The Kashi Vishwanath Temple is the most sacred shrine in Varanasi and one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva, making it among the holiest Shiva temples in Hinduism. Located near the western bank of the River Ganga, this temple symbolizes moksha (liberation). According to ancient scriptures, a devotee who worships Lord Shiva here and dies in Kashi attains freedom from the cycle of birth and death.
The temple has a long and turbulent history, having been destroyed and rebuilt multiple times. The present structure was built in 1780 by Ahilyabai Holkar, the Maratha queen of Indore. The temple’s golden spire and dome were later donated by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Today, the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor connects the temple directly to the Ganga, significantly improving pilgrim access.
Daily rituals include Mangala Aarti, Bhog Aarti, Sandhya Aarti, and Shringar Aarti, attracting thousands of devotees every day. The atmosphere inside the sanctum is intense and deeply spiritual, filled with chants of “Har Har Mahadev.”