Vishvanatha- The Raja of the City

गंगातरंगरमणीयजटाकलापं गौरीनिरंतरविभूषितवामभागम्।
नारायणप्रियमनंगमदापहारं वाराणसीपुरपतिं भजविश्वनाथम्॥

“I praise Vishvanatha, lord of Varanasi, who wears Ganga in his long matted hair, on whose side the divine mother is always present, who is the beloved of Narayana, who destroyed the pride of Kamadeva.”
                                                                                       Vishvanatha Ashtakam -1

Vishvanatha or Vishveshwara is known throughout India and the world. Though he is counted among the 12 jyotirlingas, his reputation goes beyond that, because of his connection with Kashi.

From morning to evening, people throng to the temple in their thousands to pay their obeisance. When one gets into the crowd, surely there is no way to avoid irritation. All that shouting, all that chattering, the entire space reeks of sweat, but when one gets to have darshan of Vishvanatha for those few moments it feels as if these vanish and there arises a feeling as if he is there just for us.

This experience is not individual. But every pilgrim feels such emotions on entering the sanctum at Vishveshwara.