Thursday, 18 April 2013

Shree Kashi Vishwanath Jyotirlinga


Location : Varanasi (Benares)

Description :
Standing on the western bank of Indias holiest river Ganges Varanasi is the oldest surviving city of the world and the cultural capital of India. It is in the heart of this city that there stands in its fullest majesty the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in which is enshrined the Jyotirlinga of Shiva Vishweshwara or Vishwanatha. Here gravitate the teeming millions of India to seek benediction and spiritual peace by the darshan of this Jyotirlinga which confers liberation from the bondages of maya and the inexorable entanglements of the world.
A simple glimpse of the Jyotirlinga is a soul-cleansing experience that transforms life and puts it on the path of knowledge and bhakti. Vishweshwara Jyotirlinga has a very special and unique significance in the spiritual history of India. Tradition has it that the merits earned by the darshan of other jyotirlinga scattered in various parts of India accrue to devotee by a single visit to Kashi Vishwanath Temple.
Deeply and intimately implanted in the Hindu mind the Kashi Vishwanath Temple has been a living embodiment of our timeless cultural traditions and highest spiritual values. The Temple has been visited by all great saints- Adi Shankaracharya Ramkrishna Paramhansa Swami Vivekanand Goswami Tulsidas Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati Gurunanak and several other spiritual personalities.
The Kashi Vishwanath Temple attracts visitors not only from India but abroad as well and thereby symbolises mans desire to live in peace send harmony with one another. Vishwanath being a supreme repository of this spiritual truth thus strengthens the bonds of universal brotherhood and fellow feeling at the national as well as global levels. On January 28 1983 the temple was taken over by the Govt. of Uttar Pradesh and its management ever since stands entrusted to a Trust with Dr. Vibhuti Narayan Singh. Former Kashi Naresh as president and an Executive Committee with Divisional Commissioner as Chairman. The Temple in the present shape was built way back in 1780 by Late Maharani Ahilya Bai Holkar of Indore. In the year 1785 a Naubatkhana was built up in front of the Temple by the then Collector Mohd. Ibrahim Khan at the instance of Governor General Warren Hastings. In 1839 Two domes of the Temple were covered by gold donated by Punjab Kesari Maharaja Ranjeet Singh. Third dome still remains uncovered Ministry of culture & Religious affairs of U.P. Govt. is taking keen interest for gold plating of third dome of Temple.
A Shiva temple has been mentioned in the Puranas including the Kashi Khanda (section) of Skanda Purana.In 490 AD the Kashi Vishwanath Temple was built. In 11th century AD Hari Chandra constructed a temple. Muhammad Ghori destroyed it along with other temples of Varanasi during his raid in 1194. Reconstruction of the temple started soon after. This was demolished by Qutb-ud-din Aibak. After Aibaks death the temple was again rebuilt by many Hindu emperors. In 1351 it was destroyed again by Firuz Shah Tughlaq.
The temple was rebuilt in 1585 by Todar Mal the revenue minister of Akbars court. Aurangzeb ordered its demolition in 1669 and constructed Gyanvapi Mosque which still exists alongside the temple. Traces of the old temple can be seen behind the mosque. It is said that the Shiv-Linga jumped into the well and the original Shiv-linga now resides there. The current temple was built by Ahilya Bai Holkar the Hindu Maratha queen of Malwa kingdom in 1780.
Many noble families from various ancestral kingdoms of India and their prior establishments make generous contributions for the operations of the temple.

Nearest Stations :
   East : Patna:261 Km
   West : Allahabad:121 Km
   North : Gorakhpur:202 Km
   South : Raipur:640 Km

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