Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first phase of the Varanasi-Kashi Vishwanath Temple Corridor project. The 50 feet wide Kashi Vishwanath Temple Corridor connects the temple with the Ganges. The 5.5 lakh sq ft development project at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore is expected to change the face of Varanasi. The temple is located at a distance of 400 m from the banks of the river Ganges. Modi, who is also the Varanasi MP, laid the foundation stone for the project in March 2019.
The Prime Minister said that today a new chapter is being written in the history of Kashi Vishwanath. The Kashi Dham corridor is not only a magnificent ‘home’ but also a symbol of India’s ancient culture and heritage. He said that here you will see how the inspirations of antiquity give direction to the future. The Prime Minister started his inaugural address by quoting ‘Har Har Mahadev’.
Before the inauguration, Modi attended a pooja at the temple and later showered flowers on the project workers. I took a group photo with them. UP Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and BJP national president JP Nadd were also present on the occasion.
Arriving in Varanasi this morning, the Prime Minister was received by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and others. The Prime Minister visited the Kala Bhairava Temple. After this, Modi accompanied by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath reached Khirkiya Ghat and took a double decker boat to Lalitha Ghat. After this he was baptized in the Ganges. Modi arrived at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple with holy water. The Prime Minister greeted hundreds of people waiting along the way.
The main purpose of the Kashi Dham Corridor is to connect the river Ganges with the temple. The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone in March 2019 for this project which will change the face of Varanasi. For this, Sri Kashi Vishwanath Special Development Board was formed. The estimated cost is between Rs 800 crore and Rs 1000 crore. Kashi Dham was designed by Bimal Patel’s HCP Design in Gujarat, which designed Central Vista in Delhi.
A Mandir Chowk (handicraft stalls, exhibition hall, temple trust office), City Museum, Varanasi Virtual Gallery with Kashi mythology, auditorium, restrooms for devotees and priests, Moksha Bhakta for Moksha Bhaktas, Moksha Bhakta for Moksha seekers, And the gate. The work is about 70 per cent complete and the Ganga is on the eastern side of the temple.
Kashi Vishwanath Temple can be seen in a straight line from the ever-burning Manikarnika Ghat, Jalasan Ghat and Lalitha Ghat. The corridor is designed to allow those who take cruise services on the river Ganga to reach the temple directly at Manikarnika and the simple ghats. The temple can be reached by walking 400 meters. Those with difficulty walking will have escalators and wheelchairs. Kashidham Corridor is a temple complex that combines modernity and antiquity. The project is being prepared on an area of 5 hectares. There is also a statue of Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar in the corridor.
The roads to the ghats and the entrances to the temple are nearing completion. There is a statue of Adi Shankara at the entrance on the way to Dasaswamedh Ghat. According to the concept of 7 passages to reach Kashi, the complex has 7 huge gates. Each has its own set of deities. About 70% of the temple complex is open to construction. There are facilities for meditation for 10,000 people.
There are 24 buildings around the temple. Scriptures and hymns are engraved on the walls. The temple complex, which was 300 square meters, was widened to 3000 square meters alone. District officials estimate that more than 5,000 devotees visit Varanasi on normal days and between one and three lakh on special days. When completed, the Vishwanath temple complex alone can accommodate 50,000 people and the temple complex can accommodate 75,000 people.
English Summary: Kashi Vishwanath Corridor: Launch by PM Modi
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