Overview
The Kashi Vishwanath Corridor (inaugurated December 2021 by PM Modi) is a 5 lakh sq-ft transformation of the area between the Kashi Vishwanath Jyotirlinga temple and the Ganga ghats — removing 300+ encroachments and creating a grand pilgrimage promenade. The corridor connects the Ganga ghat directly to the Jyotirlinga temple via a marble-lined walkway for the first time in centuries. The new complex includes 24 buildings, 27 ancient temples (including Mandukavinayak, Kushmaur, and Avimukteshwar temples that were hidden inside private structures), a Mumukshu Bhavan (death hospice), a temple museum, and a viewing gallery of the 17th-century Gyanvapi Mosque from the corridor. Sugam Darshan (facilitated smooth darshan) for differently-abled pilgrims and senior citizens is available via dedicated entry. The corridor also shifted the Annakshetra (free meal kitchen) facility and expanded the Mangala Aarti booking system.
How to Reach
Varanasi Junction railway station (4 km from temple); Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport (25 km); Corridor entry gates at Lalita Ghat, Manikarnika Ghat, and Dashashwamedh Ghat (5 gate entry points total)
Key Highlights
5 Gateway Entry Points
The corridor has five entry points from different ghats — Lalita Ghat, Manikarnika Ghat, Dhundhi Vinayak, Gyanvapi area, and the main Vishwanath temple lane. Each route offers different architectural vistas.
27 Restored Ancient Temples
The corridor excavation revealed and restored 27 ancient temples that had been enclosed within private buildings for centuries — each now accessible within the open pilgrim precinct.
Corridor Museum
A museum within the corridor complex displaying the history of the Kashi Vishwanath temple including its multiple constructions, Aurangzeb's demolition of 1669, and Ahilyabai Holkar's 1780 rebuilding.
Gyanvapi Mosque View Gallery
A designated gallery from which the Gyanvapi Mosque adjacent to the temple is visible — a complex site of ongoing legal dispute and religious significance for both Hindus and Muslims.
Mangala Aarti Advance Booking
The 4 AM dawn aarti is the most spiritually charged moment at the temple — online booking via the official temple website 30+ days in advance is strongly recommended.
Sugam Darshan (Accessibility)
The corridor provides wheelchair-accessible pathways and dedicated assistance for elderly and disabled pilgrims — a significant improvement over the narrow pre-corridor temple lanes.
Visitor Information
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