What are the darshan timings of Kashi Vishwanath Jyotirlinga?
Kashi Vishwanath Jyotirlinga in Kashi (Varanasi) is open for darshan 3:00 AM – 11:00 PM. Aarti is performed at Mangala Aarti 3:00 AM · Bhog Aarti 11:15 AM · Sandhya Aarti 7:00 PM. The temple is located at vishwanath Gali, Godowlia, Varanasi.
Timings can change on festivals, eclipses and special occasions. Please confirm with the temple before you travel.
What is Kashi Vishwanath Jyotirlinga known for?
Kashi Vishwanath, one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, is the presiding deity of Varanasi — the eternal city of Lord Shiva. Rebuilt many times through history, the current golden-domed temple stands in the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, connecting it directly to the Ganga at Manikarnika Ghat.
Why is Kashi Vishwanath Jyotirlinga significant?
A single visit to Kashi Vishwanath is considered by many devotees to grant moksha. The temple's history intertwines the stories of Aurangzeb, Ahilyabai Holkar and Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Which rituals and festivals are held at Kashi Vishwanath Jyotirlinga?
Abhishek of the Jyotirlinga with Ganga water is the central act of worship, with bel patra, flowers, bhasma and dhatura. The temple keeps a full aarti cycle from the Mangala Aarti before dawn through to the Shayan Aarti at night, and the sanctum is closed between them for the deity's rest.
Mahashivratri is the principal festival. The month of Shravan is the great season of Shiva worship here, and Dev Deepawali on Kartik Purnima, when the ghats are lined with lamps, is the other occasion the city is most visited for. Many pilgrims bathe in the Ganga at the ghats before darshan.
How do you reach Kashi Vishwanath Jyotirlinga?
The temple stands in the lanes off Godowlia in the old city, now approached through the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor which connects it directly to Lalita Ghat on the Ganga. Varanasi Junction is about four kilometres away and Banaras station about six; Lal Bahadur Shastri airport at Babatpur is roughly 25 kilometres out.
Vehicles cannot reach the temple itself — the last stretch from Godowlia is on foot. Mobile phones and bags are not permitted inside and are deposited at the lockers provided. Most pilgrims combine darshan with a boat ride on the Ganga at dawn and with Sankat Mochan and Durga Kund.