It is believed that the first temple of Avimukteshvara (later called Vishvanatha) was built around 6th century in the north-eastern part of the city, i.e. Rajghat, but in passage of time was completely deserted. It again came to light in early 7th century (2nd site) that continued till CE 1194. During her reign Bibi Razzia (1236-1240) had built a mosque on the deserted site of Vishvanatha temple, which had been earlier demolished by Aibak in ca 1194. This mosque erected over the dismantled Vishvanatha temple, shows an act that effectively “islamicised” a site particularly the most holy to the Hindus (Rötzer 2005, p. 53). 

By the end of the 13th century the Vishvanatha temple was re-built in the compound of ancient Avimukteshvara and existed till the next destruction (of course partial) under the rule of the Sharqi kings of Jaunpur (1436-1458). But in 1490 Sikandar Lodi completely demolished it. Only after a gap of about ninety years, in ca 1585-90 with the support of Todar Mala, one of the senior courtiers of Akbar, the great scholar and writer Narayana Bhatta (1514-1595) had re-built it again, most likely on the structural plan of the previous temple of the 13th century (cf. Singh 2009, p. 77).

In 1669 even that temple of Vishvanatha was demolished by the order of the bigot Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, and today the Jnanavapi mosque stands on its site. As it would have been only a little additional trouble for Aurangzeb to order the demolition of the entire temple, one can only assume that the back portion was consciously spared as a warning and insult to the feelings of the city’s Hindu population (Michell 2005: 80). And, only a century later on 25 August 1777 by the patronage of Queen Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore, the present temple of Vishvanatha was completed (cf. Fig. 8.3, compare Fig. 8.4). Ahilyabai’s temple typifies the revivalist idiom that spread across north India during the course of the 18th century (Michell 2005: 81). The latter’s plan was made on the four-corner chambers and three central chambers that easily fit into the archetype of seven layers (cf. Fig. 8.4).

During late 18th century “building fabric is being gradually dismantled and replaces with speculative multi-storeyed apartment blocks; [here] the clientele is affluent retirees, seeking absolution as well as modern amenities in Kashi [Varanasi]” (Desai 2019, p. 75). Many shrines and temples have been built or re-constructed in the vicinity as a result of spatial transposition, and also several old ones revitalised under patronage of landlord and kings. Consequently, a mass of illegal encroachments and buildings grown up on the name of serving Vishvanatha, and within the house shrines were constructed and folk mythologies superimposed to raise the image under upward mobility.

In the main compound of Vishvanatha temple there are sacred sites of 33 divinities, mostly associated to Shiva and his associates (Fig. 8.5). Since late 18th century they are part of the rituals and auspicious vision (darshana) by the devotees.

From time to time, movements and confrontations were recorded to bring back the ancient glory and religious landscapes of Hindus, but could not succeeded mostly due to suppression in Mughal period and later in the British colonial rule who used policy of divide and rule by promoting confrontation between Muslims and Hindus. In fact, “these policies had wide-reaching implications, and accounts by mid-nineteenth-century Indian visitors, such as Jadunath Sarvadhikari, who visited the city in ca 1854, reveal an affinity for exclusionary identities based in religious polarization” (Desai 2019, p. 74). In Sarvadhikari’s view, the Jnanavapi precinct, along with other religious sites in Varanasi, had once belonged to “Hindus”, and therefore had to be wrested away from “Muslims”, with the support of the colonial government (Sarvadhikari 1915, p. 441). It is noted that immigration to Varanasi for religious and economic reasons has led to a marked heterodoxy of the city in general. It simultaneously provides a potential trigger for confrontation and at the same time, due to the sheer variety of backgrounds of the immigrants, a dilution of the potentially polarizing communal solidarities (see Dumper 2020).  

After destruction of mosque in Ayodhya on 6th December 1992, the temple of Vishvanatha has caught attention to get its surrounding area cleaned and re-establish its prominence in the religious arena. This is strongly supported under the ideology of Hindu nationalism and cultural diplomacy. In the same vein, like Ayodhya, the present government planned to develop the Vishvanatha temple territory (kshetra) as a special area with modern facilities and open spaces, after getting cleaned the narrow lanes and congested and haphazard settlements (see Fig. 8.7, compare Fig. 8.6). Through the ambitious plan of promoting heritage tourism by replacing pilgrimage-tourism, under cultural diplomacy, a mega project of worth cost Rs 6 billion (equals to US Dollar 770 million) has been started  with the approval of the state and the central governments on 8 March 2019, and projected as ‘dream project’ of the prime minister Narendra Modi under Smart City and Heritage Making programme. Under this project already 280 houses and shops were razed to ground, of course most of them rehabilitated but in a poor condition together with losing their identity, social interaction and cultural harmony. The vision refers that “the idea behind the project is similar to the ambitious redevelopment of many historical cities of the world like Paris [in the 19th century], where ghettos were removed”; however, it is completely neglected that the city and this area have been an unique image and personality of “spirituality and pilgrimage”— no way tourism as almost all the domestic visitors are pilgrims or devout Hindus. All these developments are structured to superimpose ‘heritagization’ through making a model of modernised Neo-Hinduism that will please to the western tourists and rich neo-liberal Hindus.  

Under the guidance of hon’ble Chief Minister Sri Adityanath Yogi, a plan for the revival of “Sacred Trail” (Pāvan Path) has been initiated on 24 October 2017, taking into consideration Vishvanatha Temple as the centre (axis mundi), and to revived and develop routes linking representative  12 Jyotir Lingas (Shiva), 09 Devis (Goddesses), 09 Gauris (‘White Goddesses’), 08 Vinayaka (Ganeshas), 08 Bhairava (Fierce-form Shiva), 12 Aditya (Surya, Sun-God). The cultural-historical (Pauranic) importance of these sacred sites will be enhanced and reflected by reviving, repairing and restructuring the pilgrimage paths, lightening, and cleaning, which will help to re-establish and make active the religious and spiritual tradition of these sacred sites and paths.

In 2018, for the development of Pavan Path plan, an area of 50ha has been allocated with a budget of Rs 600 crores. For all the administrative control and structural planning, a trust named Kashi Vishvanatha Tirtha Kshetra (KVTK) was formed on 8 March 2019 and was inaugurated by hon’ble PM Narendra Modi. It is expected that on the special festive day of Maha Shivaratri (the marriage day of Shiva), which falls on 1 March 2022, the whole complex will be finally opened for the public (see Fig. 8.8, also Fig. 8.9).

To get an areal expansion 280 houses in the neighbourhoods are purchased and demolished by the KVTK trust for the purpose of new sacred compound. The householders were rehabilitated and enough sale value of their house were handed over to them. This complex will be a model for sacred sanctuary, where will also be green belt consisting of sacred plants (like Rudraksha, holy basil) and flowering trees (parijata, juhi, chameli, etc.) and adjacent to these there will be small platform to sit and meditate. After completion, the Vishvanatha temple will directly be linked with wide and sacred path (‘pavan path’) to the riverfront Ganga River, close to Jalashayi (Jalasen) Ghat (see Fig. 8.9). The ancient image of having glimpse of Vishvanatha after holy dip in the Ganga River will be fulfilled, this revived the Ananda Kshetra, wherein one will receive the sublime bliss showered by Vishvanatha. The distorted and dilapidated images and sculptures will be re-established and made revived through the process of prana pratishtha (‘transferring the ethereal breath’).  

This mega project will promote pilgrimage-tourism, spiritual and cultural tourism, and resultantly promote economy and cultural development with a view to reviving the role of Sanathana Dharma (Hindu) in fostering global understanding. Moreover, this is expected to serve as model of imposing heritage planning of the sacredscape, while keep its essence, values and aesthetics, as revealed in ancient Indian thought: Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram (‘the Truth, the Goodness, and Beautiful’).