Kashi Vishwanath — Lord Shiva's Sacred Jyotirling in Varanasi

trade_routes:

• "Ganges temple corridor" connected_events:
  • event: "Ancient Tamil Sangam period" significance: "One of the earliest temple sites in Tamil Nadu" trade_routes:
• "North India Ganges temple corridor" connected_events:
  • event: "Ancient Tamil Sangam period" significance: "One of the earliest temple sites in Tamil Nadu" connected_events:
  • event: "Ancient Tamil Sangam period" significance: "One of the earliest temple sites in Tamil Nadu" trade_routes:
• "North India Ganges temple corridor"

Kashi Vishwanath: The Temple That Survived Empires

Kashi Vishwanath is one of the most sacred Shiva temples in India and one of the 12 Jyotirlings. It has been destroyed and rebuilt several times across history.

The Legend

According to the Shiva Purana:

1. The original lingam was installed by Brahma
2. Demons attacked and the lingam fell into the Ganga
3. It was recovered and reinstalled at this spot
4. The name Vishwanath means "Lord of the Universe"

The Gyanvapi Well

Adjacent to the temple is the Gyanvapi well, said to contain the original Shiva lingam that fell during the temple's destruction. The name means "Well of Knowledge."

Shiva Bhakti Songs at Kashi

Kashi has been the birthplace of countless bhakti compositions:

Saints Associated with Kashi

• Kabir: Lived and taught here
• Guru Nanak: Visited during his travels
• Raidas: The cobbler saint was a devotee
• Tulsidas: Wrote Ramcharitmanas nearby
• Swami Vivekananda: Visited and meditated