prasad1
Active member
Kashi is an ancient city, “older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend” as American writer Mark Twain described it. Sage Vyasa had compiled the Vedas sitting on the banks of river Ganga in this holy city. The Pandava brothers had visited this city founded by Lord Shiva. Skand Purana gives an elaborate description of this holy city. From Buddha, to Shankara to Guru Nanak - every spiritual leader had his footprints etched on its sacred soil.
The Vishwanath temple is utmost sacred, a “Jyotirlinga” Lord Shiva in the form of a radiant light - considered by millions as a “crossing place” - Tirtha - “between this world and the ‘far shore’ of the transcendent Brahman” as eminent American scholar Diana Eck puts it.
The temple had witnessed destruction repeatedly during the iconoclastic invasions of Muhammad Ghori, Sikandar Lodhi and finally Aurangzeb. Aurangzeb’s destruction also saw a mosque rising over the ruins of the ancient temple.
Like a sphinx, the temple had bounced back to life after every demolition. Raja Man Singh and Raja Todar Mal, the two generals in Akbar’s court, were credited with rebuilding the temple towards the end of the 15th century. After Aurangzeb’s destruction, Maharaja Malhar Rao Holkar, the ruler of Indore and Maharaja of Jaipur had attempted to restore it unsuccessfully in the middle of the 18th century. Finally, Malhar Rao’s daughter-in-law and the famed ruler of Indore, Rani Ahilya Bai Holkar had succeeded in rebuilding the temple next to the mosque in 1780.
Since then, this magnificent temple has been serving the seekers uninterruptedly.
www.indiatoday.in
The Vishwanath temple is utmost sacred, a “Jyotirlinga” Lord Shiva in the form of a radiant light - considered by millions as a “crossing place” - Tirtha - “between this world and the ‘far shore’ of the transcendent Brahman” as eminent American scholar Diana Eck puts it.
The temple had witnessed destruction repeatedly during the iconoclastic invasions of Muhammad Ghori, Sikandar Lodhi and finally Aurangzeb. Aurangzeb’s destruction also saw a mosque rising over the ruins of the ancient temple.
Like a sphinx, the temple had bounced back to life after every demolition. Raja Man Singh and Raja Todar Mal, the two generals in Akbar’s court, were credited with rebuilding the temple towards the end of the 15th century. After Aurangzeb’s destruction, Maharaja Malhar Rao Holkar, the ruler of Indore and Maharaja of Jaipur had attempted to restore it unsuccessfully in the middle of the 18th century. Finally, Malhar Rao’s daughter-in-law and the famed ruler of Indore, Rani Ahilya Bai Holkar had succeeded in rebuilding the temple next to the mosque in 1780.
Since then, this magnificent temple has been serving the seekers uninterruptedly.
Time to develop a model for management of Hindu temples | OPINION
It is time we developed a model for management of Hindu temples wherein the greater responsibility is vested in the Hindu citizens and institutions.
