Vishwanath Rises and Rises: The Story of Eternal City

True to her style of writing- authentic, objective and factual, the latest book of Padmasri Meenakshi Jain- “Vishwanath Rises and Rises: The Story of Eternal City” is yet another priceless contribution to Bharatiya historicity. India is on the cusp of revivalism which is marked by a greater sense of reverence towards sacred geographies. There is an undercurrent of enthusiasm to understand and assimilate the ethos of our civilisation. To nurture a sense of connect, Sanatanis are more curious than ever to know about the antiquity of their civilisation.

Santani’s special attachment to the Sapta Mokhapuris which includes Ayodhya, Kashi, Mathura can be traced to the scriptural citations- “Ayodhya Mathura Maya Kashi Kanchi Avantika Puri Dwaravati chaiva saptaite mokshadayakah” (meaning the seven sacred cities- Ayodhya, Mathura, Haridwar, Kashi, Kanchi, Ujjain, Puri, Dwaraka can bestow moksha to devotees). Hence these seven cities were held in the highest esteemed by Sanatanis. But unfortunately, the temples at Mathura and Kashi are still under partial siege.

The Supreme Court’s unanimous historic verdict on the Ayodhya Rama Janmabhoomi case has been a major milestone in India’s civilisational journey. The ruling attested to the significance of incontestable facts and exposed the falsities of the contrived history generated by Marxist and secularist historians. This eventually triggered a significant scepticism towards the chequered history peddled by fake historians and increased an appetite for facts based on primary sources. Ayodhya Rama Mandir consecration has provided fresh impetus to the generational struggle for the reclamation of the Kashi Vishwanath temple which is still dispossessed.

Meenakshi’s Ji book aptly caters to the Sanatani quest for a bona fide account of the cumulative events that marked the trajectory of eternal Kashi. The legal battle to reclaim the original temple complex at Kashi received a shot in arm after the scientific survey by the ASI affirmed the presence of a large pre-existing temple beneath the alleged Gyanvapi mosque. This breakthrough ignited a thirst for clinically unravelling and understanding the antiquity. It is in this context Meenakshi Jain’s book made a valuable addition to the existing knowledge repository on the eternal Kashi Kshetra.

Kashi kshetra is inextricably intertwined with Sanatana Dharma. For eons, Sanatanis believed that Kashi has been resting on the Bhagwan Shiva’s trident. The three tines represent the three divisions of Kashi- Omkara in the North, Vishveswara in the Centre and Kedara in the South. Hallowed by the pious waters of the Ganges, the place has immense spiritual significance riven with a belief that “Kashya maranam muktihih” implying that dying in Kashi will offer mukti and liberation from the endless cycles of birth and rebirth. Mukti is the quintessential goal Hinduism and hence Kashi is the most sacred place for practicing Sanatani.

The book provides an interesting perspective on the ghats. As per Hindu Mythology, each ghat represents 1 lakh species which provides the basis for the Hindu understanding of 84 lakh species living on earth. These 84 ghats symbolise the integration of the 12 zodiacs with the seven chakras of the body and the seven layers of the atmosphere. Kashi which has been integral to Hindu tradition and civilisational moorings was attacked and ravaged thrice.

Despite the onslaughts of the fanatical iconoclasm of the Muslim invaders, after every desecration, Hindu rulers and common citizens have rebuild the temple and asserted their unflinching faith in their deities.  After the first Ghaznavaid attack on the temple in 1013 CE, the Gahadhavalas rebuilt Vishwanth Mandir, the epitome of Hindu faith and tradition. Around 1584, Todar Mal and Narayan Bhatt reconstructed Vishwanath Mandir and Raja Man Singh built Bindu Madhav temple which demolished by the Delhi Sultanate (1489-1517). A century later, in 1669, Aurangzeb again destroyed 76 temples in Varanasi and constructed a mosque on the remnants of the existing temple to humiliate Sanatanis and to showcase the superiority of the marauding, iconoclastic faith.

Donning the coveted “saviours of Sanatana Dharma” mantle, Marathas developed the Kashi kshetra, rebuilt the ghats, consecrated several shrines and negotiated with the Nawab of Awadh to gain the possession of the Gyanvapi complex. For over 100 years, after the original Vishwanath Temple at the Gyanvapi was pulled down, Ahilya Bai Holkar in 1777 built the present temple which housed the Vishesvara linga as well which was secretly worshipped by the Hindus. Maharaja Ranjit Singh donated gold for embossing the edifice of the shrine and the Raja of Nepal gifted the Nandi. The ongoing legal for reclaiming the Gyanvapi began after Din Muhammed Hussain filed a plea in 1936 claiming the Gyanvapi as Waqf land.

The ongoing legal battle is severely hindered in the contemporary times due to shifting stances of the government which even stalled Hindu worship at the traditional shrines within the Gyanvapi Complex around 1993. As highlighted in her book, “Flight of Deities and Rebirth of Temples” earlier, the prolonged battles of Hindus for centuries to reclaim, restore and preserve their civilisational heritage has no parallels. Undeterred, generations of Hindus have made supreme sacrifices to protect their deities. Hailing the Hindu spirit, the author notes-“despite the difficult centuries, the construction of temples in Kashi did not cease, no matter how modest the structures might be”.

Kashi, the “City of Light” was an embodiment of Indian Civilisation, has been symbol of Hindu resistance. Etched with mention of the arrival of Bhagwan Shiva in Kashi by Purana Pancalaksana, excavations at one of the three settlements of Kashi, Aktha revealed its antiquity to 18^th and 19^th BCE. Frequented by Rishis who performed Vedic rituals, Puranas are replete with references to Kashi. The book neatly encapsulates the linear journey of Kashi in time and emphatically buoys the unbroken bond of Sanatanis with Kashi.

Besides, Sanatanis all the Indic faith systems have an indelible connection with Kashi. As per Suparshva, the seventh Tirthankara and Parasnath, the 23^rd, were both born in Kashi. Buddha delivered his first sermon at Sarnath one of the major settlements of Varanasi. Records indicate that Guru Nanak visited Kashi in 1506 to collect the verses of Kabir, Ravi Das and other saints which were later made part of Guru Granth Sahib.

Kashi has been a seat of learning and has been instrumental in religious and cultural revolution. Sri Adi Shankaracharya, who propounded Advaita during his stay in Kashi composed several strotras. He was instrumental in the creation a militarised sect of ascetics, the Dashnami order which waged pitched battles with Aurangzeb’s troops. This sect which organised into akharas protected Sanatana Dharma from the onslaughts of iconoclastic zealotry. Kashi was the adobe of Kabir, Ravi Das and Tulsi Das. Swami Ramanand founder of Ramanandi Sampradaya visited Kashi and settled at Panchaganga Ghat.

Reverberating with pulsating literary and cultural discourses, the place has been a magnet for several litterateurs. By patronising and supporting the literary stalwarts, Pandits, seers and saints, the Kashi Kings have kept the literary activity at a high level. The Kashi Dharma Sabha founded by Raja Ishwari Narayan Singh spearheaded the defense of Sanatani tradition.

The book brings to life various aspects of Kashi- as a major trading hub, and as a thriving centre of arts and textiles. Citing generously from travelogues, the book offers varied perspectives, one of the views echoed- “Benares has been from time immemorial, the Athens of India, the residence of most learned Brahmins, and the seat both of science and literature. There, it is highly probable, whatever remains of the ancient astronomical knowledge and discoveries of the Brahmins is still preserved…” (William Robertson).

With 21 chapters, the book comprehensively explores various facets of Kashi stretching from its heydays of glory under Hindu rulers through the difficult periods of Islamic attacks and the advent of missionaries during British rule. Above all, the book manages to capture the indomitable will and courage demonstrated by Sanatanis towards upholding dharma ensuring the continuity of this timeless civilisation. The corpus of well-researched treatises authored by Meenakshi Jain has immensely enhanced Indic awareness and shed light on an epoch of Hindu resistance.

Meenakshi Ji’s diligent research prowess accentuated by her immaculate writing makes this book a must read.  

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