Why "All the Temples" Is the Wrong Goal
It's worth being honest from the outset: nobody actually visits "all" of Varanasi's temples, because nobody knows the true total. As locals often put it, asking how many temples Varanasi has is like asking how many droplets are in a gallon of water — you'll find temples at every turn, in every lane, embedded in building walls and tucked behind shopfronts, far beyond any countable list. This guide instead covers the roughly dozen temples that genuinely matter for a well-rounded Varanasi pilgrimage — the ones with real historical, mythological or devotional significance beyond the countless small neighbourhood shrines — and gives you a practical, sequenced way to visit them without wasting a trip's worth of time trying to be comprehensive about the uncountable.
Kashi Vishwanath: Start Here
Kashi Vishwanath is, appropriately, the temple every Varanasi temple circuit begins and ends around. One of the twelve Jyotirlingas covered in our dedicated Jyotirlinga yatra guide, it sits at the heart of the old city, connected to the ghats by the recently redeveloped Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, a significant pedestrian plaza project completed in 2021 that considerably eased what was previously a genuinely congested, difficult approach through narrow lanes. Expect security screening at the entrance, restrictions on carrying phones and bags into the inner sanctum (cloakroom facilities are available nearby), and, particularly during Shravan month and Mahashivratri, very significant queues — booking a paid Sugam Darshan slot in advance through the temple's official website meaningfully reduces wait time during these peak periods.
Kaal Bhairav: The City's Gatekeeper
Tradition holds that Kaal Bhairav, a fierce guardian manifestation of Shiva, protects Varanasi itself, and that pilgrims should seek his blessing at the start of their visit and again before departing the city — treating him, functionally, as Kashi's gatekeeper deity whose permission frames the entire pilgrimage. Located in Vishesheshwarganj, the temple's distinctive idol, holding a trident and depicted with a fierce countenance, reflects this protective, boundary-guarding character distinct from Shiva's more contemplative or benevolent forms found elsewhere in the city. Many experienced pilgrims specifically structure their visit to open and close with Kaal Bhairav, with Kashi Vishwanath and the remaining temples covered below falling in between.
Annapurna Devi Temple: Right Next Door
Located immediately adjacent to Kashi Vishwanath, the Annapurna Devi Temple, dedicated to the goddess of food and nourishment and believed to have been constructed under the patronage of the Maratha Peshwa Baji Rao I in 1729, is almost universally visited immediately after Kashi Vishwanath darshan given its proximity — the temple's golden image of Annapurna, holding a pot and ladle, is specifically approached by pilgrims seeking blessings for prosperity and freedom from want, and the temple distributes food as prasad reflecting Annapurna's specific domain.
Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple: Founded by Tulsidas
Established by the poet-saint Tulsidas, author of the Ramcharitmanas, the Sankat Mochan ("remover of troubles") Hanuman Temple near Durgakund Road is one of Varanasi's most beloved and consistently crowded temples, especially on Tuesdays and Saturdays, the days traditionally associated with Hanuman worship. The temple grounds are home to a resident population of monkeys, considered an extension of Hanuman's own presence, and the atmosphere — surrounded by trees, generally calmer than the more intense crush at Kashi Vishwanath — offers a genuinely different devotional register worth building into your itinerary rather than treating as optional. It's worth noting, honestly, that the temple was the target of a serious terrorist bomb attack in March 2006, an event that shook the city; security measures at the temple have been considerably strengthened since, and the incident itself is now largely part of the site's broader, complicated modern history rather than an ongoing safety concern for visitors today.
Durga Kund Mandir: The Self-Manifested Goddess
The Durga Kund Mandir (Durga Temple), built in traditional North Indian Nagara style and painted a distinctive red symbolising Shakti, houses an idol of Durga believed by tradition to be swayambhu — self-manifested rather than crafted by human hands. The adjacent Durga Kund, a sacred water tank, adds to the site's ritual significance, and the temple becomes especially crowded and vibrant during Navratri, covered in our dedicated Navaratri guide, when it hosts some of the city's most significant Durga Puja-adjacent celebrations.
Tulsi Manas Mandir: Where the Ramcharitmanas Lives on the Walls
Built by the Birla family in relatively modern times but occupying a site closely associated with Tulsidas's own composition of the Ramcharitmanas, the Tulsi Manas Mandir is distinctive for having the epic's verses literally carved into its marble walls, allowing visitors to walk through and read the text's key passages as a form of architectural pilgrimage in its own right, distinct from the more conventional idol-focused darshan at most other temples on this list.
Vishalakshi Temple: A Shakti Peetha Within Kashi
Among Varanasi's temples, Vishalakshi holds a genuinely distinctive status: it is traditionally counted among the Shakti Peethas, the sacred sites associated with Goddess Sati covered in full in our dedicated Shakti Peetha guide, making it relevant to two entirely different pilgrimage frameworks simultaneously — the general Varanasi temple circuit covered in this guide, and the specific Shakti Peetha yatra covered in our companion article. Its traditional South Indian architectural style, distinct from the more common North Indian Nagara style found elsewhere in the city, reflects longstanding devotional ties between Varanasi and South Indian pilgrim communities stretching back centuries.
New Vishwanath Temple (Birla Temple): The BHU Campus Replica
Situated within the Banaras Hindu University campus, the New Vishwanath Temple, built by the Birla family, is a modern architectural replica of Kashi Vishwanath, notable for being open to visitors of all backgrounds and castes without the specific restrictions historically associated with the original temple's inner sanctum — a deliberate, socially significant design choice at the time of its construction. Its location within the university campus also makes it a natural stop for visitors specifically interested in seeing BHU's broader architectural and academic campus alongside the temple itself.
Bharat Mata Mandir: A Temple Unlike Any Other in India
Genuinely unique among Indian temples, the Bharat Mata Mandir, built in 1936 within the Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith campus and inaugurated personally by Gandhi, contains no deity idol at all — instead, a large marble relief map of undivided India occupies the space where an idol would normally stand, treating the motherland itself as the object of devotion. This makes the temple a genuinely distinctive stop specifically for visitors interested in the intersection of religious and nationalist symbolism in early twentieth-century India, offering a markedly different experience from every other temple on this list.
A Sensible Two-to-Three Day Sequence
- Day one morning: Kaal Bhairav (opening blessing) → Kashi Vishwanath → Annapurna Devi (both adjacent)
- Day one afternoon: Vishalakshi Temple, combining with the ghats walk covered in our companion guide, given its proximity to Manikarnika
- Day two morning: Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple → Durga Kund Mandir → Tulsi Manas Mandir (all within reasonable distance of each other in the Durgakund area)
- Day two afternoon: New Vishwanath Temple at BHU, combined with a general campus visit
- Day three (optional): Bharat Mata Mandir, plus any remaining ghats or secondary temples of specific interest, and a closing return to Kaal Bhairav before departure
Temple Etiquette Worth Knowing
- Dress modestly — shoulders and knees covered — at every temple on this list, without exception
- Phones, cameras and bags are frequently prohibited inside the inner sanctum at Kashi Vishwanath specifically; use the cloakroom facilities near the entrance
- Remove shoes before entering any temple, and expect to leave them at a designated stand, sometimes for a small fee
- Photography is generally more restricted inside temple sanctums than at the more open ghats — always look for posted signage or ask a temple attendant if uncertain
- At Sankat Mochan specifically, keep food and loose items secured, given the resident monkey population's well-known tendency to grab unattended items
Combining Temples With the Ghats and Rivers
Given how many of these temples sit within walking distance of the Ganga ghats covered in our dedicated Varanasi ghats guide, most experienced pilgrims interleave temple visits with ghat walking rather than treating them as entirely separate excursions across a trip. Kashi Vishwanath and Vishalakshi in particular sit close enough to the Manikarnika and Lalita Ghat stretch that a single half-day covering both temples and ghats in one continuous route is genuinely practical, and considerably more efficient than returning to the same neighbourhood on separate days.
Lesser-Known Temples Worth a Detour
Beyond the dozen essential temples covered above, several further Varanasi temples reward a visit for pilgrims with additional time or specific devotional interests. Mrityunjay Mahadev Temple is dedicated to Shiva in his specific form as conqueror of death, and is particularly visited by devotees seeking protection from untimely death or serious illness for themselves or family members. Adi Keshav Temple, at the northern boundary of the ghats discussed in our companion guide, is one of Varanasi's oldest Vishnu temples and marks the traditional northern limit of the sacred city. Vyas Temple, associated with the sage Vyasa (covered in relation to Guru Purnima in our festival guide series), sits on the opposite bank of the Ganga and offers a quieter, less crowded devotional experience specifically for pilgrims willing to cross the river. Tilbhandeshwar Mahadev Temple is known for a Shiva lingam that devotees believe grows very gradually larger over time, a specific local legend distinct from any other Shiva shrine in the city.
Kashi Yatra: The Traditional Sequence and Its Meaning
Beyond the practical sequencing offered above, it's worth understanding that traditional Kashi pilgrimage (the Kashi Yatra) has historically followed a specific ritual order rather than an arbitrary convenience-based route: bathing in the Ganga first, followed by darshan of Kaal Bhairav to seek entry permission, then Vishwanath and Annapurna together, with other temples visited according to individual devotional priority afterward. Many contemporary pilgrims still follow this basic structure, adapted to modern realities like security screening and timed-entry systems, and understanding this traditional logic — rather than only the practical geography discussed in this guide — offers a fuller appreciation of why the sequence matters to devout pilgrims beyond mere walking efficiency.
What to Carry for a Temple-Focused Day
- Loose change and small notes for donations, prasad purchases, and shoe-stand fees at each temple
- A simple bag or pouch that can be quickly checked into a cloakroom, since larger bags are frequently not permitted inside temple sanctums
- A scarf or shawl, useful both for modesty requirements and as a head covering where customary
- Comfortable slip-on footwear, given how frequently shoes must be removed and re-worn across a multi-temple day
- Hand sanitiser and tissues, particularly useful given the volume of foot traffic and shared surfaces at the busiest temples
Best Time of Day and Year for Temple Visits
Early morning, before 8 AM, offers the shortest queues at Kashi Vishwanath specifically, since the temple sees a significant surge of visitors from mid-morning onward through the afternoon. Evening visits work well for temples like Sankat Mochan and Durga Kund, which host evening aarti ceremonies of their own, distinct from the more famous Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat covered in our dedicated Ganga Aarti guide. Seasonally, October through March offers the most comfortable walking and queuing conditions between temples, while Shravan month (typically July-August) and Mahashivratri specifically bring dramatically elevated crowds at every Shiva-associated temple on this list, given the season's particular devotional significance covered in our Mahashivratri guide — worth planning around, either by embracing the festival atmosphere deliberately or by avoiding these specific periods if crowd management is a priority.
Hiring Transport Between Temples
While several of the temples covered in this guide cluster closely enough for walking (Kashi Vishwanath and Annapurna are essentially adjacent; Sankat Mochan, Durga Kund and Tulsi Manas Mandir sit within a comfortable walking triangle in the Durgakund area), others require a short auto-rickshaw or taxi ride — New Vishwanath at BHU and Bharat Mata Mandir specifically sit at a meaningful distance from the old city cluster around Kashi Vishwanath. Cycle rickshaws and auto-rickshaws are readily available throughout Varanasi and represent the most practical way to cover these longer inter-temple distances without exhausting your walking stamina before reaching each day's final stops.
The Kashi Vishwanath Corridor: What Changed in 2021
Anyone researching Varanasi from older travel accounts or guidebooks should understand that the approach to Kashi Vishwanath changed dramatically with the completion of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor project in December 2021 — a large-scale redevelopment that cleared and widened the previously extremely narrow, congested lanes leading from the ghats to the temple, creating a spacious pedestrian plaza connecting the temple directly to Lalita Ghat and the riverfront. This project, while controversial among some heritage conservationists concerned about the demolition of older structures it required, has genuinely transformed the practical experience of visiting the temple — considerably easier navigation, better crowd management infrastructure, and a direct, dignified riverfront approach that simply did not exist in the temple's older, more labyrinthine approach lanes. Older written accounts describing a maze-like, difficult approach to Kashi Vishwanath reflect the pre-2021 situation and should not be assumed to describe current conditions.
A Note on Photography and Filming
Temple photography policies in Varanasi vary considerably by site and are worth confirming on arrival rather than assuming a single blanket rule applies everywhere. Kashi Vishwanath specifically prohibits phones and cameras inside the inner temple complex, requiring cloakroom storage before entry; most of the other temples covered in this guide permit photography of the temple exterior and courtyard but restrict it inside the inner sanctum itself, out of respect for the specific ritual sanctity of that space. When in doubt, observing what other devotees are doing, or simply asking a temple attendant, is the safest approach rather than assuming photography is universally permitted or universally forbidden across every temple on a single day's circuit.
Combining Varanasi's Temples With a Wider Spiritual Circuit
Because Kashi Vishwanath is itself one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, and Vishalakshi is one of the Shakti Peethas, Varanasi's temple circuit naturally intersects with two of the broader all-India pilgrimage frameworks covered in our companion guides. Pilgrims specifically undertaking either the full 12 Jyotirlinga Yatra or the wider Shakti Peetha circuit should recognise Varanasi as a genuine dual-purpose stop, worth allocating the fuller two-to-three days discussed in this guide rather than a rushed single-day pass-through, given how much devotional ground the city covers across both traditions simultaneously — a genuine convenience for pilgrims trying to make meaningful progress on multiple pilgrimage frameworks within a single, well-planned trip rather than treating each circuit as requiring an entirely separate visit to the same city.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should you visit Kaal Bhairav Temple before Kashi Vishwanath?
Tradition holds that Kaal Bhairav protects the city and that his blessing should be sought before entering and after leaving Kashi — many pilgrims specifically structure their trip to open and close with him.
How many days do you need to see the main temples of Varanasi?
A focused two to three days covers the roughly dozen most significant temples at an unhurried pace, allowing time for genuine darshan rather than a rushed checklist visit.
Is the Vishalakshi Temple in Varanasi one of the Shakti Peethas?
Yes — it's traditionally counted among the Shakti Peethas, making it relevant to both a Varanasi temple circuit and a broader Shakti Peetha yatra.
Is Sankat Mochan Temple safe to visit today?
Yes — despite a 2006 bomb attack, security has been considerably strengthened since, and the temple remains one of Varanasi's most visited and beloved sites with no ongoing safety concern for visitors.
What makes Bharat Mata Mandir different from other Varanasi temples?
It contains no deity idol at all — a marble relief map of undivided India stands in its place, making the motherland itself the object of devotion rather than a traditional deity.
Can non-Hindus visit these temples?
Most are open to visitors of all backgrounds, though a few, including parts of Kashi Vishwanath's inner sanctum, have historically maintained specific entry restrictions — checking current policy on arrival is sensible if this is a concern.
Why Kashi Rewards Repeat Visits
It's worth closing with a point experienced pilgrims consistently make about Varanasi specifically: this is a city that genuinely rewards return visits over a single, however thorough, first trip. The sheer density of temples, ghats and devotional life packed into the old city's compact core means that even pilgrims who complete every temple covered in this guide on a first visit routinely report discovering entirely new shrines, stories and neighbourhoods on subsequent trips — a pattern less common in more geographically spread-out pilgrimage circuits like the Jyotirlinga or Shakti Peetha yatras covered in our companion guides, where the sheer distance between sites makes casual repeat visits considerably less practical. Treating this guide as a solid, well-sequenced foundation for a first Varanasi trip, rather than an exhaustive final word on the city's temples, is the most honest way to approach a place that has, after all, drawn continuous pilgrimage for well over two thousand years.
Can I visit these temples if I'm short on time and only have one day in Varanasi?
Yes — prioritise Kaal Bhairav, Kashi Vishwanath and Annapurna Devi in the morning (all closely clustered), then Sankat Mochan and Durga Kund in the afternoon, giving a meaningful, if condensed, introduction to the city's core temple circuit within a single day.
Do I need to book anything in advance for these temples?
Only Kashi Vishwanath has a widely used advance booking system, for its paid Sugam Darshan slots — the other temples covered in this guide generally operate on a walk-in basis without advance reservation requirements.
What should first-time visitors prioritise if choosing between temples and ghats?
Neither should be skipped entirely — even a compressed one-day visit benefits from splitting time between Kashi Vishwanath and one or two nearby temples in the morning, and a ghats walk or boat ride in the afternoon and evening, giving a genuine sense of both dimensions of the city rather than exhausting a full day on temples alone.
Latest Update
Want to know what’s happening right now here in the How to Visit All the Temples in Varanasi?
