Shri Vishwanath Mandir also known as Vishwanath Mandir, Vishwanath Temple, New Vishwanath Temple and Birla Temple is one of the most famous
Hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
temples and biggest tourist attractions in the holy city of
Varanasi. The temple is situated in
Banaras Hindu University and is dedicated to the
Lord Shiva. Shri Vishwanath Mandir has the tallest temple tower in the world with the
Shikhara's height being around 250 feet.
The temple is colloquially called VT, an acronym of Vishwanath Temple.
History
Shri Kashi Vishwanath Mandir, was destroyed (and reconstructed) several times; in 1194 by
Qutb-ud-din Aibak, between 1447-1458 by
Hussain Shah Sharqi and then in 1669 CE by
Aurangzeb
Muhi al-Din Muhammad (; – 3 March 1707), commonly known as ( fa, , lit=Ornament of the Throne) and by his regnal title Alamgir ( fa, , translit=ʿĀlamgīr, lit=Conqueror of the World), was the sixth emperor of the Mughal Empire, ruling ...
. In 1930s,
Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya planned to replicate
Shri Kashi Vishwanath Mandir in the campus of
Benaras Hindu University
Banaras Hindu University (BHU) IAST: kāśī hindū viśvavidyālaya International Phonetic Alphabet, IPA: /kaːʃiː hɪnd̪uː ʋɪʃwəʋid̪jaːləj/), is a Collegiate university, collegiate, Central university (India), central, and Re ...
.
The
Birla family
The Birla family is a family connected with the industrial and social history of India.
Foundations
The Birla family origins lie with the Maheshwari caste of Bania Vaishya traders but they were outcast from their traditional community in 1922 ...
undertook the construction and foundation was laid in March 1931. The temple (Shri Vishwanath Mandir) was finally completed in 1966.
Construction
Shri Vishwanath Mandir's construction took thirty-five years to complete (1931-1966). The temple is one of the tallest in India. Total height of the temple is approximately 77 meters. Temple's design was inspired by
Shri Kashi Vishwanath Mandir and is made mostly of
marble.
Though the Shri Vishwanath Mandir is primarily dedicated to Shiva, consists of nine shrines within one temple and is open to people from all castes, religions and religious beliefs. The Shiva shrine is in the ground floor and the
Lakshmi Narayan and
Durga shrines are on the first floor. Other shrines within Shri Vishwanath Mandir are
Nataraj
Nataraja () also known as Adalvallaan () is a depiction of the Hindu god Shiva as the divine cosmic dancer. His dance is called Tandava.''Encyclopædia Britannica'' (2015) The pose and artwork are described in many Hindu texts such as the ''T ...
,
Parvati,
Ganesha,
Panchmukhi Mahadev,
Hanuman,
Saraswati and
Nandi
Nandi may refer to:
People
* Nandy (surname), Indian surname
* Nandi (mother of Shaka) (1760–1827), daughter of Bhebe of the Langeni tribe
* Onandi Lowe (born 1974), Jamaican footballer nicknamed Nandi
* Nandi Bushell (born 2010), South Afri ...
. Entire text of
Bhagavad Gita
The Bhagavad Gita (; sa, श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता, lit=The Song by God, translit=śrīmadbhagavadgītā;), often referred to as the Gita (), is a 700- verse Hindu scripture that is part of the epic ''Mahabharata'' (c ...
and extracts from sacred Hindu scriptures are inscribed with illustrations on the inner marble walls of the temple.
Location
Shri Vishwanath Mandir is situated 1.7 kilometers inside the campus of
Benaras Hindu University
Banaras Hindu University (BHU) IAST: kāśī hindū viśvavidyālaya International Phonetic Alphabet, IPA: /kaːʃiː hɪnd̪uː ʋɪʃwəʋid̪jaːləj/), is a Collegiate university, collegiate, Central university (India), central, and Re ...
(South-West from the main gate). It is 3.3 kilometers South-West of
Durga Mandir, 7 kilometers South-West of
Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple and 9 kilometers South of
Varanasi Railway Station.
Gallery
File:Shri Kashi Vishwanath Mandir, BHU 01.JPG, As seen from main entrance (East) of the temple.
File:New Vishwanath Temple at BHU 2007.jpg, The main entrance (East wall) of the temple.
File:Nandi (bull).JPG, Statue of Nandi
Nandi may refer to:
People
* Nandy (surname), Indian surname
* Nandi (mother of Shaka) (1760–1827), daughter of Bhebe of the Langeni tribe
* Onandi Lowe (born 1974), Jamaican footballer nicknamed Nandi
* Nandi Bushell (born 2010), South Afri ...
in North side of temple.
File:Shri Kashi Vishwanath Mandir, BHU 05.JPG, Place in temple compound to do havan.
File:Shri Kashi Vishwanath Mandir, BHU 03.JPG, North side of the temple.
File:Shri Kashi Vishwanath Mandir, BHU 04.JPG, Temple's Shikhara.
See also
*
Shri Kashi Vishwanath Mandir
*
Banaras Hindu University
*
List of Hindu temples in Varanasi
References
{{Portal bar, India, Hinduism, Religion
Hindu temples in Varanasi
Shiva temples in Varanasi
20th-century Hindu temples
Religious buildings and structures completed in 1966