Why visit Kal Bhairav with Kashi Vishwanath?
In Kashi tradition, Vishwanath is the king of the city and Kal Bhairav its kotwal — the guardian who keeps order and grants leave to stay. A popular belief holds that a Kashi pilgrimage is incomplete without Kal Bhairav's darshan. The two temples are about 2 km apart and easily visited in one morning.
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King and guardian
Which to visit first?
There is no single rule. Some pilgrims seek Kal Bhairav's permission first; others visit Vishwanath first and Kal Bhairav afterwards, or at the end of their stay. Follow your family's custom.
Planning both in a morning
| Time | Stop |
|---|---|
| 6:30 AM | Kashi Vishwanath darshan |
| 9:00 AM | Annapurna Devi |
| 10:00 AM | E-rickshaw to Maidagin (10–20 minutes) |
| 10:30 AM | Kal Bhairav |
See the full one-day temple route and the Kal Bhairav guide.
Sources and further reading
We link to primary and authoritative sources. External links open in a new tab.
- Banaras: City of Light — Diana L. Eck (Knopf, 1982; Columbia University Press reprint) (opens in a new tab)
Columbia University Press — Scholarly source, checked September 2026
Written and maintained by the KashiVishwanathTemple.net Editorial Team. Last updated . Found an error? Tell us — see our editorial policy.
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