Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple

The gold spire rising above the narrow lanes of Varanasi belongs to the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, this sanctuary houses one of the twelve sacred Jyotirlingas. Centuries of invaders and temple re-constructions shaped the site, but the current structure owes its existence to Ahilyabai Holkar, the Queen of Indore, who commissioned it in seventeen eighty. She built it to ensure the ancient rituals continued, creating a home for the deity that remains the spiritual heartbeat of the city today.