at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu in Southern 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 believe that the true devotee achieves freedom from death and saṃsāra by the worship of Shiva, Shiva's devotees on 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.[48]

It is one of the shrines of the Vaippu Sthalams sung by Tamil Saivite Nayanar Sambandar.[49][50][51]

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%).[52]

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.[53]

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.[54] These traditions have been carried out by the erstwhile Mahant family of the temple for over a century.[55]

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.[56] 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.[57] 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.[58]

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.[59]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

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Notes[edit]

External links[edit]