Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple

Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple is the central Shiva shrine of Varanasi and a Jyotirlinga associated with Vishwanath, the Lord of Kashi, where darshan, Ganga ghats, and Shaiva practice meet in one pilgrimage plan.

One of the most ancient temples in India. The original Vishweshwara temple was destroyed by Qutb-ud-Din Aibak (1194 CE); rebuilt; destroyed again by Aurangzeb in 1669 CE who built the Gyanvapi Mosque in its place. The sacred Jyotirlinga was reportedly hidden in the Gyanvapi well. Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore built the present temple on an adjacent site in 1780 CE. Maharaja Ranjit Singh donated ~1 tonne of gold to plate the three domes and spire (1835 CE), earning the name "Golden Temple." A kumbhabhishekham was performed in 2018 (after 239 years). PM Modi inaugurated the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor on 13 December 2021 — expanding the complex from ~3,000 sq ft to ~5 lakh sq ft and connecting the temple to the Ganga ghats. Average daily footfall: ~45,000 pilgrims (2023).

Mahashivaratri, Shravan, Kartik, and major Kashi observances bring heavier footfall around the corridor and ghats, so plan locker, footwear, Ganga-route, and aarti timing with official updates.

Use the temple trust website for Sugam Darshan, aarti booking, live darshan, app links, and help-desk details; verify same-day rules before relying on any third-party guide or paid queue claim.

For devotional preparation, visitors can keep the practice simple: learn the main deity's name, carry only permitted offerings, observe modest dress, and close the visit with a short mantra, pradakshina, or dana where appropriate. This keeps temple travel connected to sadhana rather than only sightseeing.