Varanasi – The Religious Capital of The Nation

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One of the oldest settlements in the world, Varanasi is home to a wide variety of cultures, traditions, and beliefs. The title of Oldest City of India belongs to a city that beautifully blends our religious past with a contemporary future and serves as a centre for many saints and sages today. With kilometres of Ghats, or steps for religious bathing, a variety of shrines and temples, and numerous more exquisite palaces, the city has the best riverfront in all of India. As the hub of Hindu education, Kashi (another name for Varanasi) is also a city of learned scholars who maintain a large number of such schools to carry on traditional education.

Must Visit Temples in Kashi

Kashi VishwaNath Temple

This is one of the city's most sacred Shiva temples. It is a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Supreme Lord of the Universe, as the name says. Kashi is hence sometimes referred to as the city of Lord Shiva. The "Shivalinga" in the temple is one of Shiva's 12 Jyotirlingas, according to legend. These are supposedly the burning pillars of light that Lord Shiva used to declare his divine superiority to all other gods, penetrate the earth's crust, and shine upward. Varanasi is thought to be the site of the first Jyotirlinga's manifestation.

Kashi Vishwanath Temple is the beating heart of this heavenly place if Kashi is the centre of Hinduism. But as a result of numerous horrific historical occurrences, this temple has had to withstand numerous tests over the years. King and monarchs have destroyed the temple numerous times. It was destroyed first by Qutb-ud-din Aibak, then under the rule of Illtutmish, then by Sikandar Lodhi, and last by Emperor Aurangzeb's crusading efforts to spread Islam. However, it is impressive to see the temple standing tall in all of its majesty and splendour. The temple is also known as the Golden Temple of Varanasi because to Maharaja Ranjit Singh's donation of around 1000 kg of gold, which was used to construct the temple's dome.

Durga Temple

In Hindu mythology, Goddess Durga is regarded as the embodiment of courage. The Queen of Bengal, a fervent follower of the Goddess, built a temple just for her. According to historical snippets, the temple has a fascinating mythological story associated with it.

When the King of Kashi arranged a Swayamvar for the marriage of his only daughter Shashikala, he discovered that the princess was in love with Prince Sudarshan. So he secretly married his daughter to Sudarshan. After learning this, the other suitors declared war on the King and Sudarshan. Sudarshan, a devotee of Maa Durga, prays to the deity, who is then said to ride a lion and fight a battle for them both. Then Kashi Naresh begged Maa Durga to always defend Kashi and remove evil. As a result, it is thought that the deity's idol inside the temple was not built by humans, but rather appeared on its own.

Tulsi Manas Temple

Tulsi Manas, dedicated to Lord Rama, is one of Varanasi's most well-known temples. The temple is composed of white marble and is set in a magnificent landscape. This temple is historically significant since it is where the magnificent epic of Ramcharitmanas was composed in the 16th century by a revered Hindu poet-saint Tulsidas Ji.

The temple's walls display numerous lines and incidents from the epic and are principally dedicated to Lord Rama, Mata Sita, Lakshaman, and Lord Hanuman. It was built by the Sureka family of Bandhaghat, Howrah, West Bengal.

TriDev Temple

This is another holy temple near Tulsi Manas Temple in the holy city of Varanasi. The temple is dedicated to three lords, as the name suggests. Salasar Lord Hanuman, Dadi Rani Devi Sati, and Khatu Ji Maharaj are their names. The spiritual environment of the temple is thought to aid them in forming a divine relationship with God. This is one of the reasons why people come from all over the world to seek spiritual peace and strength from Almighty. People make a point of visiting this temple on their journeys to Kashi or Varanasi because it is one of the city's most well-known.

Birla Mandir

There is another famous Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi. The Birla temple got its name since it was founded by Raja Birla of the Birla family of prominent industrialists near Banaras Hindu University. Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya designed a circle of nine temples devoted to various deities as part of the BHU campus. The Temple is open to all people, regardless of caste or creed.

This temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is an identical replica of the ancient Vishwanath Temple. The temple contains a Shiva lingam in the middle and inscriptions from Hindu scriptures on its walls. As a peerless and extravagant temple in Varanasi, the temple's tower is known as the tallest temple tower, standing taller than the Qutub Minar. A great number of devotees from all over the world come here to pay their respects to the Lord. The air there is always filled with the sounds of "Har Har Mahadev" and "Jai Bholenath." Monday is a special day when worshippers worship Lord Shiva in order to have their wishes granted. Every Monday, Rudrabhishek is performed near the shrine.

Kaal Bhairav Temple

The temple is devoted to Kal Bhairav, a furious avatar of Shiva who is thought to represent Varanasi's Kotwal. The deity is thought to be depicted as a human with an angry posture. It is a firm notion that anyone wishing to settle in Varanasi must first seek his approval, and anyone wishing to leave the city must likewise seek his consent. He is the final say on who and when will live in Varanasi. Whatever happens in Banaras is due to the deity Bhairava Baba's request and will.

Planning to visit these Temples? But Where to Stay?

Varanasi has a variety of hotels ranging in price and category. There are numerous guest homes, Dharamshalas, hostels, and hotels at various pricing brackets. If you want to be near the hustle and bustle, stay at Dasaswamedh Ghat or Manikarnika Ghat. If you're looking for peace, stay at the Assi Ghat, Kedar Ghat, or anywhere nearby.

If you're looking for a backpacker-friendly hostel in Varanasi, there are plenty of possibilities.

Conclusion


Speaking about the country's religious centre, I took a journey today through my blog to its notable temples and the deities of these temples. Apart from learning about the significance of these temples, I also went back in time to learn about their historical significance.


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AUTHOR BIO: 


Hi, My name is Aekansh Somani and I love to explore and travel.

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