At all these sites, the primary image is lingam representing the beginningless and endless Stambha pillar, symbolizing the infinite nature of Shiva. Each of the twelve jyothirlinga sites take the name of the presiding deity - each considered different manifestation of Shiva. There are 64 forms of Shiva, not to be confused with Jyotirlingas. The jyothirlinga shrines, thus are places where Shiva appeared as a fiery column of light. The jyotirlinga is the supreme partless reality, out of which Shiva partly appears. Shiva appeared as a second pillar of light and cursed Brahma that he would have no place in ceremonies while Vishnu would be worshiped till the end of eternity. Brahma lied that he found out the end, while Vishnu conceded his defeat. Vishnu and Brahma split their ways to downwards and upwards respectively to find the end of the light in either directions. To test them, Shiva pierced the three worlds as a huge endless pillar of light, the jyotirlinga. Raja Todar Mal further re-built the temple with Akbar's funding at its original site in 1585.ДЄs per Shiva Puran, once Brahma (the Hindu God of creation) and Vishnu (the Hindu God of Harmony) had an argument in terms of supremacy of creation. Raja Man Singh built the temple during Mughal emperor Akbar's rule, but orthodox Hindus boycotted it as he had let the Mughals marry within his family. It was demolished again during the rule of either Hussain Shah Sharqi (1447-1458) or Sikandar Lodhi (1489-1517). The temple was rebuilt by a Gujarati merchant during the reign of Delhi's Sultan Iltutmish (1211-1266 CE). The original Vishwanath temple was destroyed by the army of Qutb-ud-din Aibak in 1194 CE, when he defeated the Raja of Kannauj as a commander of Mohammad Ghori. The temple has been mentioned in the Puranas including the Kashi Khanda (section) of Skanda Puran. Blowing conch, damru and other musical instruments, the devotees went to the sanctum sanctorum of Kashi Vishwanath Temple and offered gulal and rose petals to the deities. Residents of Kashi celebrate the occasion in a grand style.ДЄs per tradition, devotees carried the idols of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati in a 'palaki' from the house of former mahant of Kashi Vishwanath Temple. As per Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva married Goddess Parvati on Mahashivratri and gauna (a ritual associated with consummation of marriage) was performed on Rangbhari Ekadashi. It is only after he performs his religious functions that others are allowed to enter. During the religious occasion of Shivratri, Kashi Naresh (King of Kashi) is the chief officiating priest and no other person or priest is allowed to enter the temple sanctum sanctorum. Since 1983, the temple has been managed by the government of Uttar Pradesh. Government took a keen interest in the gold plating of the third dome of the temple. Later, the Ministry of Cultures & Religious affairs of U.P. Two domes of the temple are covered by gold donated by the Sikh Maharaja Ranjit Singh, but the third dome remained uncovered. The current structure was built on an adjacent site by the Maratha ruler, Ahilya Bai Holkar of Indore in 1780. The last structure was demolished by Aurangzeb, the sixth Mughal emperor who constructed the Gyanvapi Mosque on its site. It has been destroyed and re-constructed a number of times in history. The temple has been referred to in Hindu scriptures for a very long time as a central part of worship in the Shaiva philosophy. Varanasi city is also called Kashi, and hence the temple is popularly called Kashi Vishvanath Temple. The main deity is known by the name Vishvanatha or Vishveshvara meaning Ruler of The Universe.

The temple stands on the western bank of the holy river Ganga, and is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, the holiest of Shiva temples. It is located in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. Kashi Vishvanath Temple is one of the most famous Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva.

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