Most visitors to Varanasi see the same three or four temples, and for good reason: Kashi Vishwanath, Sankat Mochan and Durga Kund are the heart of the city’s devotion. But Varanasi is said to hold a shrine on nearly every corner, and some of the most rewarding are the ones the tour groups do not stop at.
These five are quieter, older or simply stranger than the famous names. None needs more than an hour, and most can be reached without a long walk through crowded lanes.
Some of the most rewarding temples here are the ones the tour groups do not stop at.
Kardmeshwar Mahadev, Kandwa
On the southern edge of the city, beside a broad stepped tank, stands what is often described as the oldest surviving temple in Varanasi. Its carved stone spire is usually dated to around the twelfth century, and it sits on the Panchkroshi route, the long pilgrimage circuit around the sacred city. It is calm, open and reachable by car, which makes it one of the easiest temples here for an elderly visitor.
Ratneshwar Mahadev, below Manikarnika
This Shiva temple leans at a pronounced angle, and for much of the year the river covers its lower part, so worship inside is only possible in the dry months. It is best seen from a boat, which spares anyone the steps and the cremation ground beside it.
The Nepali temple, Lalita Ghat
Built in the early nineteenth century under the patronage of the King of Nepal, this Shiva temple is made largely of wood and terracotta in the pagoda style of the Kathmandu valley. The carving is the reason to come; it is unlike anything else on the river.
Lolark Kund and Bharat Mata Mandir
Lolark Kund, near Tulsi Ghat, is a deep stepped well dedicated to the sun and counted among the oldest sacred sites in the city. It is quiet for most of the year and crowded on Lolark Shashthi in Bhadrapada, when couples come to bathe and pray for children.
Bharat Mata Mandir, on the campus of Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith, has no image of a deity at all. Its centrepiece is a large marble relief map of undivided India, and it was inaugurated by Gandhi in 1936. It is flat, spacious and an easy visit at any age.