English: THE KASHI VISHWANATH TEMLE

(VADODARA)

Vadodara is located on the western side of India and in the central part of Gujarat state and on banks of river Vishwamitri. Vadodara was previously known as “Vatpadhra”. It is derived from the Sanskrit word “Vatasya Udare” means a city situated in a cave of banyan tree. There are many banyan trees on the banks of river Vishwamitri and that’s why the city situated near it is known as “Vatasya Udare”. As the time passed its name changed to “Vadodara”. Britishers used to call Vadodara as Baroda.

The Gaekwads’ ruled over Vadodara city from the middle 18th century till 1947. Gaekwad-III whose real name was Smt. Gopal Rao Gaekwad and ruled Vadodara from 1875-1939. He brought many changes in the education system and improved the social status. To make Vadodara a well developed and fascinating city he used to call many renowned scholars and specialists from other cities and states of different fields in Vadodara and used to make them settle in Vadodara and pay them in exchange of their knowledge and art .

During Sir Sayaji Rao Gaekwads’ time the Kashi Vishwanath Temple was found by Chidanand Saraswati Swami Maharaj. He was full of sadness and of sect. Almost 130 years ago he came to Vadodara, he also visited the court of Sir Sayaji Rao Gaekwad. During that time the scholars that had came to Vadodara and settled there used to exchange their knowledge with each other. During that time Chidanand Swami was one of the scholars who came and settled there.

He got inspired by the Bhagwat and wanted to install a Shiva Temple. Hence the place which is presently known as Kashi Vishwanath Temple, at that time used to be an empty ground. After selecting the place for the installation of the temple he installed the Ganesh Temple first. The thought behind this was that in India before commencing any good work people worship Lord Ganesh.

There after being inspired by Lord Shiva he wanted to install a Shiva Temple. So he went to river Narmada and the stone that he found from the river called “Narmadeshwar” was installed in the temple and that temple is known as The Somnath Temple. The architecture of the temple is inspired from the shape of sea shell. There are 12 main Shivalings situated in India at 12 different places. A small glimpse of all 12 shivalings is shown in the Somnath Temple.

After five-seven years he again wished to visit river Narmada and he found a shivaling looking like Kashi Vishwanath God, and he installed that same Shivaling and constructed a temple near the Ganesh Temple, today known as The Kashi Vishwanath Temple. It was constructed about 132 years ago. The temple was renovated in 1989 and it was completed by 2000. There after they installed a photo frame of Lord Krishna which after few years it was replaced with Lord Krishna’s’ statue. Before the renovation took place the temple was handmade with cow dung.

The Kashi Vishwanath Temple is a temple complex i.e., The Ganesh Temple, The Somnath Temple, The Kashin Vishwanath Temple, Hanuman Temple and The Samadhi of Chidanand Swami are constructed in the common plot. Later on a Cow-shed and a special place for the fire pit ritual was constructed. In the beginning there only 2-3 cows but now there are 20-22 cows in the temple cow-shed. There have been made many changes in the temples till today. The body of Swami Chidanand Maharaj is still kept preserved in the temple in the form of his ‘Samadhi’ (tomb).