History
Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, the founder of BHU, wanted a replica of the Kashi Vishwanath temple at the heart of his university. The Birla family took on the work: the foundation was laid in March 1931 and the temple was completed in 1966, some 35 years later. It is administered by the university and has always been open to people of every caste, religion and belief.
What you will see
The great tower
At roughly 77 metres the temple is among the tallest in India, built mostly of white marble and modelled on the old Kashi Vishwanath temple.
Scripture on the walls
The inner marble walls carry the full text of the Bhagavad Gita and passages from other scriptures, with illustrations.
Nine shrines
Shiva as Vishwanath on the ground floor; Lakshmi-Narayan and Durga upstairs; plus Nataraja, Parvati, Ganesha, Panchmukhi Mahadev, Hanuman, Saraswati and Nandi.
Space to sit
Wide halls, level floors and benches make it the most comfortable major temple in Varanasi for elderly visitors.
Festivals
Mahashivratri, the Mondays of Shravan, Nag Panchami, Navratri and Makar Sankranti are celebrated with special worship; on Mahashivratri the campus fills with devotees and students.
Visiting
- Enter BHU through the main gate at Lanka; the temple is about 1.7 km inside the campus.
- Open daily from early morning to night, with a break around midday; the evening aarti is lovely.
- Footwear stands at the entrance; photography is restricted inside the sanctum.
- There is a popular canteen in the temple complex, well known for its tea and snacks.
స్థానిక సూచన. Make it the last stop of a south-Varanasi circuit: Durga Kund → Tulsi Manas → Sankat Mochan → New Vishwanath for the evening aarti.
Getting there
| From | Distance | How |
|---|---|---|
| Godowlia / Kashi Vishwanath | ~6 km | Cab or e-rickshaw, 25–40 min |
| Assi Ghat | ~3 km | E-rickshaw, 15 min |
| Varanasi Junction | ~9 km | Cab, 30–45 min |
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