Kashi

The Kashi Vishwanath temple is located in the heart of the cultural capital of India, Varanasi. It stands on the western bank of India's holiest river Ganges. The Kashi Vishwanath temple is the center of faith for millions of Hindus. The Jyotirlinga of Shiva, Vishweshwara or Vishwanatha, is enshrined in the Kashi Vishwanath temple, considered as one of the holiest temples of India. In Hindu religion it is believed that a simple glimpse of the Jyotirlinga is a soul-cleansing experience that transforms life and puts it on the path of knowledge and Bhakti (devotion). A single darshan of Vishweshwara Jyotirlinga is considered to merit more than the darshan of other jyotirlingas, scattered in various parts of India.

The oldest living city in the world, Varanasi is the ultimate destination of all Hindu pilgrims searching for moksha from the cycle of birth and re-birth. It is held sacred for being the home of Lord Shiva and Parvati as also the presence of the mighty river, Ganges that in Varanasi is said to have the power to wash away the sins of mortals.No one knows when Varanasi was found, a city whose status as the foremost place of Hindu pilgrimage cannot be questioned. Located in the modern-day state of Uttar Pradesh, in the Uttaranchal region, its beginnings are lost in the mists of time. However, it is said that Shiva and Parvati were its first citizens. Ganga (the Ganges) the 'River of Life', is said to have acquired the boon to wash away the sins of the human race, when it flowed from the tresses of Lord Shiva. And Varanasi is the place where she turns into the mighty river. Hundreds and thousands of pilgrims flock to this eternal city to expiate their sins. more..