Jyotirlinga
Kashi Vishwanath Jyotirlinga
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
Lord of the Universe, enshrined on the Ganga's banks in the city of liberation
At a glance
- Location
- Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
- Presiding deity
- Lord Shiva (as Vishwanath)
- Temple type
- Jyotirlinga
- Tradition
- Shaiva
- Nearest railway station
- Varanasi Junction / Varanasi Cantt (~4-5 km from the temple)
- Nearest airport
- Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, Varanasi (~24 km)
- Best time to visit
- October to March; the Shravan month and Mahashivratri see very heavy crowds.
History
Kashi Vishwanath is regarded as one of the world's oldest continuously worshipped pilgrimage sites. The present temple structure was built in 1780 by Rani Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore, and its famous gold-plated spire was donated by Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1839. Between 2019 and 2021, the temple was dramatically redeveloped under the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham Corridor project, directly connecting it to the Ganga ghats, and was inaugurated in December 2021.
Spiritual significance
Kashi (Varanasi) holds the highest place among Hinduism's seven Sapta Puri cities associated with liberation (moksha); dying here is traditionally believed to grant moksha. Alongside the Vishwanath Jyotirlinga, the Ganga aarti at Manikarnika and Dashashwamedh ghats is an integral part of the pilgrimage.
Plan your visit
Darshan timings
From the 2:30/3:00 AM Mangala Aarti to the Shringar/Shayan Aarti around 11:00 PM, with general darshan open through the day.
Timings change on festivals and special occasions. Confirm with the temple's official source before you travel.
Varanasi Junction has direct trains from virtually every major Indian city. Autos, e-rickshaws, and taxis are readily available from the station or airport; since the corridor's completion, there is also a direct walking route from the Ganga ghats.
Continue your Shiva bhakti
Devotional texts for this deity, already on the site.