Arif Mohammad Khan visits Kashi Vishwanath in Varanasi as govt works to free ancient temple from clutches of religious orthodoxy

With Mahamritunjay mantra on his lips , former union minister Arif Mohammad Khan entered the Kashi Vishwanath temple on Saturday, among jostling devotees mostly kanwarias who carried pious water from Holy Ganga to pay obeisance to Lord Shiva. His entry was as undramatic and low profile as his visit.

Make no mistake if you began looking his visit from the prism of religious orthodoxy. His was indeed on a civilisational pilgrimage to a place which mythologically is known to be Lord Shiva’s abode. It may be a cliched expression now to quote Mark Twain who described Varanasi in an extreme metaphor “older than the legend”. But there is no doubt Varanasi or Benares is a microcosm of one of the most ancient civilisations on this planet.

Khan enjoyed every moment of it as he was taken around the temple complex and the newly acquired vast space that makes the way for building of a grand Kashi Vishwanath corridor extending upto the Holy river Ganga. “It is fabulous”, Khan remarked after looking at the wide expanse adjacent to the main temple. The construction of the proposed temple complex is about to begin probably next month.

Explaining the vision behind the corridor, Vishal Singh explains that the idea of extending this corridor to the ghats of Ganga is aimed at facilitating devotees to walk into the sanctum sanctorum after a holy dip. But that is just one part of the whole project. The constricted space in which the Kashi Vishwanath temple used to exist was around 2300-odd square feet. Now its area is extends to over 5 lakh square feet. It is quite akin to liberation of an Indian civilisational centre.

If your have to understand the full significance of Kashi Vishwanath temple, read Mahatma Gandhi and his experience while visiting the site in early days after return from South Africa. He was completely distraught by conduct of local priests known as pandas. In his second visit, when he became a famous politician, his visit to the temple was smooth. But he was quite perturbed by narrow lanes and constricted space around the temple which was surrounded by dirt and filth. He expected that the Kashi Vishwanath temple would restore its grandeur in an independent India.

In this context Khan’s uneventful visit inside the temple and his conducted tour to the Vishwanath corridor is quite instructive. Without the fear of getting accosted by dour priests, Khan like any other pilgrim walked inside the temple, mumbling Mahamritunjay mantra. “This is our heritage which which is quite rich and must be preserved,” he said.

Around the corridor, the demolition work is almost complete. Some ancients temples have been restored from the ruins of hundreds of houses which practically narrowed the lanes leading to the temple. Though most of these houses were illegally built over those significant religious temples, the government ultimately persuaded occupants to vacate the place for construction of a complex that will exhibit grandeur of the place.

What is particularly significant is the complete liberation of the temple from the clutches of religious orthodoxy. For instance, the temple entry is regulated by the government machinery which began using technology extensively to running the affairs of the temple. Similarly the government has encouraged pilgrims for donation in most transparent manner. As a result the monthly collection of donation has increased manifold. Within the temple complex, cultural events are being organised to expose devotees to various aspect of cultural life.

While exiting the temple, Khan heard a bhajan (devotional prayer) which extolled the virtue of Lord Ram and said , “look the beauty of the place that a Vaishnaivite bhajan is played at Lord Shiva’s abode.” His comment referred to the ancient history when Shaivite and Vaishnavites fought with each other to claim their religious supremacy. But that past is as irrelevant in Varanasi as any attempt to curb the spirit of “Banarasi inclusiveness.”

Earlier in the day Khan had delivered a lecture on “Indian Identity, a constant search” at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) which was well received by students and academics. He seems quite contented with finishing it off with a visit to the Kashi Vishwanath temple.