Sacred river
Ganga · western bank
॥ ॐ नमः शिवाय विश्वनाथाय ॥
Kashi Vishwanath Jyotirlinga
विश्वनाथ की नगरी। मोक्ष की काशी।
The Lord of the Universe in the eternal city — seventh of the twelve Jyotirlingas, on the western bank of the holy Ganga at Varanasi. Plan your darshan with the pre-dawn Mangala Aarti, the world-famous Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat and a walk through the Kashi Vishwanath Dham Corridor — timings, stays, travel and verified guides arranged for you.
Mangala Aarti 3 AM Ganga Aarti Gold-spire darshan Senior & NRI friendly
Lord Shiva as Vishwanathकाशी विश्वनाथ ज्योतिर्लिंगॐ नमः शिवाय विश्वनाथायHar Har Mahadev
7
Of 12 Jyotirlingas
800
Kg gold spire
2021
Dham Corridor
काशी · The city of light
The holiest of all Shiva temples
Presiding deities: Lord Shiva as Vishwanath — Lord of the Universe (Swayambhu Linga), with Goddess Annapurna beside him.
ॐ नमः शिवाय विश्वनाथाय
Kashi Vishwanath is revered as the seventh Jyotirlinga and the holiest of all Shiva temples. Kashi (Varanasi) is believed to sit on Shiva’s trident and is never destroyed even during cosmic dissolution (pralaya). The Lord himself resides here as Vishwanath — Lord of the Universe. By tradition, anyone who departs this life in Kashi receives moksha (liberation), for Shiva whispers the Taraka Mantra into the ears of the dying. The temple’s golden spire — clad with about 800 kg of gold donated by Maharaja Ranjit Singh — is among the most iconic sights of Sanatan Dharma.
Golden spire
~800 kg gold (Maharaja Ranjit Singh, 1839)
Goddess
Annapurna — Goddess of food
Dham Corridor
Inaugurated 13 December 2021
History & heritage
The oldest living city of faith
Kashi is among the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and the spiritual capital of India. The Vishwanath shrine here has been venerated since antiquity and was destroyed and rebuilt several times across the medieval period. The present temple was built by the Maratha queen Ahilyabai Holkar in 1780; in 1839 Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Punjab gifted the gold for the spire that gives the temple its name as the “Golden Temple” of Varanasi.
In December 2021 the Kashi Vishwanath Dham Corridor opened, clearing a broad sacred precinct that connects the temple directly to the Ganga ghats for the first time in centuries — easing the flow of pilgrims who once threaded through the narrow lanes of the old city. Annual footfall has since risen sharply. Around the shrine stand Annapurna and Kaal Bhairav, the guardian deity of Kashi, while the Gyanvapi complex lies adjacent. Each evening the Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat draws thousands to the river’s edge.
Oldest living city of faithPresent temple by Ahilyabai Holkar · 1780Gold spire by Maharaja Ranjit Singh · 1839Dham Corridor · December 2021
Darshan & rituals
From Mangala Aarti to the Ganga Aarti
A Kashi day begins with the pre-dawn Mangala Aarti at 3:00 AM and closes with the Shayan Aarti late at night. Many pilgrims pair a morning temple darshan with the evening Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat.
Darshan
| Mangala Aarti | 3:00 AM |
|---|---|
| Morning darshan | 4:00 AM - 11:00 AM |
| Afternoon / evening darshan | 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM |
| Ganga Aarti · Dashashwamedh Ghat | 7:00 PM (6:45 PM in winter) |
| Shayan Aarti | 10:30 PM |
Timings are indicative and change on Mahashivratri, Dev Deepawali, Shravan Mondays and other festival days when queues are very long. Always confirm before travel — message us and we will share the latest schedule and the best Sugam/VIP darshan arrangements for your dates.
Dress code & what to carry
Modest traditional attire is expected — dhoti-kurta or trousers and shirt for men, saree, salwar-kameez or churidar for women. Shorts, sleeveless tops and torn jeans are best avoided. Footwear, belts and leather items are removed before entry. Phones, cameras and bags are deposited at lockers, and security screening is strict — carry as little as possible.
Festival calendar
The great festivals of Kashi
Few cities celebrate Shiva like Banaras. These are the grandest days at Vishwanath and on the ghats — crowds are enormous, so plan and book early.
Kashi festivals
- February / MarchMahashivratri The grandest celebration — night-long darshan and abhishek of the Jyotirlinga.
- Kartik Purnima · NovemberDev Deepawali The ghats are illuminated with lakhs of diyas — the most spectacular night on the Ganga.
- July / AugustShravan month Kanwar Yatra and Somvar Vrats — the busiest Shiva season of the year.
- NovemberGanga Mahotsav A five-day cultural festival on the ghats around Kartik Purnima.
- September / OctoberNavratri Celebrations across Kashi, including the Durga and Annapurna shrines.
- MarchHoli in Banaras The iconic, exuberant Banarasi celebration of colour.
Lunar tithis for some snan are confirmed nearer the time. Message us for the latest schedule.
Divine Yatra, arranged
How DharmikVibes arranges your Kashi yatra
No online checkout, no chaos. Tell us your dates and a real coordinator arranges every part of your yatra — through verified partners. There are no prices on this page; everything is quoted transparently on WhatsApp before you commit.
Darshan & Aarti access
Guided Vishwanath darshan and assisted Mangala/Sugam Aarti access, even on the busiest tithis.
Ganga Aarti & boat ride
Evening Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat, best viewed from a boat, with a calm sunrise Ganga ride.
Stays & dharamshalas
Heritage haveli stays in the old city, dharamshalas along the ghats and verified partner hotels near the Dham.
Travel & transfers
Flights to Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport, trains to Varanasi Junction and door-to-door transfers, paced for comfort.
Verified guides & pandits
Local guides and pandits for sankalp, Rudrabhishek and the stories behind every ghat, lane and shrine of Kashi.
Senior, NRI & solo-women care
Gentle pacing through the corridor, a coordinator throughout, verified hygienic stays and timezone-friendly planning for NRIs.
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संपर्क करें · Get in touch
Plan your Kashi Vishwanath yatra
Tell us your dates and how many devotees — our coordinators arrange the rest. We are humans, not a booking bot. There is no online checkout and no prices on this site.
+91 92203 52244 — Fastest reply — a real coordinator
Yatra & darshan
dharmikyatra@dharmikvibes.com
Travel & logistics
travel@dharmikvibes.com
Emergency
+91-112 · Police 100 · Tourist Helpline 1363 · Pilgrim Medical 108
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
What are the Kashi Vishwanath darshan timings?
The Mangala Aarti is at 3:00 AM, morning darshan runs about 4:00 AM to 11:00 AM, afternoon and evening darshan from around 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM, and the Shayan Aarti is around 10:30 PM. The famous Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat is at 7:00 PM (6:45 PM in winter). Timings change on festival days — message us for the latest schedule.
When is the best time to visit Kashi (Varanasi)?
October to March offers the most pleasant weather. Mahashivratri and Dev Deepawali are the most spectacular occasions but extremely crowded; the Shravan Mondays draw huge Kanwar crowds. For a calmer darshan, pick a weekday outside major festivals — we will help you choose.
How does DharmikVibes help with a Kashi yatra?
There is no online checkout. Every enquiry opens a pre-filled WhatsApp chat with a real coordinator at +91 92203 52244, or you can email dharmikyatra@dharmikvibes.com. We arrange darshan and Sugam Aarti access, the Ganga Aarti and boat ride, stays, travel and verified guides, and quote everything transparently before you commit.
Is the Dham Corridor accessible for senior citizens and NRIs?
Yes. The 2021 Dham Corridor greatly eased pilgrim movement, replacing the old narrow lanes with a broad precinct linking the temple to the Ganga. We arrange wheelchair-friendly routes where possible, gentle pacing, a coordinator throughout, verified hygienic stays and timezone-friendly planning for NRI families.
What is the significance of dying in Kashi?
By long tradition, anyone who departs this life in Kashi attains moksha — liberation from the cycle of rebirth — because Lord Shiva himself whispers the Taraka Mantra into the ears of the dying. This belief is why Kashi is counted among the Mokshapuris and why the Manikarnika Ghat is revered as a moksha-sthal.