Kashi Vishwanath Temple
काशी विश्वनाथ मंदिर
Lord Shiva (Vishwanatha) · Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
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About the temple
One of the 12 Jyotirlingas; Holiest Shiva temple on the Ganges Liberation ($Moksha$) from the cycle of rebirth
Temple information
- Darshan timings
- 03:00 – 23:00
- Established
- 1780
- Best time to visit
- During Mangala Aarti (03:00 AM)
- Entry fee
- Free
Deity
Lord Shiva (Vishwanatha) · बाबा विश्वनाथAnnapurnaDandapaniVinayakaKalabhairavaVirupaksha
- Deity form
- Jyotirlinga (Self-manifested pillar of light)
- Religious tradition
- Vedic / Dashnami Sampradaya
- Sanskrit name
- श्री काशी विश्वनाथ मन्दिर
- Also known as
- Golden Temple of Varanasi, Vishweshwar Temple
Darshan hours
- Daily
- 03:00 - 23:00
- Break timings
- None (Brief closures for Aarti)
- Special days
- 24 hours during Mahashivratri and Sawan Mondays
- Festival timings
- Open 24/7 during major festivals
Aarti & rituals
- Morning aarti
- 03:00
- Midday aarti
- 11:30
- Evening aarti
- 19:00
- Night aarti
- 22:30
- Special aarti days
- Mondays, Pradosham
- Ritual schedule
- Continuous Vedic chants and Rudrabhishek
- Pooja timings
- Multiple slots for Sugam Darshan and Aarti
- Abhishek timings
- 04:00 AM to 11:00 AM
- Special poojas
- Rudrabhishek, Sugam Darshan, Mahashivratri Special
- Online pooja booking
- No
History & heritage
- Historical period
- Ancient
- Built by
- Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore
- Construction materials
- Red Sandstone and Gold (Gold-plated domes)
- Historical events
- Destroyed by Aurangzeb (1669); Rebuilt by Ahilyabai Holkar (1780)
- Renovations
- Kashi Vishwanath Corridor Project (Inaugurated 2021)
- Archaeological importance
- Protected Religious Site
- Legends
- Lord Shiva's eternal abode; part of the Trishul of Mahadev
- Inscriptions
- Records of the Holkar and Sikh Empire (Maharaja Ranjit Singh) grants
Architecture
- Architectural style
- Dravidian
- Architectural period
- 18th Century (Structure); 21st Century (Corridor)
- Structure
- Complex with multiple shrines and massive riverfront corridor
- Floors
- 1
- Gopuram
- 15.5m high Gold-plated Shikhara (800kg gold)
- Mandapa
- Large pillared halls for congregation
- Sculptural features
- Intricate carvings on sandstone walls
- Artistic elements
- Golden domes donated by Maharaja Ranjit Singh
- Construction technique
- Traditional stone masonry
- Unique features
- Kashi Vishwanath Corridor connecting the temple directly to the Ganga
Festivals & events
MahashivratriDev DeepawaliRangbhari Ekadashi
- Festival calendar
- Varies by lunar calendar
- Special celebration days
- Sawan Mondays
- Cultural events
- Ganga Aarti at the nearby ghats
- Annual events
- Shiv Vivah procession
- Peak crowd season
- Sawan month (July-Aug); Winter (Nov-Feb)
Visitor information
- ✓ Parking
- ✓ Wheelchair accessible
- ✓ Elevator
- ✓ Restrooms
- ✓ Drinking water
- ✓ Shoe keeping
- ✓ Prasadam counter
- ✓ Annadanam
- Entry fee
- Free
- Dress code
- Traditional
- Best time to visit
- During Mangala Aarti (03:00 AM)
- Parking capacity
- 500+
- Parking fees
- Minimal
- Donation counters
- Yes
- Donation methods
- Cash, Card, UPI, Online
- Prasadam
- Bhabhuti (Ash), Laddu, Bel Patra