States > Temples India
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The temple stands on the bank of the holy river Ganga, and is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, the holiest of Shiva temples.
The main deity is known by the name Vishvanatha or Vishveshvara meaning Ruler of The Universe. The Varanasi city is also called Kashi.The Temple has been referred to in Hindu Scriptures for a very long time and as a central part of worship in the Shaiva philosophy. During the religious occasion of Shivratri, Kashi Naresh (King of Kashi) is the chief officiating priest and no other person or priest is allowed to enter the temple sanctorum. It is only after he performs his religious functions that others are allowed to enter.
As per Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva married Goddess Parvati on Mahashivratri and was performed on Rangbhari Ekadashi. Residents of Kashi the abode of Lord Vishwanath celebrate the occasion in a grand style.
The temple has been mentioned in the Puranas including the Kashi Khanda (section) of Skanda Purana. The temple has been destroyed by many mughal rulers and re-built several times. The last structure was demolished by Aurangazeb and then the temple was re-built by a Gujarati merchant during the reign of Delhi's Sultan Iltutmish.
The Manikarnika Ghat on the banks of Ganges near to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple is considered as a Shakti Peetha, a revered place of worship for the Shaktism sect. The mythology of Daksha Yaga, a Shaivite literature is considered as an important literature which is the story about the Shakti Peethas.
It is said that Shiva came to the Kashi Vishwanath Shrine through Manikarnika after the death of Sati Devi.
The Kashi Vishwanath temple receives around 4,000 visitors every day.
A visit to the temple and a bath in the 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.
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