Beware of scammers on the ghats. Touts and self-styled “guides” or “priests” roam the Ganga ghats and temple lanes, offering VIP darshan, pujas, boat rides or “donations for cremation wood”. Never pay anyone in advance, and never pay for a service before you have actually received it. Book temple services only through the official trust.
kashitravel.live is an independent guide; we do not sell temple tickets. Prices and gates below are as published by the trust and reported by major travel guides in October 2026 — confirm on shrikashivishwanath.org before you go.
Aarti tickets
Attend an aarti inside the temple. Book online in advance; a limited “tatkal” quota is sold at the temple on the day.
| Aarti | Time (approx.) | Ticket (approx.) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mangala Aarti | 3:00 – 4:00 AM (entry from 2:30) | ₹500 | Sells out first; higher on Shravan Mondays and Mahashivratri |
| Bhog Aarti | 11:15 AM – 12:20 PM | ₹300 | |
| Saptarishi (Sandhya) Aarti | 7:00 – 8:15 PM | ₹300 | |
| Shringar / Bhog Aarti | 9:00 – 10:15 PM | ₹300 | |
| Shayan Aarti | 10:30 – 11:00 PM | Free |
Reported gates: general aarti ticket holders gather at Gate 1; same-day tatkal tickets at Gate 4B; the help desk is at Gate 4. Children under 12 generally do not need a ticket. Some guides list lower prices (₹180) for older seasons.
Everything else the trust offers
Faster queue
Sugam darshan
About ₹250, with an escort, free locker and laddu prasad.
Read morePuja
Rudrabhishek
Performed by temple priests. Reported options: in person (around ₹450), or remotely by video call (around ₹700–₹2,100).
Free, worldwide
Live darshan
A free live stream of the sanctum on the official website — lovely for family who cannot travel.
Experience
VR darshan
A 3D virtual view of the sanctum, bookable through the trust.
Stay
Trust guest houses
The trust lists guest houses near the temple and ghats, including Ganga Darshan Guest House (with a rooftop restaurant and a sattvic prasadam restaurant) and the Southern Grand.
By post
Shri Kashi Prasadam
Official prasad delivered within India through the trust’s prasadam service.
Seva
Donations & annakshetra
Online donations, including to the free-meal annakshetra. Donations by Indian citizens are eligible under section 80G.
Tourism dept.
Heritage walk & Kashi Darshan bus
Linked from the trust site: a heritage walk with Mangala Aarti, and a city darshan bus run by UP Tourism.
Booking from outside India
- Foreign nationals use the separate foreigner ticket at the darshan booking desk — see how it works.
- For online bookings, use your name exactly as in your passport and the passport number as ID.
- Some Indian payment gateways decline international cards. Try another card, or ask your hotel or a trusted contact in India to pay with your details.
- You cannot take your phone into the temple — carry a printed or written booking reference.
- Times are Indian Standard Time (UTC+5:30). Double-check AM/PM for the night aartis.
Tips for South & West Indian families
- Book Mangala Aarti for your first morning — you will be up early anyway after an overnight journey.
- For family groups, book in one transaction (up to about 10 tickets per login) so you enter together.
- For Rudrabhishek in your family tradition (Tamil or Telugu sankalpa, for example), the Kedar Ghat and Hanuman Ghat mutts can also arrange pujas — see mutts & ashrams.
FAQ