Five Ancient Temples of Varanasi Every Visitor Should Explore Beyond Kashi Vishwanath
Kashi Vishwanath draws millions, but Varanasi is a city of thousands of temples, and some of its most atmospheric shrines sit just a short rickshaw ride from the ghats. A recent vlog from the travel channel Wayfarers takes viewers on a one-day circuit of the city's older temples, pairing darshan with prasad and a hearty Banarasi dinner. It is a route worth copying. The circuit begins at Durga Mandir in Durgakund, the 18th-century red temple built in the Nagara style by Rani Bhabani of Natore. Its ochre walls, the adjoining kund and the resident monkeys have earned it the nickname of the Monkey Temple. Nearby stands Sankat Mochan Hanuman Mandir, founded by Goswami Tulsidas, where Tuesday and Saturday evenings fill with devotees offering besan laddoos. The temple's musical tradition, including the annual Sankat Mochan Sangeet Samaroh, is a cultural treasure in its own right. A few minutes away is Tulsi Manas Mandir, built in 1964 on the spot where Tulsidas is believed to have composed the Ramcharitmanas. Verses from the epic are engraved on its marble walls, and the animated Ramayana display on the upper floor delights families. Close by, the Tridev Mandir on Gurudham Road is a newer, ornately carved shrine dedicated to Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh that has quickly become a favourite for its serene courtyards. The day closes at ISKCON Varanasi, where evening aarti and kirtan are followed by simple sattvic prasad. From there, a walk to the Lanka and Assi area rewards visitors with classic Banarasi fare: tamatar chaat, kachori-sabzi, malaiyo in winter and a kulhad of thick lassi. This temple trail is a reminder that Varanasi's sacred geography is layered and living. Each shrine carries its own story, its own festival calendar and its own flavour of devotion, and together they give a fuller picture of Kashi than any single landmark can.
Compiled by HelloBanaras from public sources: