The spiritual history of Kashi Vishwanath Temple

Situated on the western banks of the mighty Ganga, the Kashi Vishwanath shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva is one of the most significant temples in the country. Here, Lord Shiva is hailed as the Lord of the Universe.

The spiritual history of Kashi Vishwanath Temple 

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

• The most important shrine in Kashi is dedicated to Lord Shiva's Vishwanath form

• Located on the western banks of the mighty Ganga, Kashi, also known as Benaras or Varanasi, is hailed as the cradle of spirituality or the spiritual capital of India. 

• This is one of the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines

Among the myriad ancient temples and monuments with great spiritual history, the Kashi shrine, with a Jyotirlinga (Lord Shiva) as the presiding deity, finds a special mention. 

Located on the western banks of the mighty Ganga, Kashi, also known as Benaras or Varanasi, is hailed as the cradle of spirituality or the spiritual capital of India. 

Interestingly, Lord Shiva, who manifested in the form of a fiery pillar to prove his might, split the earth's surface and flashed up to the skies. A segment of this dynamic light manifested in Jyotirlingams in twelve different sites. And Kashi is one of them. 

Here, Lord Shiva is hailed as Vishwanath or The Lord the Universe and Vishveshvara (Vishwa+Ishwara), the God of the Universe. And this boundless beam of light symbolises the infinite nature of Lord Shiva and his might. 

Moreover, Kashi is believed to be the oldest surviving city globally! Besides the magnificent temple, the Ganga aarti conducted at the adjacent Dashahwamedha Ghat attracts thousands of visitors. And the same holds true for the other shrines and ghats in the city known for its spiritual leanings.

But how old is the Kashi Vishwanath temple, and why is it so significant?

The present shrine was built by Rani Ahilya Bai Holkar of Indore in 1780, and before this, several rulers attempted to rebuild the structure that faced persistent destruction by invaders. And this establishes the fact the temple has been in existence for many centuries but has witnessed several attacks and resurrections.

The present temple structure is said to have three domes, out of which two are covered in gold donated by Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the king who once ruled Punjab. Interestingly, an ancient well, known as Gyana Vapi (the well of wisdom), continues to narrate the tale of the long past. Belief suggests that the idol of Kashi Vishwanath was hidden in this well to guard it against invaders.

But why is this temple so significant? Interestingly, Lord Shiva is often hailed as the constructive destroyer and associated with timelessness and death. Therefore, devotees seeking liberation from the vicious cycle of birth, life and death, visit the holy town of Kashi and seek refuge in Kailasha, the Lord's heavenly abode, after their journey on earth comes to an end. 

Moreover, traditional belief suggests that Lord Shiva's messengers escort his devotees during their final journey. Therefore, here, in Kashi, the Shiva Ganas aid devotees end their journey and not the agents of Yama (the Lord of Death). Folklore also indicates that Lord Shiva chants the salvation mantra into the ears of those who visit Kashi and spend the rest of their lives there to seek liberation. 

Furthermore, it is a sacred Hindu pilgrimage site. This fact has been established repeatedly by great personalities such as Adi Sankaracharya, Ramakrishna Paramhansa, Swami Vivekananda, Bamakhyapa, Goswami Tulsidas and several other men and women with spiritual powers. Last but not least, a visit to this Jyotirlinga shrine is said to be equivalent to visiting the rest of the eleven sites.

In a nutshell, the Kashi Vishwanath shrine embodies India's spiritual and cultural values and is, therefore, deemed most significant. And with the inauguration of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor consisting of several ancient monuments, later during the day today, the importance of this temple is expected to increase manifold.