The Most Famous Temples of Varanasi

There are probably very few street corners in Varanasi, where you wouldn't find a temple dedicated to one of the Hindu dieties. Often referred as the city of temples, Varanasi is home to some very revered temples that were built centuries ago. In general, the older the temple, the larger is the number of devotees who throng there.Every temple has its own history and each one of these temples is renowned for a specific effect it will have on your life if you were to pay a visit.Here is a list of some of the most revered and most visited temples in Varanasi.

1) Kashi Vishwanath Temple: Originally built in 1776 by Maharani Ahilya Devi of Indore, the towers of the temple were gold plated by the Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1835 who donated 1000 kg of gold. The ‘shivalinga’ in the temple 60 cm tall and 90 cm in circumference housed in a silver altar
2) Kal Bhairav Temple: Kal Bhairav is another name of Lord Shiva and refers to one of his rather aggressive ‘forms’ or avatar. It is believed that Kal Bhairava was freed of a curse only after he took shelter in Varanasi or Kashi. He is worshipped as the ‘Kotwaal’ of Kashi/Varanasi. The word ‘Kotwaal’ of the Hindi language is used to refer to the person who is responsible for the general well being and law and order situation of a city. It is generally believed that anyone who comes to Varanasi must visit the KalBhairav temple and seek his blessings if he intends to have a safe stay in Varanasi. The Temple lies in the Visheshar Ganj area of Varanasi.
3) The Goddess Durga Temple : The Durga Temple lies in the Durgakund area of Varanasi and is dedicated to goddess Durga. The temple was built in the eighteenth century in the Nagara style of temple architecture. Made of red stone, the Durga temple has a muti-tiered shikhara or spire. There is also a rectangular water tank adjacent to the temple.
4) Manas Mandir : Also known as the Tulsi Manas Mandir, this temple is believed to be built at the spot where the great poet, Tulsidas wrote some parts of the great Indian epic , Ram Charitmanas or the Ramayana. This temple was built in 1964 in pure white marble and is dedicated to Lord Rama. Worth seeing is the beautiful landscaping around the temple and the engraving on the walls depicting scenes from the epic – Ramcharitmanasa. The temple is near the Durga temple in the Durgakund area.
5) The New Kashi Vishwanath Temple: A replica of the original Kashi Vishwanath temple, this was commissioned by one of the richest industrialist families of India – the Birlas. Built in white marble, the temple has a ‘Shiva Linga’ in the inner sanctum Sanctorum and the walls are inscribed with the verses from ancient Hindu scriptures. The temple is located in the campus of the famous Banaras Hindu University near Lanka area of Varanasi.
6) Sankat Mochan Temple : One of the most visited temples in Varanasi, the Sankat Mochan temple is believed to have been established by the legendary poet, Goswami Tulsidas. The temple is devoted to Lord Hanuman who is believed to save his devotees from the adverse effects of a malefic Saturn. The temple is highly revered as it is believed that Lord Hanuman clears all the obstacles from the path of his devotee. The campus of this temple is home to thousands of monkeys who stay here and feed on the offerings from the devotees. The monkeys are not known to harm anyone in the temple campus though.
7) Annapurna Temple: This temple is dedicated to Goddess Annapurna. She is the goddess of food and general prosperity and is believed to be an incarnation of goddess Parvati, wife of Lord Shiva. Devotees throng this temple to be blessed with prosperity in life and to be free from going hungry ever in life. There are two idols at the temple – one is made of gold and other is made of brass. The gold idol is reserved for special rituals held on important occasions. Anna Daan or giving away food grains to beggars is common practice at this temple as it is believed to counter the sins of the individual.