temple of Varanasi
Varanasi is said to be the oldest surviving city of
the world. Varanasi is also called as Kashi or Benaras.
Being the most venerated pilgrim place in Hindu religion,
Varanasi is said to be a museum of temples. Also called
the city of temples, Varanasi is home to about 2,000
temples. People from all parts of India as well as the
world come to Varanasi to visit these temples, making
the holy temples of Varanasi amongst the most visited
temples in India. Many important and famous temples
are located at Ganga Ghats (river front), adding to
the religious value of the holy river, Ganges.
Most of the temples that are located on the Ganga Ghats
are old and date back to the medieval period. According
to legends the first Siva Jyotirlinga, the fiery pillar
of light, came through the earth here and flared into
the sky. Therefore Varanasi is also called Kashi, "the
City of Light." The Kashi Vishwanath temple, located
near the Ganga Ghats, is the most famous and important
temple of Varanasi. In this temple resides the guardian
of the holy city, Lord Shiva. Other important temples
of Varanasi are the new Vishwanath temple, the Sankat
Mochan temple, the Durga temple, the Kal Bhairav temple
and the Mritunjaya temple.
Bharat Mata Temple
The Bharat Mata temple at Varanasi is the only temple
dedicated to Mother India. It is located in the Mahatma
Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth campus. The Bharat Mata temple
was built by Babu Shiv Prasad Gupt and inaugurated by
Mahatma Gandhi in 1936. The statute of Bharat Mata is
built in marble and is a model of undivided India, depicting
the mountains, plains and oceans. The most peculiar
thing about the Bharat Mata Temple is that instead of
the customary gods and goddesses, it houses a relief
map of India, carved out of marble.
Durga temple, also known as the "monkey
temple" is one of the important temples of Varanasi.
This temple is dedicated to Goddess Durga. The Durga
temple was built in the eighteenth century. A Bengali
Maharani built the Durga temple in Nagara Style (the
North Indian style of temple architecture). It is stained
red with ochre and has a multi-tiered shikhara (spire).
The Durga temple is situated on a rectangular tank,
called the Durga Kund. According to the Puranas, Goddess
Durga has kept this place for many centuries and protects
the holy city, Varanasi, from the South.
According to legends, the present statue of Goddess
Durga was not made by man but appeared on its own in
the temple. The Durga temple is also called Monkey temple
because of the presence of large number of monkeys.
In Hinduism, Durga is represented as the embodiment
of shakti or female power, clad in red, riding a tiger
and fully armed with Shiva's trident, Vishnu's discus
and a sword. Non-Hindus can enter the courtyard of the
Durga temple but not the inner sanctum. Thousands of
Hindu devotees visit the Durga temple during Navratri
and other auspicious occasions.
New Vishwanath Temple
The new Vishwanath temple of Varanasi is located in
the premises of the Banaras Hindu University (BHU).
It is also called the Birla temple as the famous industrialist
family of India, the Birlas, constructed it. The New
Vishwanath Temple is dedicated to lord Shiva and is
a replica of the original Vishwanath temple. The temple
is built in white marbles, and was planned by Madan
Mohan Malviya, the founder of the Banaras Hindu University.
The most important characteristic of the new Vishwanath
temple is that it is open to people from all castes
and religions. The huge campus of New Vishwanath Temple
is a delight to the eyes of visitor. The interior has
a Siva lingam and verses from Hindu scriptures are inscribed
on the walls.
Sankat Mochan Temple
Sankat Mochan temple is one of the sacred temples of
Varanasi. It is located in the southern part of Varanasi,
near the Banaras Hindu University. It is dedicated to
the Hindu God, Hanuman. The word "Sankat Mochan"
means one who helps in removing sufferings i. e. Lord
Hanuman. Tulsidas, the author of the famous Hindu epic
Ramacharitamanasa, founded the Sankat Mochan temple.
According to Hindu mythology, one who visits the Sankat
Mochan temple regularly, his wishes get fulfilled.
Every Tuesday and Saturday, thousands of devotees queue
up in front of the Sankat Mochan temple to offer prayers
to Lord Hanuman. According to Vedic Astrology, Hanuman
protects human beings from the anger of planet Saturn
and those who have ill placed Saturn in their horoscope
visit the Sankat Mochan temple to get remedy. People
put "Sindoor" on the statue and offer "laddoos"
to Lord Hanuman. The "Sindoor", from the statue
of Lord Hanuman is put on the foreheads of devotees.
Tulsi Manas Temple
Tulsi Manas temple is one of the most famous temples
of Varanasi. It is also an important tourist attraction
of the holy city. The Tulsi Manas temple is located
near the famous Durga temple. It was built in white
marble in the year 1964. The temple has been made more
charming by the magnificent landscaping around it. The
Tulsi Manas temple is dedicated to lord Ram. It is believed
to be built at the same place where Tulsidas wrote the
famous Indian epic, Ramcharitamanasa. The walls of the
Tulsi Manas temple are engraved with verses and scenes
from the Ramcharitammanasa, the Hindi version of the
Ramayana. The temple is open from 5.30 AM to noon and
3.30 to 9 PM.
Vishwanath Temple
The Kashi Vishwanath Temple attracts Hindu devotees
and other visitors not only from India but also the
world over. Lord Vishwanath is considered the supreme
repository of the spiritual truth and strengthens the
bonds of universal brotherhood. Late Maharani Ahilya
Bai Holkar of Indore built the temple in the present
shape, way back in 1780. In the year 1785, a Naubatkhana
was built up in front of the Temple at the instance
of Governor General, Warren Hastings. In 1839, two domes
of the Temple were covered by gold, donated by Maharaja
Ranjeet Singh, the ruler of Punjab. The management of
the Kashi Vishwanath temple rests with a trust.
A single darshan of Vishweshwara Jyotirlinga is considered
to merit more than the darshan of other jyotirlingas,
scattered in various parts of India. The Kashi Vishwanath
Temple has been a living picture of the timeless cultural
traditions and highest spiritual values.
The Vishwanath temple opens daily at 2.30 A.M. for Mangala
Aarti and between 3 to 4 A.M. ticket holders are permitted
to join. The timing of general Darshan is from 4 to
11 A.M. The timing for midday Bhog Aarti is from11.30
to 12 A.M. Between 12 noon to 7 P.M., general devotees
are free to have Darshan. From 7 to 8.30 P.M. the Sapta
Rishi Aarati is held after which Darshan is possible
again till 9 P.M. At 9 P.M. the Shringar/Bhog Aarati
starts and after that Darshan is possible only from
outside. Shayana Aarti starts at 10.30 P.M. and the
temple closes at 11 P.M. Most of the offerings at the
Kashi Vishwanath temple are given to poor.
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