Sights of Varanasi
Another temple that is off limits to non-Hindus is the sacred Vishwanath or Golden temple (with a dome made of real gold), dedicated to Shiva as Lord of the Universe. In answer to the rules of entry of Vishwanath, the Birla family (which financed the Lakshmi temple in Delhi) had the 'New Vishwanath' temple built on the grounds of the Benares Hindu University, open to all. |
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The temple is supposed to be a replica of an earlier Vishwanath temple destroyed by Muslim invaders. Here is a woman making an offering to Shiva and his son, Ganesh, the Elephant God, the god of good fortune and luck. The red color is from a powder call kum-kum, used in Hindu puja ceremonies. |
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