Kashi Vishwanath Jyotirlinga Story, Spiritual Secrets & Location

February 25,2026 | Added by:

Where is Kashi Vishwantah Jyotirlinga Located?

Kashi Vishwanath Temple is in Varanasi city of Uttar Pradesh. Earlier the name of Varanasi was Banaras and before that the name of this city was Kashi during the reign of Emperor Vikramaditya. It is said that Kashi was a city of scholars.

Mahakavi Kalidasa had won everywhere in the world but was defeated in Kashi. This city is one of the oldest cities in India. It is a place dedicated to Lord Shiva and it is also called Shiva Dham. Here there is a Jyotirlinga of Lord Shiva known as “Kashi Vishwanath”.

Kashi Vishwantah is the Seventh Jyotirlinga

Kashi Vishwanath Jyotirlinga is the 7th Jyotirlinga. The most important thing is that this temple is located on the western bank of the holy river Ganges, it is known as Jyotirlinga Vishwanath or Vishveshwar Mahadev which means lord or ruler of the universe. The city of Varanasi is also called Kashi. Hence the temple is called Kashi Vishwanath temple.

The Mughals Destroyed the Temple Several Times

During Mughal rule, around 1194 AD, the original temple was demolished by Qutbuddin Aibak, who was the army general of Muhammad Ghori. The temple was then rebuilt by Hindu rulers and in 1669 AD, Aurangzeb demolished the rebuilt temple and built the Gyanavapi Mosque on the remaining parts.

Even today there is a mosque behind the temple which is known as Gyanvapi Masjid. Every time the temple was broken down, the priests and devotees would worship together in secret, sometimes worshiping the hidden Shivalinga, sometimes whispering Shiva's name in private. This has been going on for many years. But even today there is no real Shivling of the real Vishwanath Mahadev.

Where is the Original Shivling?

It is said that the real Jyotirlinga was hidden in the well of Gnanavapi to protect it from attackers. And I believe, the real Shivling is still in the well near the temple. A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court regarding this matter and ASI is surveying it. Let's see if the result is coming.

Why is this Temple Unique from all Other Temples?

Baba Vishwanath's temple’s top part which is covered with gold plate was offered by Raja Ranjit Singh of Punjab with 22 tons of gold. As much gold as he had donated to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, he also gave as much gold to the Guru Granth Sahib of Amritsar. Evidence of this has been found so far. The Mughals repeatedly destroyed the temple.

The present temple was rebuilt in 1777 by Maharani Devi Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore. Its peak is 51 feet. Rani also built five pavilions here. Whatever you see in the temple today is the gift of Devi Ahilyabai Holkar. Because before this Aurangzeb had completely damaged the temple.

This temple is unique; the spire above the sanctum sanctorum is adorned with the Sri Yantra, making it a highly sacred place for Tantric practices. The Sri Yantra represents Lakshmi and Shakti practices, and its placement above the Shivalinga indicates that not only devotion but also the heights of Tantra and Sadhana can be attained here. This site is particularly fruitful for seekers seeking esoteric knowledge.

It is said that the Aghor darshan of Baba Vishwanath destroys the sins of many lifetimes. Especially on Shivratri, Baba roams the city in his Aghor form, and his procession includes ghosts, spirits, gods, animals, birds, and spirits of all kinds. This darshan demonstrates that Shiva is present within every form, every situation, and every living being; he is the master of calmness.

What is Special about the Kashi Vishwanath Shivalinga?

Did you know? The Kashi Vishwanath Jyotirlinga is divided into two parts. On the right side resides Goddess Bhagwati or Parvati, the embodiment of Shakti, while on the left side resides Lord Shiva in a beautiful form. This means that this linga is worshipped as "Half Ishwar" and "Half Parvati," and this form of Lord Shiva is called "Ardhanarishvara."

This combination represents the unity of Shiva and Shakti, which is extremely rare and sacred. For this reason, Kashi is called the region of liberation, because the union of Shiva and Shakti here grants the soul ultimate peace and salvation. It is believed that even Lord Vishnu and Brahma visit this place to visit.

Kashi Vishwanath Story

According to ancient texts, Lord Shiva made Kashi his eternal abode. This means that he declared that he would live there forever. The Skanda Purana states, that even during the Great Deluge, when the entire universe was being destroyed, Shiva held Kashi above the waters on his trident, protecting it from destruction.

One of the most fascinating texts tells the story of how Shiva and Parvati made Kashi their abode. It is said that when Shiva first arrived here, he was so captivated by its spiritual energy that he refused to leave. The gods feared that if Lord Shiva remained in the mortal world forever, humans might attain immortality. His presence would make humans extremely powerful. The greatest concern was that staying in Kashi would grant instant salvation, and no sinner would go to Yampuri.

So, they prayed to Mahadev to return to Mount Kailash. All the gods and goddesses tried to persuade him. Later, Shiva created one of his forms named as Vishwanath, who remained in Kashi forever as the lord of the universe, while his main divine form remained in the Kailash, Himalayas.

How to Reach Kashi Vishwanath?

By Air

If you come by flight, you will land at Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport which is about 25 km away from the temple and from there you can take an auto or taxi, and cabs are easily available directly to the temple.

By Train

Varanasi is also a major railway junction. There are other major railway junctions near Varanasi, such as Manduadih and Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Railway Junction, which are both very close to Varanasi and are India's largest railway junctions. Traveling by train is also a convenient pilgrimage. Autos and cabs can also be used from any railway station to reach the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi, which will take you directly to the temple.

By Road

Varanasi is a major holy place in India. It is connected by national highways to Lucknow, Patna, Allahabad, Delhi, Kolkata, and Gorakhpur. Thousands of regular buses, private taxis, and personal vehicles make commuting to and from Varanasi a breeze.

Kashi Vishwanath Jyotirlinga in Google Map

Frequent Asked Questions(FAQs)

Kedarnath Dham typically opens in late April or May and closes in October or November. Specifically, the temple doors open on Akshaya Tritiya and close on the day following Diwali.

To reach Kedarnath, you must first travel to Haridwar, Rishikesh, or Dehradun. From there, you need to proceed to Sonprayag or Gaurikund. From Gaurikund, a 16-kilometer trek on foot is required to reach Kedarnath.

The best time to visit is from May to June and from September to October. This is because, during these periods, rainfall is not heavy enough to pose a risk of landslides, nor is the weather excessively cold.

For Darshan (viewing) at Kedarnath, the temple remains open from 4:00 AM until 4:00 PM.

The Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga is situated in the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (formerly Aurangabad) district of the state of Maharashtra. It is located in a village named Verul, where the temple of Lord Grishneshwar stands.

Aarti is performed three times a day at the Grishneshwar temple: once early in the morning at 4:00 AM though this timing is subject to change, particularly in case of inclement weather, once at 12:00 PM (noon), and finally, the Mangal Aarti is held at 9:30 PM at night.

The best time to visit Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga is during the months of October to March. This period offers pleasant weather neither too hot nor too cold making it the ideal time for sightseeing and exploration.

If you wish to visit of the Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga, you must first travel to Aurangabad. You can reach Aurangabad by road, air, or train. From Aurangabad, you then need to proceed to Verul village, a journey that typically takes about one hour. The Grishneshwar Temple is situated within Verul village.

Women are prohibited from entering the sanctum sanctorum where the Shivalinga is located during the Bhasma Aarti. They can view the Aarti from the Nandi Hall or from outside, behind a curtain.

The Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga is located on the banks of the Kshipra River in Ujjain city, Madhya Pradesh, India.

The timing of Bhasma Aarti at the Mahakaleshwar Temple is from 4:00 AM to 6:00 AM in the early morning.

Malikarjuna Jyotirlinga is situated in Sree Sailam of Andhra Pradesh. Where are you coming from India? You came to Hyderabad and from there. You will get everything by train, by air and by road. The nearest railway station is Marakpur Road, around 85KM from Kurnool.

In Malikarjuna Jyotirlinga, there is a wonderful confluence of Shiva and Shakti (Parvati). This is the only place in India where the Jyotirlinga of Lord Shiva (Mallikarjuna) and the Shaktipeeth of Mother Parvati (Bhramaramba) are present in the same temple complex.

Yes, here Lord Shiva is present in the form of Mallikarjuna and Mother Parvati is present in the form of Bhramaramba. Here Devi Bhramaramba is 18th number of Shakti Peetha.

The darshan of Somnath temple is from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM.

The nearest railway station is Somnath Railway Station. Besides this, Veraval junction, Junagadh Junction are also the near to Somnath Temple.

Mobile, cameras, smart watches, electronic gadgets, laptops, leather items like belts, purse, wallets, bags, luggage and foods are not allowed inside the temple.

The Moon or Chandra which is known as “Soma Dev” built and worshiped the original Shiva Lingam in gold to regain its lost luster, which gives the temple its name as Somnath. Somanth Jyotirlingam is called the 1st Jyotirlingam.

It is written in Hindu scriptures that in ancient times, sages and saints believed that the moon god (Som Dev) established a Shivalingam of Lord Shiva here and performed severe penance to free himself from the curse of Daksha Prajapati. Hence, it is known as Somnath.

Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga is located in Bhorgiri village, Maharashtra, around 110-120 km from Pune city.

The darshan timing of Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga is from 4:30 AM to 9:30 PM.

Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga is the 6th Jyotirlinga. This place is especially known for its religious significance, beautiful architecture, and rich natural diversity. According to Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva killed Bhasmasura here, and during the battle, he sweated profusely. Later, it took the form of a river, which is known today as the Bhima River.

The Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga temple doors generally open at 4:30 AM for the Kakada Aarti and close at 9:30 PM. For Abhishek Pujas, you can typically book between 5:30 AM and 12:00 PM, and again in the afternoon from 12:30 PM to 4:00 PM.

There is 5 times Aarti performed in Kashi Vishwanath Temple. The temple generally opens in 2:30 AM and closes 11:00PM daily.

The Arti Timing is basically like following:

Day time

Mangla Aarti: 3:00 AM to 4:00 AM

Bhog Aarti: 11:15 AM to 12:20 PM

Night Time

Saptarishi Aarti: 7:00 PM to 8:15 PM

Shringar and Bhog Aarti: 9:00 PM to 10:15PM

Shayan Aarti: 10:30 PM to 11:00 PM

Mandir opens in very early 2:30 AM, go very early for Mangala Aarti. You will see calm and empty lanes. If you want to entertain lights and music with Aarti, come in the evening aarti called Saptarishi Aarti. You will be experienced a huge crowd.

Carry a printed ticket and an ID. Some entries ask for ID like Aadhar Card, Election I Card, Driving License, Passport. Carry a small water bottle and basic medicines for headache, stomach, loose motion. Keep some changes for autos and small shops. Big notes can be hard to change in lanes.

The Rameshwaram Jyotirlingam was consecrated by Lord Rama to mark the inauguration of the union. He invited Ravana as a priest to consecrate the Shivalingam. That is why this Jyotirlingam is known as Rameshwaram. Most importantly, Rameshwaram is one of the 12 Jyotirlingams and is one of the four Dhams.

Rameswaram is one of the four Dhams and is one of the 12 Jyotirlingams. Therefore, people go there to attain salvation, liberation from sins, and to pay homage to their ancestors and perform the immersion of ashes.

October to March are the best months to visit Rameshwaram temple. Because that time is neither very hot nor very cold, and is the best time to travel anywhere in India.

Yes, there is a strict dress code for darshan at Rameshwaram Jyotirlinga. To maintain the sanctity of the temple, all devotees are advised to wear modest and traditional Indian clothing. For men, dhoti and shirt, or kurta-pajama. For women, saree or salwar kameez with dupatta. Avoid jeans, short dresses, t-shirts, shirts, and transparent dresses.

Yes, women are fully permitted entry into the Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameshwaram! Women can not only visit the temple, but can also bathe in the 22 sacred ponds called “Theerthams” inside the temple before entering the main sanctum sanctorum. But only in sarees, salwar suits, with dupattas. Women in wet and filthy clothes are strictly prohibited.

The Nageshwar Jyotirlinga is located on the Saurashtra coast in Gujarat, India. It is situated just 17 km from the city of Dwarka. The exact location is Daarukavanam, Goriyali, Gujarat-361335.

The timings for Darshan at Nageshwar Temple are from 5:30 AM to 9:00 PM.

No cameras, mobile phones, and other electronic gadgets are not allowed inside Nageshwar Temple. Furthermore, please note that in India, for security reasons, mobile phones, cameras, and electronic gadgets are generally not permitted inside any major temple, Jyotirlinga shrine, or pilgrimage site (Dham).