Sri Kashi Vishalakshi Mandir

The Vishalakshi Temple, dedicated to the “Wide-Eyed goddess,” is located near the Ganga river, accessible by following the Godaulia-Chauk road and turning right at Bansphatak through a narrow lane. Vishalakshi is one of the 51 Shakti Pithas, sacred sites where parts of Shiva’s wife Sati’s body fell during Shiva’s wild dance of grief; here, it is said her eye (aksh) fell. The temple has special significance for devotees from Tamil Nadu, who funded its renovation in 1971. According to the Kashi Khanda, worshipping Vishalakshi in Kashi fulfills the deepest desires of men and women seeking liberation. Her major festival, “Kajali Tij,” takes place in August-September and is celebrated alongside festivities for the nearby goddess Vindhyavasini. Adjacent to the temple is the Dharmakupa campus, featuring the Dharmesha Shiva temple, where Yamaraja—the Lord of Death—received his authority over human fate, a power he cannot exercise in Kashi. The site also houses a lingam installed by the mythical king Divodasa before his departure from Kashi.