Vishalakshi Temple

Vishalakshi Temple
Vishalakshi Temple Location within Uttar Pradesh
Name
Other names	Shakti Pitha of Varanasi
Proper name	Vishalakshi Temple
Geography
Coordinates	25°18′32″N 83°0′39″E / 25.30889°N 83.01083°E / 25.30889; 83.01083Coordinates: 25°18′32″N 83°0′39″E / 25.30889°N 83.01083°E / 25.30889; 83.01083
Country	India
State	Uttar Pradesh
District	Varanasi
Locale	Mir Ghat, Varanasi
Culture
Primary deity	Vishalakshi
Architecture
Architectural styles	Mandir

The Vishalakshi Temple or Vishalakshi Gauri Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the Goddess Vishalakshi (an aspect of Goddess Parvati/Gauri) at Mir Ghat on the banks of the Ganges at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, India. It is generally regarded as a Shakti Pitha, the most sacred temples dedicated to the Hindu Divine Mother.

The eyes and perhaps earrings of the goddess Sati are said to have fallen on this holy spot of Varanasi. Vishalakshi Temple is known for its temple festival on Kajali Tij, held on the third day during waning fortnight in the Hindu month of Bhadrapada (August).

The daughter of Prajapati Daksha, Sati was married to the god Shiva against his wishes. Daksha organized a great yajna, but did not invite Sati and Shiva. Uninvited, Sati reached the yajna-site, where Daksha ignored Sati and vilified Shiva. Unable to withstand this insult, Sati jumped into the sacrificial fire and committed suicide. Sati died, but her corpse did not burn. Shiva (as Virabhadra) slew Daksha for being responsible for Sati's death and forgave him, resurrecting him. The wild, grief-stricken Shiva wandered the universe with Sati's corpse. Finally, the god Vishnu dismembered the body of Sati into 51 parts, each of which became a Shakti Pitha, temple to a form of the Goddess. Shiva is also worshipped at each Shakti Pitha in the form of Bhairava, the male counterpart or guardian of the presiding goddess of the Pitha. Sati's eye or earring is believed to have fallen at Varanasi, establishing Vishalakshi as a Shakti Pitha.

In the sacred geography of Varanasi, six points are said to symbolize Shastanga (six-fold) yoga, which is performing by visiting the six sites. They are the Vishwanath Temple (the most important temple of Varanasi - dedicated to Shiva), the Vishalakshi Temple, the Ganges, the Kala Bhairava temple (dedicated to Varanasi's guardian deity and Vishalakshi's Bhiarava), the Dhudiraj Temple (dedicated to the god Ganesha - son of Shiva and Parvati) and the Dandapani temple (dedicated to an aspect of Shiva).