Kashi Vishwanath Temple (Jyotirlinga): History, Significance & Travel Guide

I don't know what to call this beauty. Which one will be right? I don’t know… maybe Varanasi, Banaras, or Kashi. I really don’t know what to call it. But surely I know one thing — it is a city that attracts everyone to come again or to stay there forever.

Actually, it is the city where Shiva lived as a family man. Being one of the oldest living cities in the world, it hides countless stories and myths. The tiny streets of Varanasi, the famous Banarasi silk, the Banarasi paan — everything about the city carries a charm. Sometimes I feel it is not just these things; the place itself has a magnetic effect that pulls people toward it.

According to the story of the Jyotirlinga, Shiva revealed himself as a pillar of divine light, breaking through the earth’s crust and giving clarification to Brahma and Vishnu. But at the same time, there is another story beloved by locals — that this was the place where Shiva and Parvati lived happily in their family life.

In fact, as you all know, this is a land of ghats along the sacred Ganges River. Each ghat has its own story. One of the most famous is Manikarnika Ghat. There is a legend behind its name. When Shiva and Parvati were living here, Parvati once went to take a bath in the Ganges while Shiva was meditating on the shore. During the bath, Parvati’s earring fell into the river and was lost. Even Lord Shiva himself could not find it, and from that incident the place came to be known as Manikarnika Ghat.

As you know, this is truly a land of ghats, and each ghat carries countless stories. Perhaps we will explore them in another series later. Not now.

Near the Vishwanath temple stands the sacred Annapurna Temple, where devotees believe that no one goes hungry. It is said that people receive food here by the grace of Goddess Annapoorna, who nourishes the world.

Another powerful belief connected with Kashi is about liberation. It is believed that if a person dies in Kashi, there will be no rebirth. Death in this sacred city is believed to grant moksha — ultimate liberation from the cycle of birth and death.

Because of this belief, there is a place called Mukti Bhavan, where people come hoping to spend their final days in Kashi. Guests are allowed to stay there for a maximum of 15 days. If they do not pass away within this time, they are usually asked to leave, although exceptions are sometimes made if the condition is critical.

The shores of the Ganges add even more beauty to this divine city. Standing there, watching the flowing river, you feel that the beauty of Kashi only grows deeper.

One of the most pleasant experiences of my life was witnessing the Ganga Aarti. The devotion, the lamps, the chants — everything creates a divine atmosphere. At the same time, seeing the cremation grounds at the ghats makes you realize something profound: how small our problems really are, how temporary life is, and how the answers we seek are often simple. In that moment, your thoughts gain a kind of rebirth and enlightenment.

सानन्दमानन्दवने वसन्तमानन्दकन्दं हतपापवृन्दम्।

वाराणसीनाथमनाथनाथं श्रीविश्वनाथं शरणं प्रपद्ये ॥

श्रीविश्वनाथं शरणं प्रपद्ये ॥

I know it is not complete; there are many more stories. But I also know that the wonders of Kashi will never finish — each visit will amaze you and make you understand something new.