Kashi Vishwanath, in Varanasi on the bank of the Ganga, is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas and among the holiest of all Shiva temples.
Your ordinary darshan is free. If the crowd is heavy, you book the paid Sugam Darshan to skip the long queue. For the aartis, above all the dawn Mangala Aarti, you need a paid pass, because seats are few. You book only on the official temple site or app, not on a reseller.
Free and Sugam darshan
- Ordinary darshan is free, in the general queue. In the busy season the wait can be long.
- Sugam Darshan is a paid, queue-less darshan in a few simple steps, with help from a temple assistant, a free locker, and prasadam. This is the easy choice when your time is short or the crowd is heavy.
- Small children can go with you, and there are separate lines for the differently abled and seniors.
The aartis you can book
The temple holds several aartis through the day and night. The most special and most limited is the Mangala Aarti, very early in the morning, before dawn. There are also the Bhog Aarti, the Saptarishi Aarti in the evening, and the night Shayan Aarti. Each needs its own paid pass, and the early Mangala Aarti sells out first. You can also book a Rudrabhishek and other poojas in your name, and a virtual reality darshan of the sanctum is offered.
How to book, step by step
Open the official site, shrikashivishwanath.org, or install the official Shri Kashi Vishwanath app. Choose what you want: Sugam Darshan, a named aarti, or a pooja such as Rudrabhishek. Pick your date and time from what is open, and add each person with identity details. Pay online, then download and print the pass. Carry the print and your original identity to the temple, and reach early for the aartis, because the gates close before they begin.
What it costs
- Ordinary darshan: free.
- Sugam Darshan: about 300 rupees per person. [Fee last checked 14 September 2026. Confirm the live fee on the official site.]
- Aartis: each aarti has its own pass fee, with the early Mangala Aarti the most in demand. [Fees to confirm on the official site. Last checked 14 September 2026.]
- Rudrabhishek and other poojas: each has its own fee, shown at booking.
If a website asks for a very high "VIP darshan" payment, be careful. The official Sugam Darshan fee is small, and aarti passes have set, published fees.
Documents you need
- One government photo identity for each person. Indians can use Aadhaar. Visitors from abroad use a passport.
- The details of each person at booking, and a working mobile number.
- The printed pass and your original identity, carried to the temple.
Timings, in plain words
The temple opens very early, before the Mangala Aarti, and stays open for darshan through the day and late into the night, with the set aartis breaking the darshan at their times. The exact hours shift with the season and festival days, and the Trust sets the current schedule, so check the official site before you go. Plan your visit around the aarti times, because darshan pauses during them.
Best time and festivals
You can visit all year. The temple is busiest on the Mondays of the month of Sawan (Shravan), usually July or August, which are sacred to Shiva, and at Maha Shivratri, when the crowds are enormous and the queues run for hours. Dev Deepawali on the Ganga ghats is another grand time in Varanasi. If you visit at these peaks, book Sugam Darshan and reach very early, or pick a quiet weekday for an easier darshan.
How to reach
Varanasi has the Lal Bahadur Shastri airport at Babatpur, about twenty five kilometres from the temple, and the Varanasi Junction and Banaras railway stations. From anywhere in the city you reach the temple through the old lanes or the new Dham corridor. Autos and taxis drop you near the gates, from where a short walk and a security check bring you in. Give yourself time, because the old city is busy.
The Dham corridor
The Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham corridor, opened in recent years, links the temple straight to the Ganga at Lalita Ghat. So you can take a holy dip and walk up to the temple through a wide, clean path, instead of squeezing through the old lanes. The corridor has cloakrooms, help desks and space to move, which has made the darshan far easier. Use the corridor route from the river side for the smoothest approach.
What to carry and the rules
Carry your pass, your identity, and a little cash or a card. Dress modestly. Leave prohibited items behind, because a strict security check applies at the entry, and phones and bags are not allowed in the inner area. Use the free lockers and cloakrooms for your belongings. Do not carry leather items into the sanctum. Follow the guards, because the passage to the Lingam is narrow and closely managed.
Help for seniors and the less able
The Sugam Darshan is the easiest route for seniors and those who cannot stand in a long queue, because it reaches the Lingam in a few steps with an assistant. Wheelchair help is available, and the Dham corridor is far more level than the old lanes. If you travel with an elderly pilgrim, book Sugam Darshan and use the corridor route from the river side.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Your biggest mistake would be booking on a look-alike site or paying a very high "VIP" fee, when the official Sugam Darshan fee is small on shrikashivishwanath.org. Next, do not miss the early booking window for the Mangala Aarti, which fills first. Do not reach late for an aarti, after the gate has closed. Do not carry banned items or a phone into the inner area. Do not fight the old lanes when the corridor from the ghat is easier.
Insider tips
Book Sugam Darshan for any Sawan Monday or Shivratri, because the free queue then runs for hours. Come very early for the Mangala Aarti if you win a pass, for the most peaceful darshan of the day. Approach from the Ganga side through the Dham corridor for the smoothest walk. Pair your visit with the evening Ganga aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat and a dawn boat ride.
Questions people ask
Is Kashi Vishwanath darshan free?
Yes, ordinary darshan is free. Sugam Darshan and the aartis are paid.
What is Sugam Darshan?
A paid, queue-less darshan in a few simple steps, best when the crowd is heavy.
How do I book the Mangala Aarti?
On the official site or app, in advance, with a paid pass, because seats are very limited.
What is the official website?
shrikashivishwanath.org and the official Shri Kashi Vishwanath app. The government also runs a Kashi pass at darshan.kashi.gov.in.
When is it busiest?
On the Mondays of Sawan (July or August) and at Maha Shivratri.
How do I reach the temple easily?
From the Ganga side through the Dham corridor at Lalita Ghat, which is wide and level, rather than the old lanes.
Can foreign or NRI devotees book?
Yes, on the same official site, using a passport.