Pilgrimages and Temples of Devi Annapoorna

► ► Kashi (Varanasi) (Moksha Puri) (Jyotirlinga) (Shakti Peetha) (Ashta Dasha Shakti Peetha)
(Varanasi district, Uttar Pradesh)

▬ River Ganga (2525 km) flows → Assi Ghat, Dashashwamedh Ghat (Aarti)
- Assi Ghat (Aarti) - Harishchandra Ghat - Kedar Ghat - Dashashwamedh Ghat (Aarti) - Meer Ghat - Lalita Ghat (Vishwanath Temple) - Manikarnika Ghat - Scindia Ghat - Panchganga Ghat - Trilochan Ghat - Prahlad Ghat
▬ River Varana flows
▬ River Asi flows
(Middle Ganga Plain)

(Shiva Purana)
(Skanda Purana - Kashi Khanda)
(Peetha Nirnaya Tantra)

• Shiva: Lord Shiva created Kashi and abides there as Vishwanatha Jyotirlinga. Lord Shiva also established Kalabhairava, Dandapani and Ashta Bhairavas in Kashi. Lord Shiva was worshipped in Kashi by devas and sages due to which various Lingas exist in Kashi.
- Vishwanatha Jyotirlinga (Near Lalita Ghat)
- Avimukteshwara Linga (Within Kashi Vishwanath Temple)
- Trilochan Temple (Near Trilochan Ghat)
- Adi Mahadev Temple (Near Trilochan Ghat)
- Vireshwar Temple (Near Schindia Ghat)
Vishwakarmeshwar Temple (Within the Vireshwar Temple near Schindia Ghat)
- Chandreshwar Temple (Within Siddheshwari Temple near Schindia Ghat)
- Dharmeshwar Temple (Near Meer Ghat)
- Kameshwar Temple (North of Trilochan quite close to Prahlad Ghat)
- Kedareshwar Temple (Near Kedar Ghat)
- Krittivasheshwar Temple (Daranagar area between Vishwanath and Mahamrityunjay Temples)
- Manikarnikeshwar Temple (Ghasi Tola quite close to Manikarnika Ghat)
- Omkareshwar Temple (Near Matsyodari or Macchodari area)
- Ratneshwar Temple (Vishweshwarganj close to Mahamrityunjay Temple)
- Kalabhairava Temple
- Dandapani Temple
- Bhairava Temples

• Devi: Devi abides in Kashi as Varanasi Shakti Peetha (Devi Vishalakshi). Devi Vishalakshi is also an Ashta Dasha Shakti Peetha. Devi also abides in Kashi in other forms like Devi Annapoorna, Devi Vishwabahu, Devi Durga, 64 Yoginis etc.
- Devi Vishalakshi Temple (Varanasi Shakti Peetha) (Ashta Dasha Shakti Peetha)
- Devi Annapoorna Temple
- Devi Vishwabahu Temple
- Devi Durga Temple
- Devi Sankata Temple
- Devi Siddheshwari Temple
- Yogini Temple

• Brahma: Lord Brahma performed ten Ashwamedha Yagnas in Kashi (Dasashwamedh Ghat).
- Dasashwamedh Ghat

• Vishnu: Lord Vishnu abides in Kashi as Bindu Madhava.
- Bindu Madhav Temple

• Ganesha: Sri Ganesha abides in Kashi as 56 Vinayakas, the most famous of which is Dhundiraj Vinayaka.
- Dhundiraj Vinayaka Temple

• Surya: Surya deva abides in Kashi as 12 Adityas, the most famous of which is Lolarka.
- Lolarka Kund

• Hanuman: Bhakta Hanuman abides in Kashi as Sankat Mochan Hanuman.
- Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple


• Sages: Sages associated with Kashi:

○ Agastya: Sage Agastya had his hermitage in Kashi before he moved to South to suppress the rising Vindhya mountain.

○ Jaigishavya: Sage Jaigishavya performed austerity and devotion in Kashi towards Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva gave darshan to him.

○ Agnibindu: Sage Agnibindu performed penance and devotion in Kashi towards Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu gave darshan to him.
- Bindu Madhav Temple

○ Shukracharya: Sage Shukracharya performed penance in Kashi and got the Mritasanjeevani Vidya from Lord Shiva.


• Saints: Saints associated with Kashi:

○ Adi Shankaracharya (788 - 820 CE?): Sri Adi Shankaracharya got the darshan of Lord Shiva in Kashi as a chandala with four dogs who came to test him.

○ Trailanga Swami (1607 - 1887 CE): Sri Trailanga Swami lived in Kashi for many years and performed many miraculous deeds.
- Trailanga Swami Ashram

○ Baba Lokenath (1730 - 1890 CE): Baba Lokenath lived in Kashi for sometime as a disciple of Sri Trailanga Swami.

○ Ramakrishna Paramahamsha (1836 - 1886 CE): Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa visited Kashi during his pilgrimage and had a vision of Lord Shiva imparting the Taraka mantra. Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa also met Sri Trailanga Swami during his visit.


अयोध्या मथुरा माया काशी काञ्ची अवन्तिका ।
पुरी द्वारावती चैव सप्तैते मोक्षदायकाः ॥
- Sapta Mokshapuri Sloka (Kashi is a Moksha Puri)

वाराणस्यां तु विश्वेशं त्र्यंबकं गौतमीतटे ।
हिमालये तु केदारं घुश्मेशं च शिवालये ॥
- Dwadasa Jyotirlinga Stotra - verse 3 (Varanasi has the Vishwanatha Jyotirlinga)

गङ्गातरङ्गरमणीयजटाकलापं गौरीनिरन्तरविभूषितवामभागम् ।
नारायणप्रियमनङ्गमदापहारं वाराणसीपुरपतिं भज विश्वनाथम् ॥
- Vishwanathashtakam - verse 1 (Lord Vishwanatha abides as the presiding deity of Varanasi)

देवराजसेव्यमानपावनांघ्रिपङ्कजं व्यालयज्ञसूत्रमिन्दुशेखरं कृपाकरम् ।
नारदादियोगिवृन्दवन्दितं दिगंबरं काशिकापुराधिनाथकालभैरवं भजे ॥
- Kalabhairava Ashtakam - verse 1 (Lord Kalabhairava abides as the guardian deity of Kashi)

वाराणस्यां विशालाक्षी देवता कालभैरवः ।
मणिकर्णीति विख्याता कुण्डलं च मम श्रुतेः ॥
- Shakti Peetha Stotram - verse 30 (Varanasi has the Vishalakshi Shakti Peetha where the Kundala of Devi had fallen)

नित्यानन्दकरी वराभयकरी सौन्दर्यरत्नाकरी निर्धूताखिलघोरपावनकरी प्रत्यक्षमाहेश्वरी ।
प्रालेयाचलवंशपावनकरी काशीपुराधीश्वरी भिक्षां देहि कृपावलम्बनकरी मातान्नपूर्णेश्वरी ॥
- Annapoorna Stotram - verse 1 (Devi Annapoorna abides as the presiding mother of Kashi)

देवि सुरेश्वरि भगवति गङ्गे त्रिभुवनतारिणि तरलतरङ्गे ।
शङ्करमौलिविहारिणि विमले मम मतिरास्तां तव पदकमले ॥
- Ganga Stotram - verse 1 (River Ganga flows through Kashi)


(Shiva Purana)
(Skanda Purana - Kashi Khanda)
(Peetha Nirnaya Tantra)

▬ Vishwanatha Jyotirlinga - Lord Shiva creating Kashi and abiding there as Avimukteshwara Linga
(Shiva Purana - Koti Rudra Samhita - 22 to 23)
▬ Varanasi Shakti Peetha: I meditate on the Varanasi Shakti Peetha where the Kundala (Ear-Ring) of Devi had fallen. The Devi there is known as Vishalakshi and the Bhairava is called Kalabhairava.
(Peetha Nirnaya Tantra - Shakti Peetha Stotram - verse 30)
▬ Creation of Kashi
(Skanda Purana - Kashi Khanda - 26)
▬ Creation of Manikarnika in Kashi
(Skanda Purana - Kashi Khanda - 26)
▬ Advent of river Ganga in Kashi
(Skanda Purana - Kashi Khanda - 30)
▬ Creation of Kalabhairava in Kashi
(Skanda Purana - Kashi Khanda - 31)
▬ Appearance of Dandapani in Kashi
(Skanda Purana - Kashi Khanda - 32)
▬ Creation of Jnanavapi (Jnanoda Teertha) in Kashi
(Skanda Purana - Kashi Khanda - 33 to 34)
▬ Creation of Avimukteshwara Linga in Kashi
(Skanda Purana - Kashi Khanda - 39)
▬ Lord Shiva left Kashi for sometime and went to Mandara mountain after Divodasa became the king. Lord Shiva created the Avimukteshwara Linga while leaving Kashi.
▬ Appearance of 64 Yoginis in Kashi
(Skanda Purana - Kashi Khanda - 45)
▬ Appearance of 12 Adityas in Kashi
(Skanda Purana - Kashi Khanda - 46)
▬ Appearance of Lord Brahma in Kashi
(Skanda Purana - Kashi Khanda - 52)
▬ Appearance of Shiva Ganas in Kashi
(Skanda Purana - Kashi Khanda - 53 to 54)
▬ Appearance of 56 Vinayakas in Kashi
(Skanda Purana - Kashi Khanda - 55 to 57)
▬ Appearance of Panchaganga in Kashi
(Skanda Purana - Kashi Khanda - 59)
▬ Appearance of Lord Vishnu in Kashi
(Skanda Purana - Kashi Khanda - 58, 60 to 61)
▬ King Divodasa attained salvation and Lord Shiva returned to Kashi. Various celestials and sages installed Lingas and performed penance in Kashi.
▬ Lord Shiva returning to Kashi from Mandara mountain
(Skanda Purana - Kashi Khanda - 62)
▬ Various Shiva Lingas of Kashi
(Skanda Purana - Kashi Khanda - xx)

► Horanadu - Devi Annapoorna (Chikkamagaluru district, Karnataka)