Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Uttarkashi
Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand
The ancient Shiva temple of the "northern Kashi". Two teachers from different lineages write about it: Sri M meditated in its courtyard for months, and Sadhguru spoke of it on his Himalayan journey.
What the texts say
- Lineage text
Sri M describes Uttarkashi as a quiet Himalayan town where, as at Banaras, the Ganga flows from south to north, with an ancient Shiva temple also called Kashi Viswanath. His teacher left him there for seven months, and the temple courtyard became the place he went to meditate, sometimes so deeply that a priest had to bring him back.
“My favourite spot was the courtyard of the Kashi Viswanath temple.”
Apprenticed to a Himalayan Master: A Yogi's Autobiography, Sri M, chapter 31
- Lineage text
Asked about the temple, Sadhguru calls it very ancient, putting its age at over four thousand years, and wonders whether it was made by Agastya or someone like him, whom he describes as the root of the kriya yoga lineage.
Himalayan Lust, Sadhguru, "Part Two: Life as Pilgrimage (Uttarkashi, Guptakashi, Tapovan)"
- Lineage text
He explains that Uttarkashi means the northern Kashi, and says it is a quite different proposition from nearby Guptakashi.
Himalayan Lust, Sadhguru, "Part Two: Life as Pilgrimage (Uttarkashi, Guptakashi, Tapovan)"
What tradition holds
Kept apart from the texts on purpose. These are held with respect, and they are not the same as a written source.
- Pilgrim tradition
An inscription on the great brass trident in the temple courtyard says the temple was built by King Ganeshwar and the trident by his son Guh.
Held by: As described by the Uttarkashi district administration
What you will find today
- Getting there
- In Uttarkashi town. Within the courtyard, in front of the main shrine, is a Shakti temple with a brass trident 26 feet high.
- Timings and conduct
- The district administration describes Shiva being worshipped here all day, with bells and chanting at the evening puja. It does not publish fixed timings.
Last checked via District Administration Uttarkashi, Government of Uttarakhand (https://uttarkashi.nic.in/vishwanath-temple/). Conditions change; confirm before you travel.
A practice for this place
After darshan, do as Sri M did: find a quiet corner of the courtyard, sit with your spine upright and your eyes closed, and stay until you are ready to leave rather than for a set time. Keep out of the way of the priests and of people coming to worship.