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Varanasi is also known as Banaras and is situated on the left bank of the river Ganges in the state of Uttar Pradesh. There is always confusion about Varanasi and Kashi. In reality, Kashi was the old name of the city which was renamed as Varanasi. ‘Kashi’ means ‘the luminous one’ or ‘city of the light’ and derived its name from ‘Kasha’ which actually means ‘brightness’. the city is located on the banks of two tributaries of Ganges, Varuna and Asi, the name Varanasi was given to the city. Apart from being one of the most important places of pilgrimages, the city is also known for its heritage in music, art, culture, religion and literature. It was considered the abode of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati but the origins of the city are yet to be traced or discovered. An ancient Indian legend has it, on the day of creation of Mother Earth, the first light ray was shown to Kashi. There are also other legends which state that Lord Shiva actually stayed in the city in the form of “Lord Kalabhairava” as the guardian of the city
History of Kashi Vishwanath Temple
In fact, the temple of Lord Shiva, known as Kashi Vishwanath Temple is known as one among the 12 Jyotirlingas. The other Jyotirlingas are Somnath in Gujarat, Mallikarjuna Jyotirlinga in Andhra Pradesh, Mahakaleshwar in Ujjain, Omkareshwar in Madhya Pradesh, Kedarnath Temple in Uttarakhand, Bhimashankar in Maharashtra, Triambakeshwar in Nashik, Baidyanath Jyotirlinga in Deogarh, Jharkhand, Nageshwar (Gujarat), Rameshwar (Tamil Nadu), and Grishneshwar (Maharashtra).
The city has a disturbed history. In the 6th century it became the capital of the kingdom of Kashi. The temple was totally destroyed by the Mughals and was again rebuilt in 1780 by Ahilya Bai who was a Maratha queen of the Malwa kingdom. During the reign of the Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb the temple was again demolished and a mosque was built there. Till date the ruins of the original Kashi Vishwanath temple can be seen behind the main structure of the mosque. But finally when India got independence in 1947, the city was declared as Varnasi and since then it is called by that name or, on occasions it is also referred to as Banaras.
The Kashi Vishwanath temple has been rebuilt several times. It is believed that the original temple was built in 1490. This vintage temple was destroyed during a Mughal invasion and King Aurangzebbuilt a mosque in place of it. Till today, the Kashi Vishwanath temple and the Gyanvapi Mosquestand adjacent to one another. It is said that when Aurangzeb decided to destroy the temple, the idol of Lord Shiva was hidden in the Jnana Vapi in order to protect it from getting destroyed. The well still stands between the temple and the mosque.
Varanasi declined during the early centuries of Muslim rule in India, from 1194. Its temples were destroyed and its scholars fled to other parts of India. In the 16th century, Akbar brought some relief to the city’s religious and cultural activities. Setbacks came again during the reign of Aurangzeb but the Marathas later sponsored a revival. It became an independent kingdom in the 18th century; under British rule it remained a commercial and religious centre, and in 1910, the British made Varanasi a new Indian state (until 1949).
If Kashi is at the heart of Hinduism, then Kashi Vishwanath Temple is the heartbeat of this godly land. This divine sanctuary is one of the holiest lands that are known to exist in the country. In fact, so sacred is this shrine that it finds mention in the Skanda Puranda, which is an ancient Hindu scripture. Devoted to Lord Shiva, this temple is frequented by throngs of Hindus every day owing to its popularity.
One thing that is real about the city is its religious fervor in terms of Ganga Aarti – a grand celebration of thanking river Ganga for being perennial and blessing the city to flourish. These celebrations happen here every evening amidst a huge crowd that includes locals, people across the country and foreign travelers. Everyone ensures to behold the sight of Ganga aarti. which itself is regarded as the holiest river for the Hindus, so it is worshipped by people all over the globe.
There is another myth regarding Garuda and lizards. But it is true. Never in the city, an eagle will fly nor the lizards will make the sound. The story unfolds during the time when Rama killed Ravana. To atone for his sins, he wanted to perform puja to a swayambu lingam. He entrusted the task to Lord Hanuman. When Hanuman entered the city, the Garuda and lizard helped him identify the linga. But he took the linga without seeking permission of the protective deity of the city, Kaal Bhairava. A fierce battle happened which was cut short by the Gods. Kaal Bhairava, in his anger, cursed the Garuda to not fly over the city, and lizard to not make the sound. The words hold true even to the present day.
The city of Varanasi is known by many other names as well, but this particular name originated from the confluence of two rivers, Varuna and Assi. The birth of the river Assi has a mythological story behind it. It is believed that when Goddess Durga was fighting the demons Shumbha- Nishumbha, her sword struck the ground when she destroyed him, resulting in the inception of a stream, now known as the river Assi. The ghat, which came to be on this edge of the river, where the river Assi joins the Ganges, was thus named the Assi Ghat. Every morning saints and priests perform Aarti here which is attended by various pilgrims and locals.
A city older than history,
older than tradition,
older even than legend
and looks twice as old as all of them put together”
True are the words of Mark Twain.
Legend has it that one fine day; Lord Brahma, the Hindu deity associated with the act of creating the universe and Lord Vishnu, the Hindu god responsible for maintaining tranquility and harmony on earth had a tussle concerning the supremacy of their creative powers. In order to evaluate their powers, Lord Shiva pierced the three worlds with striking force in the form of an endless support of light, the Jyotirlinga. This battle culminated in the defeat of Vishnu as Brahma had cunningly lied that he had a premonition that Vishnu had lost. Upon learning about this deception, Shiva appeared as a second pillar of light, cursing Brahma that he would not enjoy the prestige of being worshipped during celebrations while Vishnu would be worshipped till the end of time. Lord Shiva assumed the form of bright light which penetrated heavens and hell. He told Vishnu and Brahma to find the height and source. Brahma, in the form of a goose, flew to the sky. Lord Vishnu, in the form of a boar, dug into the earth. Even though they searched for eons, they could not find the end of the light. Vishnu felt humbled and accepted defeat. But Brahman, unwilling to accept defeat, asked the Ketaki flower which dropped from Lord Shiva’s head to serve as a witness that he has seen the end. During the conversation with Lord Shiva, while Lord Vishnu asked for pardon, Brahma lied. The angry Lord cursed Brahma that he will never be worshipped on Earth. The city has always been considered sacred and has close connections with Lord Shiva. There are many stories and legends which tell us of the significance. One of the many legends states that it was in Varanasi that Lord Shiva stood with when time started ticking for the first time ever. Another story says that after Lord Shiva married Goddess Parvati he left his abode in the Himalayas and shifted to Varansi with all the other gods. Many religious experts and theologians believe the city was founded by Lord Shiva himself. The city has been closely linked to Lord Shiva because the temple of Kashi is worshipped for Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu, the trinity.
There is another myth which states that the city stands on the trident of Shiva. In short, Kashi is not on Mother Earth, it stands above the ground. There are three temples which act as the three points for the trident. They are Aumkareshwara in the North, Vishweshwara in the middle and Kedareshwara in the South. Lord Shiva also severed Brahma’s fifth head. After Shiva killed Lord Brahma in the form of Kaalbhairava, he was cursed with Brahma-Hatya. The fifth head clung to his left hand. All efforts to remove the head proved futile. KaalBhairava wandered along the banks of River Ganga southwards. At a certain position, the river turned towards North and hebrahm entered Kashi. When he dipped his left hand in the river, the head unclung from his hand and he was liberated. This place became Kashi as told by the legend.
In this place, the Mother was so pleased that she offered food to everybody, the reason, she is worshipped as Annapoorani. In fact, Lord Shiva is known to be the Master of all in Shaiva literature. But the Lord himself seeks food from the Devi, that too, in a begging bowl. In fact, this place is considered to be one among the 52 Shakthipeedams (Kashi is the place where the Sakthi’s left arm fell after the body was cut by Sudarshana Chakra of Lord Vishnu).
Varanasi has 88 ghats which are famous for bathing in Ganga to wash away their sins and for puja ceremony of Lord Vishwanath. There are almost 100 ghats—places with steps leading down to the water—along the holy Ganges River in Varanasi. The main group contains around 25 of them, and it extends from Assi Ghat north to Raj Ghat. The ghats date back to the 14th century but most were rebuilt, along with Varanasi, in the 18th century by Maratha rulers. They are either privately owned or have special significance in Hindu mythology, and are primarily used for bathing and Hindu religious rituals. However, there are two ghats (Manikarnika and Harishchandra) where cremations are solely performed
You’ll find Assi Ghat where the Ganges River meets the Assi River at the extreme southern end of the city. This spacious and easily accessible ghat isn’t as crowded as some of the other ghats. However, it is a pilgrimage place for Hindus, who bathe there before worshiping Lord Shiva in the form of a huge lingam under a pipal tree. The area has some trendy boutiques and cafes (head to Vaatika Cafe for great pasta and pizza with a bonus outlook), making it a popular spot for long-staying travelers. A Ganga aarti ceremony is also held at the ghat. Dashashwamedh Ghat is a 30-minute walk north along the ghats.
The Manikarnika Ghat
The Kashi Vishwanath Temple at Varanasi is also known for the Manikarnika Ghat. This Ghat is also known as the Maha Shamshana that translates to big crematory, because here the death is celebrated at every hour, at every moment. The locals believe that the smoke of the fire from the pyres is never put off. On an average, approximately 180-200 bodies are cremated at this ghat every day. Here the locals charge the cost of cremation depending on the weight and type of the wood used. The corpse is then dipped in the holy water of the River Ganges while the wood is stacked to build the pyre. Often, people are found chanting “Ram Naam Satya Hai” (Translating to ‘True is the name of Lord’).
Of the 51 pieces of Sati’s body which fell on different parts of the earth, the earring of Sati fell at this place, so the place came to be known as Manikarnika. Hence, this place is established as one of the Shakti Peethas of Mata Sati.
Of all the stories associated to this ghat, one of them narrates that Lord Shiva gave the boon of eternal peace to the Manikarnika Ghat. It is believed that for thousands of years Lord Vishnu prayed to Lord Shiva asking that the holy city of Kashi during the world annihilation that was planned back then. Upon addressing Lord Vishnu’s earnest prayers, Lord Shiva came to Kashi along with his wife Parvati and granted him the wish he wanted. With this, any departed soul that gets its last rites performed at this place, attains Moksha (complete liberation from the cycle of birth and death). Varanasi is perhaps the only city where people wish to die, as it gives them a chance to attain salvation without any qualms.
Harishchandra Ghat
Harishchandra Ghat is yet another ghat that reflects the concept of mortality. This is the place where again the burning of the corpse takes place and is called a place of second burning after the Manikarnika Ghat. And this justifies the naming of this ghat as Adi Manikarnika (Manikarnika ghat being the original cremation ground). The ghat has the same relevance and legends as that of the Manikarnika ghat of providing a Moksha – (ultimate salvation) to a soul cremated here. It is believed that many Hindus from distant places bring their dead relatives here to perform the last rites.
One of the legends associated with this ghat is the way it is named after the mythological King Harish Chandra, who once worked at the cremation ground here for the perseverance of truth and reality. It is because of this deed of the King Gods rewarded him of by restoring his lost throne and his dead son to him. However, in the late 1980s, the ghat was given a modernized version when an electric crematorium was opened here.
Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedha Ghat
These pious and sacred celebrations take place at the Dashashwamedh Ghat near Kashi Vishwanath Temple. The legend behind this ghat is that Lord Brahma sacrificed his ten horses during Dasa-Ashwamedha Yajna – a ritual of sacrificing horses. Most importantly the ghat is known for experiencing divinity and bliss in the form of Ganga Aarti. Original ghat was built by Peshwa Balaji Baji Rao in the year 1748. A few decades later, Ahilyabahi Holkar, the Queen of Indore rebuilt the ghat in the year 1774.
Panchaganga Ghat
At the far northern end of the ghats, Panchganga Ghat gets its name from the merging of five rivers (the Ganges, Yamuna, Saraswati, Kirana and Dhutpapa). It’s a relatively serene ghat that requires some effort to reach and has significant religious importance. The samadhi temple commemmorating great Hindu yogi Trailinga Swami is situated there. Above the ghat is also the 17th century Alamgir mosque, which Mughal ruler Aurangzeb built over a Vishnu temple. The mosque is functional but only Muslims are allowed inside. If you visit the ghat during the holy Hindu month of Kartik (about 15 days before and after Diwali), you’ll be able to see it beautifully illuminated by candle-filled
baskets hanging from poles to honor ancestors. This culminates with Dev Deepavali on Kartik Purnima (full moon night).
