Vishwanath Jyotirlinga -KASHI,VARANASI,INDIA

The VISWANATH JYOTIRLINGA- is situated in Kashi on the bank of river Ganga.

Puranic Event:
The Vishwanath Jyotirlinga is situated in Kashi. Even before creation, Lord Shiva built a beautiful city for Prakriti and Purusha to perform penance. Lord Vishnu meditated there and as a result streams of water kept flowing. A gem from the ear of Vishnu fell on the ground which became the great pilgrim center known as Manikarnika. Manikarnika kept flowing as water for five koshas. Lord Shiva held it on the tip of his trident and that became the city of Kashi. Subsequently Lord Brahma created the other worlds. After a day of Brahma, Kashi does not get destroyed but is held on the tip of the trident of Lord Shiva.
(from Shiva Purana, Koti-Rudra Samhita – Ch 22)

Pilgrimage:
The Vishwanath Jyotirlinga is identified with the Vishwanath temple in Varanasi district of Uttar Pradesh. The temple is situated on the bank of river Ganga. The ancient city of Varanasi has many ghats on the Ganga river. The Dashahwamedh Ghat is close to the Kasi Vishwanatha temple.

Kashi:

Kashi Vishwanath Jyotirlinga Kashi Annapoorna Sri Kalbhairav

– Mukti Puri: Kashi is one of the 7 Mukti Puris.
(Sapta Mukti Puris are: Mathura, Ayodhya, Mayapuri, Kashi, Kanchi, Avantika, Dwarka)

– Jyotirlinga: Kashi is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas known as Viswanath Jyotirling.
(The Jyotirlingas are: Somnath, Mallikarjuna, Mahakaleshwar, Omkareshwar, Vaidyanath, Bhimashankar, Rameshwaram, Nageshwar, Vishwanath, Tryambakeshwar, Kedarnath and Grishneshwar –

– Shakti Peetha: Kashi is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas known as Varanasi Shakti Peeth.

– Annapoorna Temple: The Annapoorna Devi Temple is located near the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in the Vishwanath lane. Devi Annapoorna is the Goddess of food. Food is served to all devotees daily as prasad in the temple. The festival of Annakut is an important festival associated with the Annapoorna Temple. The festival is performed for three days and only on these days the golden image of Mother Annapoorna is opened for darshan. The festival falls on Karthik Shukla Pratipada.

– Kalabhairava Temple: The Kalabhairava Temple is located in the Visheshwarganj in Kashi, around a km away from the Kashi Vishwanath temple. Kalabhairava is a fearsome aspect of Shiva associated with kala or death. He is considered as the kotwal (guardian angel) of Varanasi. The image of Kalabhairava is shown sitting on his dog vehicle and holding a trident. The silver face of the deity is only revealed and the rest of the body is covered with cloth. This temple was once a popular place of worship mainly by tantriks and ascetics. Now it is visited and patronized by general public as well.