7 Enchanting Temples In Varanasi That Symbolise The City’s Cultural Heritage

India is quite famous as a place with a rich cultural heritage and history. Thanks to the various cities and towns that the country is home to. Talking about culture and heritage the first city that comes to mind when one comes to think of it is Varanasi Varanasi is one of those places that take pride in being the oldest yet the most diverse places in India. If somebody wants to taste the real India then Varanasi is a place that is not to be missed. There are many ghats, foods, Benarasi sarees that Varanasi is famous for. But the thing that attracts tourists from around the world is the temples in Varanasi has this holy, divine aura to itself that makes it a place that you will not want to miss ever!

7 Top Temples In Varanasi

We have created a list of some of the best 7 Famous Varanasi Temples that will enchant you beyond measure. We are sure that you will be touched looking at some of the most marvelous sites that Varanasi has to offer you.

1. Kashi Vishwanath Mandir

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Varanasi is known for the temples that give you a chance to bask in the glory of spirituality. Kashi Vishwanath Temple is one of the most famous temples in Varanasi. This one is beautifully settled on the western banks of the River Ganga, this one is among the twelve famous holiest jyotirlingas, if you define them in common words then it would mean the sacred centers of Shiva worship spread all over India. You can find the mention of this ancient Varanasi Shiva temple in the Puranas. This shrine has the main deity as a linga which is beautifully set up on a silver altar. The most amazing aspect of this temple is that it has been destructed and re-constructed many times in history. Also, the temple has never bowed down to the dictates of time and even today it stands gloriously tall in Varanasi. This temple is a main attraction among the devotees and tourists who visit this place in thousands, every day.

Also there is a famous gold dome and also has a gold spire on top. There is a belief that if somebody makes a wish after seeing the dome, their wish will get fulfilled by Lord Shiva. It is said as per the legends that when the Mughal ruler Aurangzeb thought of destroying the temple, the idol of the temple deity was safely hidden in a well inside the temple complex, you would be astonished to know that the well is still there. So, whenever you visit this temple, make it a point to visit the historical well as well.

• Location: This temple is located at Vishwanath Gali.
• Timings: This temple stays open during 02.30 am to 11.00 pm; every day.

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2. Kaal Bhairav Mandir

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Kaal Bhairav is an aggressive form of Lord Shiva and in this temple of Kaal Bhairav, you would find the lord Shiva enshrined and worshipped in this particular strong form of Kaal Bhairav. If you research a bit more on the history of this temple, you will be astonished to find that this temple actually dates back to the mid-17th century and is one of the oldest temples in Varanasi. This temple happens to be one of the oldest Shiva temples in the city.It is said that Kaal Bhairava looks after the city and is regarded as the guardian angel of the city. The people of Varanasi are known to take permission from the deity before they leave Varanasi for whatever reason. As per the folklore, whoever visits Varanasi is supposed to to go to the temple of Kaal Bhairav and take permission from Kaal Bhairav to stay safely in Varanasi. So, in case, you visit Varanasi, you should visit the temple of Kaal Bhairav. In this temple, you will find the deity depicted as a man that has a garland of human skulls around the neck.

• Location: This temple is located at Bharonath, Vishweshwarganj.
• Timings: The temple opens at 05.00 am to 01.30 pm and 04:30 pm to 09:30 pm; every day.

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3. Durga Kund Mandir

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This Durga Kund Mandir was built in the honor of Goddess Durga, the Durga Kund Temple is right next to a rectangular pond (kund) and thus, it derived its name as Durga Kund Mandir. This temple is also known as Durga Temple or the Monkey Temple and is one of the famous Varanasi temples. You will find this shrine being a magnificent example of the Nagara style of architecture which is a famous form of architecture in North India. This red stone temple beautifully features a multi-tiered spire. The construction of this temple was in the 18th century and was done by a Bengali queen and ever since then, this temple has a lot of significance among the devotees all across the nation. Also, like most of the temples in Varanasi, even this one has an intriguing story related to it. The legends claim that this existing Durga idol in the temple is actually not a man-made structure. This idol formed by itself in the temple complex. Hence, it is of extreme significance to most people. So, while you go to Varanasi on a trip, you shouldn’t skip visiting this temple.

• Location: This temple is located at Durgakund Road, Jawahar Nagar Colony.
• Timings: This temple is open from 05.00 am to 11.00 pm; every day.

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4. Maa Annapurna Mandir

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Maa Annapurna Temple happens to be one of the most beautiful temples in Varanasi. The deity here named Annapurna Devi is said to be an incarnation of the popular Hindu Goddess Parvati. This is the temple where you would see Goddess Annapurna being worshipped as the provider of food. Then, in AD 1729, Maratha Peshwa Baji Rao constructed this gorgeous temple that is in the Nagara style architecture. This is a really famous practice where devotees donate to the needy some grains and food and make a wish for the lifelong happiness and prosperity. You will find the two idols of the goddess in this temple. One idol is made up of gold while the other idol is made up of brass. The brass isol can be seen on any day whenever you plan to visit but to get the darshan of Gold deity you have to plan your visit on the day before Diwali. This day is also famous by the name of Annakut day. This is the day when the devotees and visitors can look at the gold idol each year.

• Location: This temple is located at Vishwanath Gali, Godowlia.
• Timings: The temple stays open from 04.00 am to 10.30 pm; every day

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5. Sankat Mochan Hanuman Mandir

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Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple happens to be one of the most famous temples in Varanasi. This temple was constructed in the beginning of the 16th century. The temple was constructed by the famous poet, Goswami Tulsidas. This temple gloriously stands on the banks of the River Assi, this temple is really special to all the devotees. It is said that whoever visits this temple and prays with sincerity will get all their prayers answered here. All the tensions of the devotees are taken care of by Lord Hanuman. You will find a lot of people visiting this temple every Tuesday and Saturday.
While you make a visit to this temple, you will also find many monkeys who would be seen playing along in the temple complex and the monkeys will be seen happily feeding on the offerings that are given to them by the visitors. That’s a sight that will give you immense satisfaction after feeding the monkeys. This is the temple which is actually dedicated to the Monkey God, Lord Hanuman, the god with the face of a monkey.

• Location: This temple is located at Sankatmochan Saket Nagar Road, Saket Nagar Colony.
• Timings: The temple stays open from 05.00 am to 10.00 pm; every day.

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6. Nepali Hindu Temple

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This is a Nepali Temple which is based in Varanasi and its uniqueness makes it to top the list of distinct temples in Varanasi. This temple is famous for more than one reason. This temple is also famous by the name of the Kantawala Temple, this temple happens to be the replica of the renowned Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu. This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. This temple was constructed in 19th-century by the exiled King of Nepal whose name was Rana Bahadur Shah. This temple is built of stone, wood, and terracotta and will showcase the Nepali style of architecture. You will find the pagodas of the temple being carved out of wood that are truly magical to look at and marvel!
This temple has a unique feature that has sculptures which are similar to the ones that you can find in the Khajuraho Group of Monuments. This temple has also got its name as the moniker of Mini Khajuraho.

• Location: This temple is located near Lalita Ghat, Lahori Tola.
• Timings: The temple stays open during 04.00 am to 12.00 noon and 01.00 pm to 09.00 pm; every day

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7. Vishalakshi Mandir

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Vishalakshi Temple is one of the most famous temples in Varanasi; you will be mesmerized to visit this Shakti Pith that happens to be a significant shrine which is dedicated to the Divine Mother. You will see the goddess Vishalakshi being worshipped here, ‘Vishal akshi’ literally means the one with large eyes (the hindi word vishal means large and the hindi word akshi means eyes). As per the legends, it is said that the earrings of goddess Sati had fallen on the spot where there is Vishalakshi temple today. This temple is located near the sacred cremation ground of Manikarnika and surely demands a visit.

• Location: This temple is located at Mir Ghat.
• Timings: The temple stays open during 05.00 am to 09.00 pm; every day

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The temples in Varanasi are enchanting and mesmerising and there are hardly any lanes where you won’t find any temples. The USP of Varanasi definitely has to be its ghats and temples but there is so much more to this holy city that welcomes you with open arms. So what are you waiting for? Plan a visit to Varanasi today!

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Frequently Asked Questions About Temples In Varanasi

Seema Gurnani

Exploring new places and trying out new food cuisines are two things that bring Seema all the happiness. Travel freak and a die-hard foodie are the synonyms that define her the best. Popular on social media by the name of ‘PandaReviewz’, lazing around the beaches, exploiting the sunset points, visiting the farthermost villages, exploring the renowned cities, trying out new food cuisines, and blogging about them are few things that keep Seema occupied, and happy!